New-York tribune., 1876-08-21
THE DEATH PENALTY.
LEGISLATION IN IOWA

LETTER FBOM Mr. MARvIN Ii. BoyEH-MoB Vio-
LEYCs NOT TIE RESULT OF IHH REPEAL OF
CAPITAL FUNIsHMTST.
To the Editor Of Tae Tribune.
SIR The effort recently made to revive
the penalty of death in Iowa, where 1t abolished inur
years leads to PROFOUND the following tefroSa
tories
l. Has the crime in that state sirce
capital punishment abosheG'
2 II such be the cas- Is such attributable 10
the abolition OF the death penalty, is it ceabe 10
other causesl
3. Are the exhibitions OF mon violence which have Cc-
cured from time To time that State the result OF tho
repeal Of the heath penalty
these nterV0Satorle5 be answered Ia the at1t-
tive thea IL woEld seem that, "a inIttcr or p'Di"
policy calows should he restored III that Statc Blu
on the contrary the actsvil srstan tho alrma-
tive in the promises ten IL equally clear that no
change should made in the present law In tEo deDato
which took place in the Iowa recently she assar-
ton that the crime Jf murder had increased in that state
since the galows abolished was met bY tho c"hte'
statement from Senator Jcs,up in the follow
ing language Murder in the FIRST degree has not n
creased Iowa since capital punishment abolished
but murder in the fryt degree has decreased since ho
abolition For four years previous 10 tho repeal Of .ho
old law there five ulrlc-s for every 100000
people For the past tOar years sncO tho law vas abc
ished) there lut murder iOr every 1000
900 Inhabitants" This statement no. reutad. Sem
a0r Tcalc while aEmiIiing that the crime OF murder
may have increased charged, denied that was ~
trbn,ablo 70 The repeal of the capital Vs3atT FOR the
crime of rape bad largely Increased during tho same
p.Od and there lad been change in The Fenatty for
that crime in tho past 20 years; and until 1t 90 ID ba
shown that the increase Of murder attributable 10
tc decrease ia" penalty he soud oppose tho restor
tio If the Old law I, VIII be found that the debAes Ia
either Ioh4e nave revealed the fact that The great
Increase IA Iowa sor the past two or three
years has been confined aimO wholly to those ofenses
which were punishable with death. TAc gailOws
advocates called upoa In the debates TO make good
taclr assertion tha tho murder IN the rst de
gree had iocrea sell since hanging abo!5bed. Ihcy
were unable bat insisted that hc crin,s II rape
mouslau sher, assault with intent to Kill &c had greatly
multiplied and therefore capital punishment slUaij %
restored n the advocates OF bc goOws IN Iowa were sin
10 their assertions, they should have shown not yn
that crimes formerly punished with death hi Increased
bui thaj tay h "a creased In consequence OF the bJl
tion OF capital punishment. But this they have failed to
do and consequence, the senate of a STATE has jus!
letcltec tho hill 20 restore tho galovs.
Tho persistent Misrepresentation of q portion Of the
Iowa press seconded by nearly tHo entire press OF this
Cty, have iru Iuy people 10 suPC,o ,Hd thr abolition
~ ,r SaO%s IN iowa i3ni years ago hdh "t"hSh SI''o
evil 10 tnaJ cpAIE ,uwe.ltn IL has Deel chIr-ep that
Of Stanley, convicted murderer. That StsI.-y
e the saovs IN consequence % the rapea "a the
death ul..lty IS undoubtedly t:Uc; TOf Gov Carpenter
c.,., th" e,.' assembly ,b.,,iJ paS fine I'm f,',,l'y
aoollshng capital punishment rs might loOk upon susn
action in hr Snl o. an instruction, ana, IA drtereucc h.
pG 1lic srnunru ms thu. declared Dy the Iannakiig
bower, might commute the sentence oi - lB.cy in
pr!sOuWet FOR l" which, after the bill lad become
law, n. did I'm gong iowa - awaken public srHt
mont, and 10 assist in legislation on ,lls g,igs-
ton. went IN accordance with custom
which has for many years taken no 80 tuo
j. gisiata.a or tho different stacs, having in view
ths object. w. ot uruS before lcssaiGges tue
wOlhcun %; tho n1roher features Of our penal codes
and Iowa exception, iVf have recollection Gf
having heard OF ti' stanley al Ter hat reached
tie state capita Gyorc Stanley "is saved ifom Ao Sa-
Incl lent following The repeal of h, ioat ben
ay. bat in no sense whatever, moving cause III
TO he s,crcoiy ped cry thai mob violence s prevailed
Ia Iowa 53ca, and because the death penalty has been
abolished. reply il LGccs,lry When tHr aG'o-
cafes OF tho o"s VIII show total absracc UE mob
ru.o in those satc, which sim mainian capita punish
maht, their point III regard > iowa wiz p' wen thhrh.
Mob- in West Virginia a icT weeks agl, to"k three
criminals the custody OF The law aud hanged Them
~ uiin-ht. \ mob IL Oaio nty sTan led negro
awai,.A; er'rl;haI tia, mSo moo, III L"i'"ls
three years ago, took cr-ninll charged vita
murder u2m the County jail and hanged hun
on Of sentiment occurred IN the southern part u
this state. E-s.ess robbers were hanged by mob t
tus Of aglessncss occurred in states where capita
paa shn'nt rs penalty for cfnc is in full fore
law deter tuese mDbs from hanging men without tie
forms Of law When the death penalty Tocaes WI
VIII crush out thuSr awcss cmbd:e. known nObs,
an that killing will be done solely by thtate because
Il has not resigned ta brutal reroaliye, then will tie
friends Of pcnai reform be only TOO wE5 10 discuss tie
which have prompted mobs In Iowa to the com
To the persistent msstluments Of that portion Of the
Chicago and Iowa press which is constantly camorag
public continent or the State OF Iowa Tor tie reSab
I ii,hm.nt Of the death pcnalt. submit the following
statement of fact viz OF the nine me mbers who ~ t.3
time represent Iowa In the lower House OF Congress mot
single Individual OF that delegation fayors the resora
;lnl OF capital Punishment in that Commonwealth. |
tEis stttement h"t pon hearsay, but from per-
delegation, viz Kasson, Pratt, TUFTS. Answorth, and
1h & poaS' 1 N 81 and all voted for e
repeal of the death penalty The remaining four
membcrs Of the delegation, VIZ, SAMPSON McCrary,
Macpil, and ohy.- entertain similar views on
q short time introduced bill l. the House 20
Tire penalty of death nom he siatnte bOoA OF the nation.
Congressman Samps vino until recently Circuit
Judge oi that stat in cony0isauou with me the
subject stated hat at the slime the dedth penalty was
repealed ne doubted me wisdom Of the step but that
he opposed 10 te restoration OF the Old law.
ii is hardly to BE supposed that the nine gentlemen Who
represent iowa in Congress entirely Ignorant of Tie
dfift Of puhc seat ucn In their own locality on the
contrary IL Is rather 10 be presumed that they are to-
touc hing question which. for past year OF two has
~ largely occupied the public mnd Of that state
Thc agitation for the rrtrectiun Of the gaOvs I'm Iowa
trTr iI tbat human fe has been less sccnro si & o
abolition. For years prior TO the repeal the law
Lad become nuliity; not single person having been
ahrogd don the law Of blood for blood con ven.
ion ~ theologianS sOlemny resolved that the death
.oatv ought Ia be restored This srod gave DO reasons
r its action for il had That could have been pre.
u',.'J, W. - tor nothiup Of HE hind cDuld bavc bo
deermined IN 40 brief period but date of the
pa.saPe of resolution 10y that synod may he traced
it continuous ag IA on until the present time The
rlrr,, of this denomination have challenged my
adm. ,ation. and unwittngiy have proved important
ii,rv In tl,e work of aholshng capital punishment:
for te moment the bbet Is assaed they brstle with
rscnfnen and stand ready TO give and take the hard
est blows IN Id defense. In TINS respect they ara
wherever IN effort Is made 10 push forward The anti
capita punishment cause Their ery zeal and Unagging
I.s le.gy as displayed in opposing the ement contrib
aie iussy y, nrDe .ts e rIlovs on ~ icbt ''H ""en
Al n HnT