New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-05-31

fellow-citiZens by inventions like the above.
Poisoning as a domestic accomplishment hav
ing become unpleasantly common, The Independen
thinks that If punishment can only become as Ger
tain as detection may be made sure, this wickednes
would be seriously checked, if not entirely extir
patedD "True" says The CongregatiOHdlist, though
unfortunately the same laxity of moral sentiment
by which such wiekedness Is fostered, insists upon
treating criminals with leniency, and practically
takes ground againstju and needful penalties"
this be sly word spoken for the gallows, we have
only to say that if Just and needful penalties"
mean those which will fTighten people from an in'
diligence in poisoning then, by the same rule, the
rack would be an improvement upon the rope
and the wheel Improvement upon the
rack If certainty of punishment be the thing de-
srable, then that end is to be attained not by in'
creasihg punishmolits, but by wisely amelloratina
them. Poisoning, for instance is crime which IN
nine cases out of ten 1T is impossible prove against
a respondent with absolute certainty. Thejurymah
may be qoverned.by reluctance to convict, which
does not fise into complete and absolute doubt
but the fact that his verdict f guilty win be fob
lowed by penalty which permits revision, rem
ders him unwilling and hesitating; and So acting
upon an unreasonable doubt, he says Not guilty.
Scores of those captally indictedhave not been ca
italy convicted, because jurors would have nothing
to do with judicial murder They may upon their r0h
dire examination have thought themselves quite
capable of giving an unbiased verdict but7whes
the time comes, nature asserts ITSELF and they have
resource to compromise. Add TO this that poisoning
is a crime most frequently committed by women
and that the hanging Of women is something which
manly nature revolts from, and we have reason
enough for acquittals Especially since poisoning
does not like murders by physical violence, admit Of
graduated classification, jurors cautious of com
hitting dreadful mistake which can never IN THY
world or by man be reetifed. Humanity breed
doubt and doubt at the common law acquits
1t gives us great satisfaction to learn las we dc
from The Philadelphia Inquirer that Mr.. J. Edgai
Thomson the President of the Pennsylva Rail-
road Company, has not sailed for Europe for thf
benefit of bis health, which 'was never better THAI
when he went away his Onlyreason for going beint
his desiroto' enjoy foreign travel Moreover Col
Scott the First Vice President of the road, has not
suffered any illness, except slight cold, for Year,
pastP and the other Vice-President, though not IN
excellent health, is very far from beingin des
perate condition. The Inquirer says: THAT Amert
cans as people, do work too persistently. is fact
which cannot betOo often repeated; and while IHs
TRIBUNE's theoryeis excellent the examples with
which is seeks to sustain it are altogether bad"
We are always glad to be set right as to matteu
of fact and in this case specially 80. was our ms
fortune that We accepted as true on this subject the
| statements of The ". Y W0rtd.
Upon tho whole, in spite of the strone-throwins
boys and other natural enemies, we are inclined "a
consider puss fortunate. When he or she, Tom oi
Tabby. is cared for il is in complete and comfort
| able way Puss has fine seat by the IRE, good
rations, and plenty of coddling and petting. Ana
now thefayorte animal has come into great luck in
England for that wealthy maiden lady the Baroness
| Burdett. Coutts. has given the sum Of ElO 10 be
bestowed in prizes to "workmens cats at ths
National Exhibition. Other noble ladies' VIII aise
rive silver medals to encourage the KIND treatment
of cats We would also suggest diplomas Tor cats
who under circumstances Of strong temptation and
Arst-rate opportunity have mover killed a canary
bird.
A most remarkable crowd assembled two or three
weeks since in Paris before the Ministry of Justice.
There were all the executiOners IN France. lie had
been determined that for the whole Republic there
should be only one headsman aud each Of these skill
fu operators hoped the proud position In all
there ware thirty of then-artsts whose business 1t
was TO cut of heads and yet it is said that mider
looking set of men never gathered together
Most of them had been apprenticed to their beaut-
full business in early boyhood and each looked TO tho
coveted appointment as TO what A. Ward calls d
sweet boom" We believe France is the only country
in the world in which the execuioner is not eHogco
disreputable
II appears that in Plumpton, in England, tho
narishioners have decided dislike for the vanities
Of Ritualism They knew nothing Of the pro-
eliyities Of n new vicar named strange to soy)
Smith; and when box directed to plain Mr.. Smith
came to the village they poeped into it, and actually
discovered something Red, which, Of course, they
instantly, having heard Of the Scarlet Lady. con-
sidered TO be Roman vestment Ii turned oAt'
however after good deal of goesiping indglaslon.
that the box was not for Mr. Smith, the Wear. BUS
for another Mr.. Smh the llosier and that foe oea-
fonts thereof were red oomforterSl 80 tne pussy
phobia Of Plumpton was at 0nce aiayed'