New-York tribune., 1876-01-22
A SUBSTITUTE FOR THE GMLows.
HANGING A DOCS DEAfli-A BiNT PROM THE DUN
GEONs OF TUE MIDDLE A6Es.
IN IL. EHIfnr o TIE IrlNnn

NfNAf''-Np
GE0Ns OF Tue MIDDLE ABEs.
TO the Edtf0r OF RE TrtbuHe.
SIR: Whenever an cXecutiOner has done his
wot orsily, there II ory for some new and surci ana
more humane way Of put NJ the captay convicted 10
death does seem To De undtrrood MAT there can
he 10 method which will fuA thcec conditions uncss II
shan be carefully employed. Their aro as many fnghLn
stories IN history Of lingering and cruel dea s by dcp
tatiop a. by HANGING; and few hiO Plics OF cce
bralod men aud close with scrne OF hundcrng
bufchery any description of which would etre unnece--
soFy rin to Tho latest gucge'iiou IS that
would o better to put convics death by great shocks
OF electricity Of which would administer the eop de
oroc 10 twenty simultaneously, II that dosrcd but
might not the battery DO ont OF order and tue subject
co sucuty idi The Of subtle poiscn- has also
been proposed. The general answer 10 oil these notions
Il that execution by the halter u iguomninus, ana II II
intended 10 be- Death by hanging Is thr de1in OF do@
IT WAC for This asou that the un.oruiatc Major Andre
entr, aed that he might bc ho' and not hung and ioi
the sarnc reason that Washington family refused 10
grant the request Tie SPY ~ the mcnn' n criminal
known military CODE and accordingly, WINE ihe
desertcris shot tho Spy i'd hung Even tho dfawns snd
quarterIu. which were formerly added to ihe hanging
gave II Kind of rcspcctabiity; and so did hanging In
chains Tie gaOWs, pure and simple, T. pcclay shame
fat and uds shown by the suicidal attempts which ere
90 frequently made to escape e. The aud gihcs
which have always been shOwered upon II prove that
even spartan resolution cannot give II dignity that
hanging essentially vulgar oSpiauon, ana whatever
vholesoIic influence II may exert Is owing IN part to
this Al the ingenuity OF TIE ri-Fan Of mankind hhs
been employed deyisng can, names for the halter ana
the lgnnnan; and this demonstrates how distaS'en
both are 10 cyldOcTs
The attcIupt TO abolish publicity may be pronounced
failure Those who cannot securc entrance 10 witness eH
ecutons ngcr about ,hc prison wall and see them IN the
minds eye and snc them in the air. while one hour
otter all is over the boys in the streets hawking the
10.
io The sake Of the pJblic peace aud good order but
on that their inhuo Is not increased by the
inability of the mob to attend them. The mystery Il the
greater Something IS left 10 imagination of minds
which would not De affected at all by the mere spectacle
OF plJ scal suffering 10 which tAcy are too frequently
accustomed is IL clear that Daturel feeling might
not be more eGecualy appealed 10 If any great change
In the method Of execution should be determined upon.
supp1se for instance that upon receiving verdict Of
guilty. the Court should a order the prisoner 10 De
removed with fOIIodlty of sentence from the bench,
and with bclittliDg motions in arrest Oi Judgment
the bl; that aerward he 4 heard of unl3s
revisa Of the proceedings secretly considered should
DC ordered that whether ho hs bcen executed or Is st
living should be known 10 only few Sworn officers OF
The law and that all the uicyos dens and murderer
haunts sh0ald bo LETT TO oOnj cturo and wonder aud
theory. Would there be thing specially fright
ful about snch fatei Might not the violent
lie restrained by the prospect Of such annhilson
No prison leYees; interviews with memo
rsndun making reporters; daily notices la the
ne1spapers; no opportunity for public semi tl6at-
rcsl display Of plaCk, ooebrty no notOriety aud
nine days' wonder. The most hackneyed hauuter Of
courts aud frequener OF prisons iuglt well he startled
the door OF passage leading 10 some cell all un
known TO the general public closed forever upon the
miserable man. II wouId he oOnsolaton TO those All
ticpot.ng he disappearance to know that those who
had gone before them really dendand that oonso-
laon would be stenly denied. IL was this IeeiinB
which gave such terrible power TO the prisons Of the mid
die ages to the dungeons OF Venice or Of Madrid II was
this system which potent for owl might 1t
not now under certain notifications demanded by the
spirit Of the be made equally potent for goodi do
undertake this question. but only ofer
few hints the readers OF The TRIBUNE who think
ins upon theso subjects. HUMANITY.
Jre,lfO,,, n. j., Jan. 10. 1876.