New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-03-22

III
OF mis- number one has been pardoned. the sentence
Of one commmed 70 hard labor for NE lnol solitary
one has escaped six have died, ana twentyOne are now
As 70 the question: Has crime increased since CAPT
il toe opinion the undersigned that will be found on
COMPARISON win states OF equdI popuiaIOn Wiz "a.
death penalty In force that ours VIII compare laVor-
Ably with them. We now have population OF not IaI
srp -a 00. ana il h estimated bv those who the
best means Judging that OF the Whole number con
vcfed OF murder IN first degree the death pen
aty was abolished half dozen Of them woGid have
been convicted had banging been the penalty. IT, the
question: Is public sentiment IN favor OF ne present
law e. ] would refer yOu 10 report OF the Oouulle1
Of the Of tins Stale 20 whom was referred ~ ueh
Of the Governors message as relates 70 criminal Is
prudence and the state PRISONS ~ when me @ 49,,
says: We reel prond that Michigan was anons the
hrst 20 abolish the retalatOrv and oarbarous code OF
blood TOT lloOu tAat ~ ol uOIe Nc-is 70. lI
away and the hands OF government nave moi been
made RIA with the blood OF legaized murder II the
question az TINS time was put % tht electors on ,e
II - believed that not than unefOuril would De lu
favor Of restoring theideath penalty which SPEAKS vol
n " CLARK, state Prison Inspector
Six wears later / again sought information as 10
the continued operation Of the law IN Michigan The
suboined letter from the warden. or agent as ne Is
called IN Michigan, confirms the statement Of In
spector Clark:
MICHIGAN STATE PRISON. JACKSON. March 70. lst6.
W4Pvrv III BovEE-DeQr SIR. Yours of the 10TH ult
va. duly received and contents noted am unaoe 20
give you comparative statement or me decrease OF
captI onanses the abolition OF the death penalty
/ am fully confirmed IL my Own mind however, JhAl
socetv has suffered in consequence OF The abohuo.
of capital punishment IFS reiutroducuon was Inooted
al The last 0f the Legislature, bu met Win very
Itfe favor either there OF al the hands Of the people
DAVID WTNTON, Agent
Two years later l again desired information. and
received the following reply:
Michigan STATE PRISON. JACKSON May t. 1858.
MARvrN H. BOvEL-De SIR: Your favor OF tue "a
inst was duy received ID which you ask certain ques
tons, % which hasten 10 reply; . -, O..
J. HE number life sentences for murder ID the rst
degree from 1859 1861 inclusive period Of nine years
The General conduct Of tins class Of convcts is good
viii average quite good on better than those CON
eS 1oi , ibiTd in1uiTv "Has the crime Of murder
increased since the abolition OF the death penalty ~
thai from the best data ana InoIai4OA 70 DC
had. am wen satisfied that II mas not Oh 80. , o., Z
4 "Is the present law approved by the people " ~
certainly meets the approval OF fRe lnalOtlt OF
The people o. the state. Inc 4ues9n " &C.
raised In OF ecclesiastical bodies a. gu may
have observed; but 10 seems 70 gam no favor from le
aty Of their denominations our people show no dlspO-
suon 10 return 70 the gaIows. Il. d. BINGHAM Agent.
Four years later l again solicited information from
the Warden Of the Michigan state Prison. be re-
plies as follows: - 49,. ~. - son
HARvrS H. BovEE-Dear SIR Yours lof recent date,
nquiriug FOR statistics concerning the substitution OF
Imprisonment for the death penalty, is received am
pleased 10 hand Won little pamphlet which will give all
the results up December 1859; and since then, by
reference 70 record ma maj pa eauon 70 ne ~
then confined have received seven others In two
al these the Judgment has been vacated ana new
tra ordered with verdict Of aoQuta IN one case and
areturn OF 10 years N the other Two others have died
leaving only three 70 be added 70 the - making AZ ts
date, total o. 81 NE memDeTs 4heIe II MOI hOIe uo
pendent submissive class OF oOnycts ID the prison than
those confined for murder dnu hey seldom give u any
ronbe Uy violation Of prison rules OF attempts 70
escape.
mercful well a. just and 70 ten ~ = satlsi
many arguments snow the inetnclency
Ol the death penalty deterrent OF crime ana that
other and Objectionable modes may be safely sub
stitutod- Society executes man IN order 10 90 gOOd
by the example, while the facts ana the enece are tnat
bad men turn away prepared commit violence
than before; and this only the legitimate process Of
Tie human mind other things. There Il nothing ia
the mental constitution 70 indicate that murderer IL
Influenced by passions which require a cOunter4ctng
power entirely different that Of any other Grim
ma The Of philosophy is employ pun
ishment which will be- most efcacOus the protection
OF society and IN the substituted law OF Imprisonment
we md Tie END nearly answered than by the death
Trusting that have fully answered your inquiries.
and that SOME goOd 10 humanity may result from our
labOfhs remain, JOHN MORRIS, Agent.
The above letters from four wardens at different
periods Of time, all certifying TO the good effects Of
the abolition Of hanging al Michigan, will be graft
fyi1g 70 every friend Of human reform But the
most important fact deduced from the official state.
ments Of these wardens TO the effect that. during
the thirteen years Immediately succeeding the abo-
BtiOn Of the gallows in Michigan, when the popula-
tOn Of the State averaged 10000 there were 80 con-
vctOns for murder while during the fourteen YEAR
Immediately following, when the average popula-
ton OF the State 100000 there were but % con
victions for murder, showing marked and conspic
nous decrease in hOmcidal crimes when the increas.
Of population Is considered.
Michigan is grounded in the faith y and should
bill TO restore the gallOws be introduced into tn
Legislature Of that State to-day 1t would but exct
surprise among three-fOurths OF the members.
Rhode Island followed Michigan in the good work
and in ls52 enacted a law totally abolishing tb
penalty Of death, and substituting life imprisonment
therefor For twenty-ODe years Rhode leland la