, 1873-03-02

4 GOOD YEAR FOB MURDERERs.
The report comes from New York that O. con-
ccrted and combined appeal has been nado by
Hamilton Fish, the Rev. Morgan Dix, and large
| number Of very respectable people, to Gov.
Dix, for the conmutation Of the sentence Of Fos-
ter, the car-hook murderer, from hanging to i'm
p1isonmont for life. 4 large number Of ladies
unite in the prnyor, including, it is said, Mrs
Putnam, the widow of the murdered man. 1t is
to be seen whether Gov. Dir hug tho cour-
age and firmness to resist this appeal. He has,
within thirty days, refused to change tho sen-
tence Of man convicted in Buffalo for murder
ing gambler in drunken ealoon-fght, and now
to Interfere to saye Foster would bo an incon-
sistency of the most glaring character. The
crime of Foster was peculiarly atrocious. It was
deliberate. It was wholly unproyoliod. Ho laid
in wait on the front platform of the
car, armed with q heavy iron hook. Ho had
already Threatened to kill Pntnan. When ho
saw Putnam leave the car, he jumped down, fol-
lowed him. struck him on the head, and killed
him. It was cold-blooded, yiilainouB murder.
There vas not q redconiug circumstance about
it. Foster was himself noted rullian. He was
the discarded member,of C. wealthy fami1y-pos-
Hib!y monbeIs Of the Rev. If, Di1's congregn-
tion. They cared nothing for linn or his vife
until his crime rendered it probable. that the
family would be disgraced by his hanging. To
save the family from this supposed disgrace, it
is now proposed to exempt him from the lawful
Consequences Of his crime. 5.
The Eem York prisons contain scores Of per-
sons accused Of murder, some Of whom have
boen convicted. The death-pena1ty has been
: suspended for many years in Now York City, md
theee men are all opposed to any prccc:
dent for the restoration OF 1ansing.
So far they have succeeded. Foster WAS
convicted over two years ago, and has
been ablo by dilatory appeals to stava off the c1
ecution.. All legal means fo- further dolay hay-
ing been exhausted, no has now to bo hanged,
unless Gov. Dix intarferea. GOV. Di1 VAS elect
Cd, n few months ago, upon the cry Of reform in
the administration Of Justice and. in the ex-
-ecution OF tho laws. Stokes, another convict
LIB JUDI AAb Ht t6AG14 VI AEEaA AclaJs '4At
was to have been executed on Friday last, for
murder committed more than a year previously.
But the result in the case of Foster has deep
interest for all the other murdere7s. II Fos.cr
be not hanged, under the atrocious circumstances
Of his case, why should Stokes, Simmons, and
scannel, or any other Of the twenty murderers
now waiting their turn at the ga1lows? The
fact that the widow of tile murderer
hns been induced j.. to sign: the me
mortal in favor Of Foster should
not have the slightest weight. A widow
in deep affection is the last person on earth to
whom the officers Of the law should resort to for
advice. If she be tho Christian woman she is
represented, hes sorrow has naturally inclined
her to charity and forgiveness. But the law was
made to protect society; not to revenge
widows, nor to afford tkom opportunities to for.
give their enemies - - ;'~'. !
Al home, tho season for murderers has been
equally auspicious. Gregory Peri, who, without
any provocation, stabbed two men to death and
sentence Of death, has boen spared to his adopted
country by executive clemency. Pcrtcot, the
wifo-murdercr, though twice convicted and sen-
tcnccd, has escaped through the igno-
rance or carclessness Of tho States Attor~
uey. He will hare to be tried again,
with, OF course, increased chances Of an acquit-
tal. Rafferty,, whose inhuman murder Of an;
officer soomed hardly to require the forma1iies
OF conviction, has in like manner been twice
convicted and sentenced, and, in both cases,
owing to tho Ignorance or care1ossness Of the
officer Of the Law, has escaped execution. He
cannot nor bo tried again untilnext winter, when,
perhaps; some Ingenious defensc will enable him
to be. acquitted. The nan Driver has been con-
yicted of wife-nurdor, but his Gaze. will be nh
extraordinary ona indeed if';tho record be not
found 80 defective that be- too, must DO get FREQ
The long exemption Of murder from ade-
quate punishment has finally aroused pub
lie Indignation, and all over tho. country
the courts end jurics have faithfully and
honestly performed their duty. They ha7o fear
lessly dealt With crime rs tho law required. But |
public opinion hes failed in overcoming the weak
ness Of executive authority, as it has been giy-
ing character, ability, and loyal knowledge to
the prosecuting officers. The fsilnro to remedy
this last evil has defeated the ends of Justice in
this locality. and murder carries its red. flag: as
de6nntly as ever. Nevertheless, much has poen
done, and the outraged public sentiment which
has made murder unpopular will, if tperee~
veres, overcome all obstacles, and bring muir
derers to the gallovs they hart earned. We
counsel tho juries Of the country to be not weary
in we'll doing. II it is worth while to p1otec:
society by one verdict, it is worth while to do 90
by hundred. -"
: =: :. TIE 0PERATIC OUTLOOK.