New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-03-26
LESSONS OF EXPERIENCE.

We are often asked, What has been tic oyTer-
ence of those States which have abolished The Cal
lowsP Mr. NJ II. Boyee answers this question Il
a letter to The Press, as follows:
The abolition Of capital punishment Is no longer a.
eyperment lie has been successfully tf.'d III Mrr "
The state, OF the Union and with tie most ggati ~ %
suits. To Michigan belongs the h"hor Oh hdNhE 'l 20
yav IN tIls reform Capital punishment Va, abolished
w ~ STATE in Isis aud for nearly trsHy f1r yri
Michigan demonstrated the Tact tlat ~, ty j. Jl
vond have been with 1t. Il would be Interesting fof
any le student to carefully examine the various ul
ions and statistical Information coroboratye o. ne
statement that the OF murder has deo,as>i ia
Michigan in consequence of the aOrOsaton VI The Ooody
Twelve years subsequent 10 the repeal Of the death
penalty in Michigan, y. W. Clark. Prison Inspector -e.
US the following information touching the eXpsetce %;
that State under tie substituted Law Of mprsonuea-
II ia estimated by those who have the bees
means Of judging that VI the whole number cpuyr-i
Of murder IN the fret degree since the deaih'pclt
have been convicted had hanging been tie penalty.
We feel proud That Michigan was Tue hl. -
abolish the retalatory and barbirous code OF blood ~
blood" that twelve or more years have nOw passed
away and the hands OF our Government have nor ttrl
made red with the blood OF egalized murder. !. $50
question tins time put 10 the cector, Of TIC State
1t is believed that not more than o,ieJouh would De- IN
favor OF restoring the deathDenaly, which sPeaAs VOL
umes in favor OF the present Law.
\. " CLARK. state Prison Inspector.
SIX years later, again sought information a. 90 10
continued operation " the antih3ngng law OF Nohga
David Wnjon, Agent of the state Prison, oucud,,
letter as follows SAID letter bearing date March D. $50
" am fully confirmed IN my own mind from ohrFFS
tiOn that society has not suffered from tie dDooH ~
Inc oail0-s It's feiutrOiucUOn mooted a. the art
session OF our Legislature, but met with refy Ne idr
either there or from tie people"
T,ro yearsater We again sought information a, 20 no
experience OF Michigan. II. II. Bingham Prison Agent
reiled 10 our INQUIRIES May IS. j. rs follows:
10 your question, Has the crime Of murder ncr'asei
since the abolition Of capital punishment ! answer
thgt from Tie best data aud information Ia be ha am
we satisfied that Il has not Is the present laH APP
| proyed by the Qeople" II most certainly meets lAe
apprordi Of large moloryo ne pfoptoi ne sa' l.o
NJ raised ~ some ui ulI
Gstc1l bodies but to gain no favor rnr ih' F
of their denominations. Our pe0Dte Sbon ,0 disposition
TO return TO me 9aAo~s' an !21i Tp1,' cont
Michigan has never returned 10 he 6a[h.r.h' .a~
her peope being well satisfied 10 retain tlir laN OF
imprisonment, which has 80 much better 'nn'rI 1 TO-
interests Of justice and humanity Than the i.t
| Rhode Island followed Michigan m the Work
Abolition" N 1881 and for nearly eighteen year, - ~
fused To make haugmcn OF her sheFih' Ihc N-',l 't
| concurrent testimony or her Hn'eth"fs' o'''''
Judges state Attorneys and Prison ardeus e,t',H
the fact that the more certain eElnitrh'to W.
tute law OF imprisonment mas nlu ,' , ~, End ,.
crease the crime OF murder. space VIII ~ '' a
Introduction OF these letters, but they VIII or i"i,
whenever called for. We may ho"eyer, aiius p, M,
letter Of Nelson Wall, Prison warden uu9et .+ "
| D 1898 lie saws: 1.-THE crime II murder tas h1t ,
creased since the abolition Of the death-pfnalN on
| coutrdry considering tho increase oi popu"'''-'" "
Wisconsin followed next aboishlnc capital runi'hme.
I'm ls53; and as we had the honor 10 take pAt ih ~
cInseIycontested legislative battle which resulted h
overthrow Of the gbbet IN that state, ahi iA'tN1I
tnv noted the effects OF the operation Of tue Substitutes
| law we can speak undeTstaudngly an I'M, point -
statistics in possession, we are enab'd io soN
tho crime az murder when we consider the iucrta"d
population has decreased nearly JWty per CENT 49,,
! lions which under the old law were alnns' 81,
| obtainment now made easy when tue p'o'- % -
Those struggles Of the public mind 10 reiard conn.,
tion. engendercd by the brutal punishment NHirn
expected would follow. have al. passed aM
| box once filed by men OF little iLts.i-eitc ~.
opened to q better class OF jurors; ana t'
tion OF law Ia longer retarded by the many oo'. -
which the capital penalty ever places III the "a5 " -
conviction OF the criminal