New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-02-12
THE DEATH MENACE.

Mr.. Marvin II. Boyec in letter which we
published three years ago, showed ;hat during
the - years subsequent to the repeal OF the
death penalty in Michigan, there were 80 con
vlctons for murder. and during the next II
years, with an increase of 30 per cent in pop
ulation, there were only &c. This marked de
crease in hoDicidal crime was a strong argu-
mcnt in favor of the substitution OF imprison-
ment for capital punishment. In his letter
which We print .o-day he is not 50 happy in
his choice OF arguments. He holds that every
execution sows the seed for an abundant
"crOp of MURDERS and cites two instances III
which spectators fresh from the horrors OF
the scallold have themselves become nurdcrcrs.
THE galows." he says, lessons respect for hui
"man life, teaches men to KILL and "cducate-
"people i'll brutality and violence Now, one
of the most revolving executions ever wit
messed i'll this city was that of the three muir
derers of the Hebrew peddler few weeks
ago and it was followed in Brooklyn by one
OF the most barbaious murders in the annals
Of metropolitan crime. Had the seed been
sown nj the Tombs, and was this the first
fruit ? How idle the assumption! IN 1s7l
there were 10 executions in thi, city, and dur
lUs l4f I'NN N'tu AIt Huiib'A WI i'ih''''''
ran up from ~ to %. In 1873 Nixon and
Foster were hanged, and in the following year
the number of homci,lcs dropped from 53 to
80. Thes. facts do not bear out Mr.. Bcvee's
theory that murders by the State beget muir
dcrs by the people. Yet it would be prepos-
ferrous TO conclude that hanging cXers Il whole
some influence in the community. General
izatiCns of this sort are blind ALLEYS III which
one can do naught but grope in the dark.
We must 90 out INFO the highway where no
can see the figures on the milcSi0ncs.
When Edward Livingston. fifty years ago,
advocated the amcioratiOn OF the penal code,
the repeal of the death penalty WAS 4 senti-
mental theory. II l. still an experiment in
criminal legislation, but il has been brought
within the range OF experience. Capital pun
iahmcnt WAS abolished in Michigan in 1916,
In Rhode Island in 1852, in Wisconsin in
1888 and in Iowa in lST2, and in Maine.
Vermont and ,cVrral of the Western States the
gibbct has been practically abandoned. Does
experience show that the repeal of the death
penalty diminishcs or increases the number OF
homicidcs7 In Michigan and Wisconsin con
yiciions for murder have been rendered Ger
tain and speedy and there seems To have been
no Increase of homicidal crime. Respect for
law, if not for life, has been developed. In
Rhode Island the saluiary effects of the new
ystem are not quite so oby iOus, and in Iowa,
where public sentiment has been divided, and
party feeling has ran high. the testimony i
conflicting. How does the experience of New
York compare with that Of these States
Tho law has been 70 loosely adilin-
i-tercd that the systems cannot be fairy COM
pared. The insanity plea. stay, of proceedings,
and pardons have robbed the gallowS oi its
traditional terrors. In this city there have
been 2SI homicidrs daring the past six years,
and only seven murdcIcrs have been hanged.
Neither law nor life is respected. While
The TElBvNI has always been in sym
pathy with the causc Of which Mr. Bo,ce is 50
conspicuous an advocate, il has invariably
called for the rigid enforcement of tie law 80
long ~ il remains on The statute book. ii it
he a bad law it will work out its own repeal
when strictly administered, and statistics will
finally determine whether New Ork or Mchi-
ean il right. Meanwhile the advocates OF the
repeal of tie death penalty may ~ well throw
OH their theoretical stills, and set their reform
on its own legs.