The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-03-11

poor thank you for your independent stand In
the case of Foster and by opening your columns
to those who may feel that changing is not played
out" you are doing a public good that will not be
forgotten My object In writing these few lines is
to call attention to what your correspondent "F."
says IN yesterdays Issue OF the HERALD:-"Throw
the blame on the surgeons, and save the man, who
is not . rough" This is another OF the devices for
screening murderers, another doubt for the pris.
Oner. "PerhaPs Putnam would not have died had
he received Inherent treatment &C., exclains the
advocate Of the car hook as a pleasant diversion,
only little fun Of drunken rowdy Il beg his par.
don, net rowdy, 30 says DR.. TyngI, TO experiment
so Is to drive the pieces of bone way INTO
the brain, 1t Is really unreasonable in you to de-
and the friends OF the murdered man are 10 be told
"that he did not mean to do It," What u sham
and pretext Is such declaration Let Foster
take the responsibility of his own act, and not at
says he did not intend TO kill Fisk Scannen says
ne was too crazy to know what he was about. King
VIII say that he only intended to wing" has
choking him and he only applied the knife TO make
INN let 60 and am inclined to think Wagner's
defence for the horrible murder OF two and per-
haps three, unonending women, will be emotional
insanity In the name OF Heaven and all that is
good let US put q stop to murder Lend your power
ini influence to this end and speak Tor the great
mass VINO seldom or ever appear IN public print.
Why Foster Should Not BE Hanged.
To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD
Why should Foster be hanged2 Except where
Lynch law prevails, a man is not hanged unless
jury have been convinced that he has committed
crime Tor which the law prescribes that penalty.
Has that happened in this case2 The certificates
and afldavits OF majority of the jury state that
they never did agree on the point whether Foster
intended TO murder Putnam. They say they only
agreed to that verdict because they believed that,
as matter or law, the verdict including recon-
mendaton 10 mercy would save the man from in.
nlction o. tae dcatn penalty TINS being so, ought
Justice, and ! think a mans life is OF too much
Importance 10 be dealt with IN this manner.
II the Governor thinks Foster aid intend
have some OF the Jurors with him.
but not all. Nor 40 think he viii have the INTEL
ngent and thinking part OF the public with him.
The sober second thought OF such people, SO far as
hear, Is that Foster did not intend the death Of
treated as II ne had so intended. Our laws and
Courts are more likely to be respected If 1t is gen.
orally understood that the life Of an accused per-
sen can be protected under such circumstances
than If 1t is understood that his life Is subject be
taken away on mistake OF the jury who try him.
Is 1t not better that in a doubtful case man
should escape from death to imprisonment Tor life
than that the whole community should incur the
responsibility OF putting mar to death under
judgment which the jury never agreed upon2
JOHN MURPHY, 235 Lexington avenue.
Hear the Other sidc-Thc People Who
Respect the Law.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD
Will you not furnish, suggested by your corre-
spondent on Sunday the form Of brief letter to be
used by those DESTROYS OF urging the Governor to
vndicatc the law in Fosters case2 If you will do
80, General Dix will be likely to learn what public
sentiment really is. The friends of Foster are busy
In his interest," and everything their money or their
energy can bring forth in mis- favor Is paraded be-
fore the people as "publc sentiment" But nobody
is striving 10 give voice to the great undercurrent
Of feeling, which, If it could find voice, would
startle General Dix with its earncstness, crying
for Justice. In the form OF such letter as
suggested that sentiment might ind utterance.
For every man who wants Foster reprieved or
pardoned there are a thousand IN our midst who
want Justice and say the law must be vindicated.
Pardon Foster aud law is q farce in New York.
Pardon Foster and Stokes won't hang; neither will
Scannell, neither VIII King. Let these men on
and hanging for murder is indeed, 'played out in
New York" The day is come now when murder
stalks In our streets and Stays It's victims without
fear. II the law will not check it the day may be
near at hand for vigilance committees and lamp
post hangings. Truly, yours,
G. l.. s., Washington square.