The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-11-21
CAPITAL PUNISHMENT.
Hanging Generally Condemned by
Medical Men.
MIR. BERGH's STRUCTURES
Executions Esthetically and Scientific
calIy Considered.

Could the authorities-State and national-take inn
mediate cognizance of the opinions on methods Of
infictng capital punishment as they were detailed
yesterday to HERALD reporter the days of hanging
would be few. indeed. All of the eminent scientific
and professional gentlemen visited were unanimous
in their opposition to system cruel as it anti.
quated. Mr.. Henry Bergh considered the matter
nsthetcaly showing the effect of public executions
on peoples morals and argues that should not
be the immediate agent Of mans death, but that
some more civilized mode Of execution should be
used-so painless that the criminal would not feel
it's infection and secret as possible, In
view OF the due certifcation of death to
show that the law had been fulfilled. Professor
Draper inclined to tho French method of the guillo
tine as causing instantaneous death. Professor
William Darling, of the University Medical College,
advocated the insertion OF a knife between the
cipital bone and the frst bone Of the vertebrm d.
viding the medulla oblongata-a purpose very i'm
perfectly fulfilled in the Spanish gatrote.
Mr.. Bergh was found in his pleasant Office in the
building the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty
to Animals. at Fourth avenue and Twenty second
street. The reporter stated the object Of his visit
saying that as Mr.. Bergh had had so much expert.
in the subject OF causing instant and painless
death to animals his opinions on humane methods
of execution would. doubt have very great
value.
with regard to animals" said Mr.. Bergh. 1--WE
have discovered bullet for large animals which we
discharge into the head. and the characteristics of
that bullet is that it explodes Immediately enter
ing the BRAIN that it acts like stroke OF light
ming, causing instantaneous death. There Is muscu-
lar movement after that. perhaps. but there Is no
seusibility. Smaller animals destroy by the
Of concentrated essence of prussic acid It is al
most instantaneous in its operations Put drop of
it on the tongue Of cat dog and the animal dies
instantly. Some such means might be resorted to
for capital punishment"
CRUEL. AND DEMoRALIzING.
.sWhat do you think of the methods at present in
vogueY'
II think that the modes adopted by States gen.
orally to remove from this world their criminals are
certainly cruel and demoralizing at the same time
The other day there was an execution. and within
twenty feet Of the scaffold women and children
and girls and boys. laughing and jesting. while two
people the scaffold with ropes around their
necks. All that is manifestly improper"
"What would you substitute for such proceed
ings?'
ecution at ALL The State is bound take the life of
offender quickly and as mercully as possible.
not; perhaps. so much out OF regard for the GRIM
OF his victim. but from the injury that society
tains by the law manfesting any signs of cruelty or
revenge Now, choroform or some very active poison
would remove the offender in his prison without his
being exposed to public gaze or offending public
morals"
GLOW would the guillotine or garrote doY'
"The guillotine, you know, is bloody and that
renders the thing more tragic and revolving. The
iron chair used in Spain has band to go around
the neck with screw in the back by giving half
turn to which dslocates the spine. The head drops
forward. aud the criminal is dead. That is objec-
tionable on the same ground as the gallows-the
death is visible is manual, and man Is made to COM
NIT murder and with his own hand takes the life OF
a human beng. 1t may be caSed all sentiment, If
you like; but sentiment Is very important element
offender. and the who does it feels that.he is
morally damaged forever afterward. Hence You
have men who have been sheriffs here and who
co ud never be persuaded to hang criminal. They
always employed some more or less hardened per-
There is reluctance TO do 1t which all sensitive
and sensible men must feel. have lived in Russia
in o diplomatic capacity, and have had some oppor-
tunities Of talking with Russian people. They have,
by fiction abolished capital punishment in Russia;
that is they pretend to have done So But they
have what they call the knout. The prisoner s
whipped to DEATH not with the understanding that
he is to be whipped to death, but he is whipped
that all the world knows he is not going to recover.
1t is horrible-simply barbarous."
'Do you think that public executions have any
influence in deterring others from crimeg'
ut appears to that the State might dispose of
its criminals IL less ostentatious manner.
What is the purpose Of public exhibition? Is it
n rsa TO osad rha pSacs s
ton Of proper officers. The whole history
effect at all. The moro blood you shed the more
blood is shed afterward. We have yet recovered
from the blood effects of war; and shall feel
them yet tor half century-the contempt Of life
engendered by the wholesale destruction of human
beings by cannons and swords and the mutilatng OF
their limbs. Such sights never act deterrents.
Set up the guillotine In Union square and destroy
ten men day there and you would find that MUIR
ders would increase all over this State. 1t familiar
ICES the polic mind with the destruction of life. and
hence crime loses its apparent enormity.
"What agents would be useful In securing quick,
painless and private deathY"
"Chloroform some powerful poison like
olo"is,s " claim. whether suffering Is ABSOLUTELY
absent or not think is question. At any rate
such method seems to be preferable to those now
used. 1t - better to give man chloroform and let
him die Ho seemingly goes to sleep, and those who
have awakened from it's effects declare that they
have not been conscious of any pain. Now. give q
stronger dose and they die peaceful DEATH That
certainly is better than those frghtfu exhibitions
on the scaffold in this country.some bunglers
from the scaffold. perhaps two or three
times familiarizng the community with the
in the habit of attending slaughter houses took
such fancy to such sights that he went home and
All executions should be just quiet secret
the certain that the law has been enforced
chloroform or poison. electricity. should think.
might be used. or hydrogen gas might be employed.
'.Why not the explosive bullet which you en-
| ploy in killing animals instantaneouslyY %
"rhat is open to the same objection hanging.
1t Is something manual-man killing man. 1t does
not seem to be so when life is taken away by d
vapor. Could not man be put. for instance. into
an air tight coll and have some destructive gas
lot in while he is asleep? The faucet is
turned on aud the gas enters and no never
knows anything about IL. There would be no scene;
he would 90 to bed at night and before morning
would be dead The Greeks OF old were allowed to
retire and administer to themselves the fatal hem.
lock. This city browns its dogs, and death By
drowning is not painful one. Suppose the GRIM
ina put into watertight cell aud there left
drown. 1t would certainly not be ~ bad as these
hangings.
MIR. BEItGH OVERHEARD.
III was once nearly drowned myself when I was q
boy. fell OF the dock aud had sunk twice when
meddlesomefeow on the dock jumped In after me
and pulled me out. often have thought IL he had
just minded his own business and let mo 20 down
what world OF annoyance and trouble would have
been spared. My sensations were NOT painful. /
only to add that method Ia better than pub
lie executions and think that have In this coun-
try the greatest bunglers In tho way Of hanging of
any people IN the world"
Professor William Darling. OF the University Nfedi-
College, was found in his in the University
Building correcting the proofs OF q work for the
press. The Doctor was very busy aud promised the