The New York herald., 1879-12-26
THE DEATH PENALTY.
Various Methods of Tempering
Justice with Mercy.
GUILLOTINE AND GARRoTE.
Imprisonment for Life Recommended as a
Substitute for Execution.


favor the abolition of capital punishment and some
of them strong and stern believers in its efficacy
as deterrent from crime. DR.. James Il. Wood. the
well known surgeon, on being asked what he
thought the best substitute for hanging. replied
imprisonment for life. Not because am opposed
to capital punishment. but for the reason that cap
ital punishment is not carried out. More than fifty
per cent of those who deserve to be hanged
escape. and the law is not fulfilled. Let
the law then be amended, and substitute
Imprisonment for life. without the hope
of pardon. and the prospect of such sentence will
on contemplation by any person bent on murder.
be efectual check az the gallows- Owing to the
nature of the criminal law. which permits a jury
only the option of bringing in verdict Of guilty
not guilty. and owing to the sentimentality OF the
age many murderers 60 scot free where the least
error excuse be made to justify . verdict Of
not guilty. Where the penalty would be imprison-
ment for life uries would show none OF the hesita-
ton they now exhibit in bringing in Q verdict Of
guilty in the first degree There is reason to think
that majority OF murderers would prefer hanging
to lifelong incarceration, especially If they had the
certain knowledge that the Governor in such cases
had no power to pardon"
"But as executions are apt to 60 for some time.
what would you suggest to take the place Of hang
ing as Q meanso of deathP"
IA needle be inserted at the back Of the neck to
divide the medulla oblongata. as this would make
speedy and merciful end Of q criminal. It would
be cheap and simple method, the victim being
pinioned In q chair, and the whole operation need
not occupy ten minutes. When for. purposes of
vivisection animals are required this is the plan
used as being the most humane possible death being
almost instantaneous. There are other modes, by
certain poisons and gases; but. unlike the one
have suggested, they involve less Of uncor-
tanty."
"How do you think electricity would workf'
II don't know much about It, but have an idea
1t would be less reliable than the MODE propose"
ION principle you not opposed to capital
punishment
..Well, my ancestors were Quakers and did not be-
lieve in the death penalty. and have tendency
in the same direction"
DR.. Jacobl, of Thirty-fourth street. was the first
physician the reporter met who was totally opposed
to capital punishment
.'Why ask me-" said he. ''to contrive means other
than hanging for the death Of criminals when am
opposed to all capital punishments Whatever? I
tma and ingenuity in devisina means FOR saving i'm
place OF destroying life. 1t Is gratifying thing.
however, to see that discussion is going on to do
away with hanging ard substitute less revolving
OF slaughter. 1t Is significant Of awakened
sense OF civilization and humanity, and must
altogether. The moro barbarous tho means of death
the louder will the public outcry be against it.
disgrace nluetoeutn century,.
does good and is only brutal relic of less civ
iized times. All the ends of justice and punishment
can be reached by imprisonment for life. which is
the requisite terror for the criminally disposed"
"They abolished hanging in Michigan some years
ago but have returned to II again..
"That is because you elect Governors now and
then who for political purposes pardon all kinds of
gets alarmed ana talks Of hanging But let no Gov
| ernor bo allowed to pardon any man who Is SEN
fenced for life for murder and SEQ If the system
| DR., Alfred L. Loomis, of Thirty-fourth street,
said d:-"I don't know of any better method Of cap
ital punishment than the present one. It has the
sanction OF time and usage, and when properly per-
| formed. it ought to be. it is as quick
II is certainly an ignominious mode OF death.
| and in that lies one or its chief merits.
| no ignominy too great. Death by opium chloro-
| form would be painless and even pleasant. and
would have none Of the dread accessories Of the gal
does? Would 1t not rather incte the homicidal in
stinct In place of holding it in repression? True.
| but the remedy for that would be the appointment
| Of State executioners. who should hold Office for
As in England. The man would thus become
expert and mono OF those scenes would
occur that shock the public sensibility. There is
rectng the fail of the body which insure the break
ing of the vertebral column and the extinction OF
life almost nstantsneously but it fs one Sheriff In
twenty who knows how to do this. and hence ths
| bungling executions"
|
'.That might be efectual and would certainly be
very quick in its operation-quick as stroke of
lightning The guiiiotine Is anotner rapid method.
| the purpose best of all.
nEAcHIxo THE SEAT OF LIFE.
1t may appear strange that any physician would
decline to have his name identified with such views
as he might express on the question OF capital
punishment. but there are physicians in this city
extremely sensitive to anything that looks like
| advertising themselves. "A HERALD reporter called
on several of this class to inquire what they thought
| ftah haat ubakit TO
punishment but they either declined to say anything
having delivered opinions requested their names
| TO be suppressed. Among these was an eminent
practitioner and former president Of the County
Medical Society. whowas asked by the reporter what
| he considered better plan OF capital punishment
Il think, said he, ..chloroform is the most easily
| managed and the most merciful. 1t could be abb
sorbed in sponge. which might be placed in bag
and drawn over the head and face the same rs the
cap usually used at executions. Next TO that look
the garrote the best plan. The Spanish garrote,
consisting OF simpe iron collar. which squeezcs the
mond's idea of attaching blade to the collar and
when the latter is in position of driving the blade
| into the neck as to sever the medulls obongata
meets the case perfectly, making death invariably
| certain and speedy. 1t Is wonder that this idea
to reach the seat of life in bull and give him in
| stantaneous death and relief. the matador does
with his sword but they have less consideration for
] "What other means would you suggestY'
"Carbonic acid gas. or carbonic oxide. which is
| cities, as it would DO much moro expensive than
chloroform or the garrote: Dr. Packard. of Phila-
delphia Is the particular advocate Of this method
| His plan would be to At up In jail small room
| made air tight. BY means Of simple arrangement
carbonic oxide be substituted for the air Of tho
room and person confined in 1t would thus die tho
easiest and quickest death known to science He
would simply cease to exist. jury should be APP
pointed to identify the convicted person. In their
| presence he should be conducted to the room
! and placed in 1t, entering by sliding
| door OF plate glass. w0ch may be protected
| by netting Of iron wire. The process OF making
the air rrespirablc should then be begun and would
| be very soon completed. In less than ten minutes
fresh ar might be introduced by opening the sliding
door and reversing the former process, and the
Jury again identifying the body could certify to the
fact the execution having been duly carried out
Dogs killed In this way manifest scarcely any evil
dence of suffering. The death would necessarily be
private. Probably there would be little If any
| struggling to be witnessed. AS to tho certainty Of
the extinction of life there be question. for
reasons known to any one acquainted with physi-
l,r~