New-York tribune., 1873-05-19
pREHENTION Or CURE.

The disease of murderous prOpensities was
cured in one man last week by hanging him.
The story of bis crime had been spread
abroad in the press and passed from mouth
TO mouth till everybody knew the circum-
stances the trial and conviction and the GER
tainty Of his death were no less familiar to
the public. ALI the city knew that because
Michael Nixon put no restraint upon his evil
passions, but upon the slightest prOvocation
took the life of a fellow-man, society had
taken him and tried him, and sentenced him
to death; and all the city knew that the con-
demned man sat in the Tombs counting the
moments by which he knew his life was
measured, waiting the doom. And while he
waited there, penitent, prayerful, agonizlng
over the mistake of uncurbed propensities and
unchecked rage, the woful mistake that cost
two lives and untold misery, another man,
whose brutal instincts had been allowed to
oyerrun and overpower his better nature, was
attempting out of mere wantOnness the same
devilish crime. Richard Hurley, longshore-
man, drunk, and of course disorderly, stag
gering about at Pier No. 39, East River, seek
ing quarrel and its consequent notoriety,
and prepared to take anybody's life rather
than be disappointed of his entertainment,
drew his pistol-they re such handy things to
have; the man who swung last week had one
and used it--and deliberately shot Capt. john
son of the Dirigo. Then he threw his pistol
overboard-thinking, perhaps, he could buy
another when next he had occasion to take
life-and ran.
Michael Nixon waiting to be hanged, with
the gallows Just at his elbow, in order that
such men as Richard Hurley might know that
human life could not be taken with impunity,
and Richard Hurley at the same moment
cooking his pistol deliberately, and, with less
provocation than Nixon had, attempting mur-
der-thats the picture of Thursday afternoon.
What was Nixon hanged for 7 To cure him
of q murderous dispOsltiOnf 1t did that. But
it's question whether it might not have been
cured at less sacrifice and with less heroic
treatment. Was it TO prevent the repetition
of his crime by others, by setting be-
fore them the awful warning of his fate
If that was any part of the object
the law had in view in strangling Michael
Nixon, Richard Hurley, over there at Pier No.
3S, full of rum and playfulness and murder,
armed with loaded pistol and eager to take
life, is quaint commentary upon its effective
UebSs ut uho 'AplhJtu CIlluCs
The would-be murdercr-the wanton, brutal
assassin, who went armed perhaps because he
hungered for the notoriety Of crime-failed in
his aim and saved his own worthless life.
What will be done with himf Probably q
short imprisonment awaits him, at the end Of
which. unchanged in the ferocty and blood
thirstiness OF his disposition, he is again I'M
kenneled upon society to 90 armed again with
knife or pistol, or both, and kill whenever the
fancy takes him.
Is there no way to hinder thisf This brute's
example has made a sale for pistols no doubt.
And every man who wears pistol on his hip
carries in his heart the possibility of murder.
Is anybody safe when reeling drunkards go
about with loaded weapons waiting only oppor-
tunities to kilt 1t has come TO be very
common thing, upon slight oaeuso. to whip