The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-01-12

| The En- fOrcement of the Death Sentence
The Folly of Leniency.
| A FALSE and morbid kind of sentimentality
has recently grown up in our community in
regard to the inhction of the death punish
ment on criminals who have wilfully taken
life. This kindly pity for murderers, we
are thankful to say, is almost entirely con
fined to the good City of Brotherly Love
Our sister municipalities execute their crimi-
nails without the whole community shedding
tears. Pittsburg has brace of scoundrels
every month. New York sends forth an un-
prepared soul every few weeks.
All over the country executions are taking
place for murder, and the Scriptural command
that "Whosoever sheddeth mans blood, by
man shall his blood be she'd" is being full
filed. Here, however, murders are being
committed to a most astonishing extent, and
yet it is nearly four years since any wretch
has paid the penalty OF his crime. The recent
trial of MARY Ridley, at which she was con-
victed of killing in the second degree, and let
Off with an Imprisonment, even in the face of
evidence SO convincing that on the second trial
she pleaded guilty of homicide, has called pub
lie attention to the fact that trials by jury are
rapidly degenerating into a farce, and has sug-
gested question to the minds of many whether
it would not be better both for the prisoner
and the public, that a more unbiased judge
would decide the guilt and prescribe the
punishment.
We know that, since the days of the Magma
ChartG all of the Anglo Saxon race have
prided themselves on the integrity of the
system Of being tried for crime before dozen
peers, and convicted or acquitted by their
opinion. There has been a vast amount of
buncoIobe uttered, and great deal Of folly
said, as well as truth in regard to the advan-
tages Of this system. In primal purity
we do not doubt but that it was the most
perfect and fair device that could have been
selected, but it has frightfully degenerated
| to-day.
1t may not be known, but it is nevertheless
true, that there is low and senseless class OF
our community who make it a regular profess
sion to be on juries, who are all friendly to
each other, and who live on the rich fees of
one dollar. per day. These men are the most
stupid and the most unscrupulous of any set
of men in the city. To look at the physique
of the generality of Quarter Sessions uries is to
see collection of animal physiognomy which
would disgrace Jail. And these professional
| jurors are the twelve peers before whom
it is the delight of the American people to be
triedI This is the sacred privilege bequeathed
to us from the days OF the Magma Charter
The manner in which the majority of our
| fol fha nlo ic n
singular incident of the evasion of wise
law. By revision of the statute some years
ago, the business of juror as profession was
supposed to be done away with. All the
names of citizens are placed in a wheel, and a
certain number drawn out at the opening of
that term Of the court for which all the jurors
are to be selected. Those of our most re-
spectacle citizens who may be so unfortunate
as to be selected either are excused from SER
vice for sufficient cause, or do not believe in
capital punishment, and thus evade the duty
of sitting for hours in filthy room to decide
on the life Of fellow-being. Thus only such
as are beneath any such scruples remain, and
thus from the lowest classes are our jurors
selected.
1t has been by such men as these that MARY
Ridley was acquitted, because of her pretty
face, and it is as likely as not that if the scoun-
drel who murdered Miss WATT is brought
up, he will get off with second degree YER
dict. The jurors may be the peers of muir
derers, but they are not peers OF ours.
There cannot be too much congratuIation
over the fact that our city is possessed of
District Attorney at once wise, Vigilant, and
relentless in his pursuit of crime. Hon. VIII
LIAM b. MANN has done his whole duty in
endeavoring to secure the conviction of those
evidently guilty of homicide, and that he
failed is not due to any dereliction on his
part, but because of the stupidity and parti-
ality of those who constituted the enlightened
peers before whom the criminals were tried.
While we believe that the system is the best
which we can at present secure, yet we wish
that some provision could be made by means
of which the best of our citizens would be
compelled to serve. 1t is necessary that the
public safety be preserved by the execution of
such as are clearly guilty OF homicide in the
first degree. No false leniency should be
allowed to save them from death, for unless
an example be made and the power Of the
law, Vindicated no increase of police can rem
der the lives and property OF our citizens safe