The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-12-15
CAPITAL PUNISHMENT T.
The Garrote Recommended
as a Sure Thing.
DRAWBACKS OF ELECTRICITY
Difficulty of Regulating the Administration
of Gases and Poisons.

OF Gases and Poisons.
The recent execution of the criminal Tracy quoted
furnishing another instance of the barbarity at
tending the present method Of capital and
helps to stimulate the agitation of the subject to
which the HERALD has already devoted considerable
attention. of finding substitute less uncertain aud
more mercifu than the rude and primitive rope. In
scientific age like this the solution of the question.
it is held ought to be easy. and. indeed the fact
would appear be that the difficulty lies in making
selection from the great variety in methods Of de-
struction which science offers. Doctors differ n
widely on this subject any other. While some
are in favor of electricity and believe in its efficacy
others are opposed to it on tho grounds OF ita
uncertainty. Various opinions are held
the destructive merits OF different -posons
and gases. but among such physicians
as have given the subject particular study there
appears to be u strong conviction that the Spanish
gsrrote offers the best substitute for hanging DR..
Frank H. Hamilton. Of Thirty second street. who
had large medical and surgical experience in tho
war. said. In answer to question Us to what he con-
sidered the best method OF capital punishment:-"
think the garrote would be the best method. Iii
quick and effective. and has never been known ia
fail in accomplishing its object the first onset.
The victim sits in chair. to which he is pnoned;
the collar is placed around his neck and with half
turn of large wheel placed at the back of the chair,
the collar is 80 frightened as to produce death In
instant The guillotine. though certain beyond per-
adventure. is too hideous. 1t is as mercifuI
a. its inventor designed 1t to be- but 1t involves the
splitting Of blood. and is, therefore, rcpulsive to
tho Angio-Saxon instinct. Execution by rifle baHs ID
uncertain, and we have already had numerous in.
stances of the unreliabty of the rope SO that for
condemned criminal without shedding blood aud
iu the quickest possible time there is nothing to
excel the garrote."
NO CONFIDENCE ELEcTRIclTx.
''What do you think OF electricityy'
II doubt il 1t would answer. You could not
always be sure Of snmmoning the lightning down
from heaven, and there other considerations to
be taken into account How are You to determine
the size OF your battery, and who are you ia
that the various cells and wires are in proper
order? Competent electricians are scarce, and those
of the first Glass; who would of course be needed al
q public execution, might object to such employ.
ment. Electricity would be more unreliable. fear,
than fifty other agencies that might be employed"
what opinion have you OF chloroform. carbonio
acid gas aud other polsonsy
.sWell death can certainly be produced by chloro-
FORM but it has its disadvantage The mode OF ad-
ministering it would be difficult to determine. The
victim by movement OF the mouth while under the
operation could nautralize its effect. Hydrocyanic
acid would make short work OF man. but to that,
too, objections might be found. A doctor whom
knew thought ono drop sufficient to kill large and
powerful dog. He placed drop ON the tongue OF
the animal and fell the floor apparently lifeess
the doctor being satisfied for the mo-
expected from it,; but presently the dog
got his legs and survived Tor quite time after.
would have 10 be locked up In ali tight cell and
the gas pumped in through an opening but. though
hibition would 1t beS How would the friends OF the
! condemned feel to hear his cries aud yes from
within his cell as he was getting slowly smothered.
One great trouble about poisons to be used for this
purpose is the uncertainty Of getting them pure aud
be OF the correct quality: and. should ho ADMINISTERS
| an adulterated dose. the criminal might suffer faS
greater horrors than fell to the lot OF ono who
was buuglingy stranged.
| MORAL KFFECr THE GARRorE.
do you consider the garrote would have rs do
terrent an effect Us the Rallows on the minds OF the
"Wei, il il doubtful II capital punishment deters
from crime. though it appears to be necessity Of
| society. would reserve hanging for special offences.
certainly would hang all spies ana traitors to their
country. There is more .isnominy IN hanging than
regarded it and iinpored Washington tor the death
| Of y soldier by shooting. The galows has always
been associated with all that is degrading and IL
has been settled upon us the proper punishment Of
murder by tho usage OF ages in many lands it must
clares hanging to be the least prompt and uniform
| of certain modes OF execution which hsv0
Of Or an 'cua ss omGays to
the rapid and certain death OF the criminal without
any probability OF intervening accident. delay or
| torture, hanging by cord and trusting to the.
rough adjustment OF weight and fall which the eye
and experience Of an Ignorant hangman can afford
In the most faible Of methods aud must OF ncces.
sity from time to time lead to painful scenes OF tor
ture especially where the American plan ia adopted
Then hanging has its revolving aspects and there i
certainly nothing so painful to contemplate rs 9
WITH broken rope around his neck ssi as said
BEFORE would reserve hanging for spies and traitors
and use tho garrote for homicides."
would you have the garroting done In public
"DecIdediy Ali executions should be done in
<D4s vok.c
titude, but In presence Of sufficient number of
people to attest to the manner OF the DEATH Il
refuse to believe in the death Of the criminal and
would insist that no was spirited away out of jail
lis the garrote simple in its operationY"
"Quite simple. by q turn OF q wheel collar.
either of hemp or IRON is made to exercise that de-
gree OF pressure tho neck that produces nstau.
taneous death. It would be even less expensive
than hanging. with its scaffods. weights and lad
ders."
EFFICACY OF DEATH
do you believe. Doctor. IN capital punishment
THAT IL hard TO answer. Certain facts OF history
go to show that in instances where capital punish-
inent was done away with fewer attempts on life
than formerly were made. In Tuscany under one Of
for twenty years, and during that time there wero
twenty cases Of assasslnation in tho adjoining
Papal territory to one in the duchy of Tuscany.
Under Catherine II. and Elizabeth OF Russia
capital punishment was abolished with good
cmperors notably that OF Anastatus. showing sstis-
factory consequences. On the other hand tho state
OF Michigan tried the experiment Tor some years anu
subsequently restored capital punishment on the
ground. doubt of its being more effcacious ~ .
deterrent from crime than mere IMPRISONMENT.
When 1t was u capital offence to steal q shhling'S
worth robbery was prevalent as II ts now. show
ing that capital punishment 10 by no means potent
preventive OF crime, but 1t satisfies the sense Of
human justice, and it will very likely remain In
vogue TIL the millennium, whom murders will forever
cease"
Dr. Lurunaris writes to say that for tho purpose
OF capital punishment neither chloroiorm nor the
division OF the mcdu oblonanta lie near speedy
and oau anil mt nm a
Kills a man without any trouble aud quick .
thundcrbolt" chemist explained that cyanhydrio
acid In the concentrated form OF prussc acid and 10
ninety Ave per stronger than the latter tile
diluted condition IN which IL s kept for sao In reg
Mar drug storos. Cyanhydrc acid has to be made
At the moment for use. IL docomposes quickly.
There ~ u residing in Harlem who has given