Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1877-04-27
Hang Him.

To the Editor ofthe Free Press and Times
The murderer should rot be suffered to
live. No amount Of soft sentiment can ever
do away with the death penalty. But, be-
fore that extreme sentence - executed. the
guilt of the accused should be established
beyond a reasonable doubt. Anything less
than absolute proof is dangerous alike to
the safety Of the people. as well as the sta
bility of the government. In looking into
the different species Of evidence. we ind
that if the history of civilization and the
annals of jurisprudence have conveyed to US
any lesson. one thing is prominently set
forth, and that is that no person should
ever be deprived of life where the testimony
is mainly upon the similarity OF hand-writ-
ing or the identity of the person. 1t is not
difficult to find writers who can initiate any
handwriting so a. to deceive the
keenest expert that ever made chi
Biography study. And with the
aid OF chemistry and photography an
exact fac simile is readily produced. Test
mony as to the identity oil persons is equally
uncertain and dangerous. Where is there
single individual who has not at some time
OF other taken one person TO he somebody
else. when they supposed that they wers
sure? And where can you find one that
has not been on some occasion taken tor
another? A man dealing with more than a
hundred strangers every day Is called weeks
alter to identify some one OF them, and upon
his impressions that person Is to he CON
demned. Shall human life depend upon
evidence that involves so great liability TO
make mistakes A man who was visiting
the city of Washington. stepped across the
sti eet to speak fsmiliarly to his friend. and
10 ! be soon found that lie was talking with
Gen. Lewis Cass. OF course. be was some
bat amused at the occurrence, and he there
fore made search for his friend. and seeing
hun soon afterwards. he run up to him. and
exclaimed why Frank, ! thought !
saw you up here and come TO find out
| was talking to old Cas-. and he-6ra-
cious Heavens :" About that time the
G,neral drew himself up and informed this
man that such triding was not To be con
tinued lie had taken the distinguished
senator for his chum twice within an hour.
and vet the resemblance was no greater
rhan NAV he seen in "A crowd oI people any
day.
There are thirty nine recorded cases where
persons have been executed Tor murders.
~ ho were afterwards found To be innocent
TIE chain of circumstances in every one Ut
III, se cases appeared to be complete a.
IT, make the probability ot guilt exceedingly
strong Nor could the accused IN any ono
instance explain the net work OF evidence
that seemed to completely surround them.
And vet, alter their bodies had began to
moulder to the dust. " ben it had become too
late TO correct mistakes, it transpIret that
innocent blood had been shed. Shall We
not learn from such cases that it l. not IN
human nature. not IN men. that It l. not IN
the power ereH of a ni0 priEs nay 10 look
into the unseen? Such eases ought IL teach
/ us that when VIC come to circumstantsl ev-
idcnce. to probabilities tJ what We hsIisre,
20 what We suppose. to our gueS>e>, and
nice theories, many times VT shall ind that
We don't know ~ much A. we think W. IL.
A man has been within twenty-inur mtu-
utos of an iguOmlnIous death, and now the
execution has been stayed, and the evidence
leaves rouIa tor IA d0hit Of hi~ guilt The
public are discussing the subject as II gus
fipH And no wonder, when 1t turns oct
that the principal part Ut the testimony WAS
fr m entire stranger, swearing To the identI-
" OF person, and the resemblance oi hand
writing. Say that the man probably com
mitted the murder, Is that sufficient Tor the
civilization of the nineteenth century? Is
1t safe to hang a man while there remains
lingering doubt of his guilt?
GEoRGS W. KENNEDY.
Waterbury, April 20.