The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-08-11
THE INDIANA STATE SENTINEL TUESDAY AUGUST H. 1874

past, when executions were conducted in a
manner very different from the present prac-
tIce, and therefore no argument could be
drawn from the list of criminals who had re-
covered after execution. In those days the
method of execution was of bungling char
aeter. A cart containing the criminal was
drawn under the gallOws, and the con.
demned fell with scarcely any momentum
beyond that derived from his own weight.
That part of the noble lords argument
tirely disposed of by the altered circumstan-
ces OF the present time. He did not quite
gather whether the noble lord contended
that persons were killed or not
killed under the present system. On
inquiry at the home Office he found
cause the execution of the law rested with
the local authorities, and the government
was in no way responsible He could not
but believe that there had been a great deal
OF exaggeration and sensational writing in
the description of executions in the newspa-
pers. Young gentlemen were generally en-
trusted with the duty of reporting what oc-
Cured, and they knew that their occupation
would soon come to an end unless thew
could furnish a sensational account. and one
full OF thrilling interest: and therefore he
could not help thinking that if any defect
did occur the most was made of il. He did
not mean to say there was not some foupda-
ton for the descriptions which had been CIV
en-; but the truth was, an execution was not
matter of such everyday occurrence that it
was easy to find persons expert 10 the work.
Henry Drummond once said in the House of
ooinihons tnat tne only way TO teach man
trade was to set him to work at il, and the
only way a man could learn to be an expert
hangman was to have sufficient practice.
EXPERTS NEEDED.
Happily, capital sentences were compare
| 70 bod
qualify themselves; and yet he had reason
to know that there was active COMPETE
ton in that branch of trade. There were
plenty of volunteers, but it did not follow
| that a volunteer was expert performer
it was morbid taste which induced men to
volunteer, and not their fitness to do the
work with accuracy and dispatch, or in ac-
cordance with Isaak Walton's advice TO the
angler as to the method of putting worm
on the book: "Do it tenderly, as If YOU
loved him." Painful incidents might some
times occur at executions, but the accounts
were often tainted with exaggeration. The
government was not prepared to assent tC
the resolution OF the noble lord, who himsel
seemed doubtful as to the best means of in
fiicting capital punishment. Last weel
he asked them to express preference for tn,
guillotine; bat an article in the Encyclope
dia Britannica (which he quoted) showed
that that instrument was neither immedi
ate in its result nor uniform in its OPP
Grafton, and a similarly adverse conclusion
with reference to the garrote would bs
drawn from the evidence taken by com
mittee of that house some years ago, when
witness was examined who gave a descr p
ton of the pre- cess by no means favorable
as compared with our system. Under al
the circumstances, there we're excelen
reasons why their lordships should refrain
from passing the resolution. Lord Dunsan,
having said a few words in reply, denying
that the extracts which the noble earl haC
read had proved his case, the motion wa
negatiyed.