New-York tribune., 1873-03-21
CHLoRoFoRM VERSUS THE HALTER.

TO tAe Editor Of The Tribune.
SIR: The able editorial in THE TRIBUNE of
March I5 eutitled Juries forciby amplnes point
which ventured to make in my lecture the Brain
TRIBUNE Lecture Extra No s. last coumD) the effect
that IN these days q man who has not formed some
opinion respecting great crime is presumably incom
petent to SIT in Judgment that beg leave to call atten
tOn another suggestion contained in the preceding
column Of The same sheet In admitting the possibility
Of death resulting FROM overdose Of chloroform ad
nnistered TO q criminal who chose to the risk OF
being trephined sake of chronological nvestga
ton il is added that this would merely anticipate by
score OF years the method of execution TO which be-
eve shall be compelled TO resort in the interests Of
humanity. decency and artistic efect And since the
Governor declines interfere in Fosters allow me
10 say few words while the dreadful topic is fresh In
our minds.
Upon the general question Of capital punishment am
not prepared 20 speak, offer any information
respecting the progress mental and material by which
hanging TO he the lawful method OF execution
In England and the United states but while the history
OF the past called upon for examples aud precedents
1t should also be mind that its highest lesson is
that OF progress Of advancement from the rude and the
cruel TO the elegant and humane Yet II we except cru
eff On breaking the Wheel and burningat the stake
we may search In vain among the ancients. and among
the savages of modern times for method OF execution
so painful 10 the sufferer difficult for the executioner
and 80 disgusting the behelder that adopted By our
own race in the 10th century; nay more, as now prac-
tced IL is secontradictory, and fails to accomplish
the very effects intended by its original employment
Hanging usually painful death. OF course, II the
broken, there is time for pain and II hanging
ever fine art based upon scientific principles
may then be ia itself cruel than the Rarroe or
decapitatOn; but every knows that in nine cases
ont ten hanging slow strangulation the most
horrible torture long 1t laste And here speak
adyisedly tried it. Dr. webster's execution
for the murder of DR. Psrkman In Boston, occurred
while was lad and my taste for scientific nvestiga-
ton led suspend myself by moose to a clothes
line In taking the leap the chair unluckly over
turned and before cut down came nearly enough
to the finale 20 how 1t feels 20 be hanged and
sIssnon OF soldier whose convuisye agonies hoFr6ed
the toughest Of the guard, my own experience lny
Justified my telling his best friend that II he would show
real pity must pull upon the legs OF his dying COM
rade. 20 keep him quiet and tighten the moose.
Nor s this the worst How often has the rope broken
aud that even a second time, the struggling wretch
has been ae TO Just touch the earth with his toes and
minor nsanees iefore or at the moment Of execution
resulting from defects in the apparatus or the unsd
avoided BY making their crime punishable
with at least severity akin to hat visited upon cruelty
able with this method OF execution and no one would
consent to act exeeutfOner under such conditions.
need not dwell upon the other two counts 10 in
dictmeD OF hanging for no one VINO has ever assisted
a. or Witnessed or read Of execution by this method
win deny that the whole process ielegant e0mp
Gated aside from the horror which Is aroused by the
sight OF such agony, however well the death may be
deserved.
But the most serious argument against hanging Is
purey logical one for although capital punishment In
general banging In particular designed TO accom-
psh certain good Objects present arrangements
such interfere as far as possible with their accom-
plishmont They are:
4 To dispose OF the criminal, and so render him in
CAPABLE Of further misdoing.
q no warn others against like career and punish
uenf No one will deny that the first object attained
NV one way Of killing well by another; and us
severity capital punishment cannot affect for the
grsnd distinctIon between tins and other forms Of
5unishnentl humanity mpels 10 render his death
EASY "a posebe But the other purpose Is less simple
since We must an die sometime. and since the class Of
persons who are be warned by an execution are In
witch ts rarely very happy IL Is obvious that
tirv DEATH painless Ia It's character. would not impress
,c 40 Div az which II moro or less palnu ia ac
corda1ce with this notion we chosen hanging instead
~ the earr or deca pltatiOp or shooting. Or dowuing