The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1880-01-23
cRuELTIEs In PUNISHMENT.


Gov. WiltE deserves the thanks OF all civil
tied com munities for having called the at
tention Or the General Assembly, In his mes
sage. to the unnecessary and uBexeusable
cruelty perpetrated upon criminals whose
lives become forfeited to the State, and for
recommending some more humane method OF
lDfIcting the death penalty than by the bar
barous and shocking custom OF hanging.
The Governor said
When crImin u forfeifs bis life under the
law az penalty FOR a'rncious crime he law
ought to be satisfied fully wi b the Ing 81 no
life. All needless pain aud horr r. In lakinE
tho life OF the laws victim should % avoinen.
Tho torture Of execution II no part OF the pm
atty and TO that extent 1t IL uunecet ahry. lilo,
gal and inhumane From the moment capiIe'
sentence In passed upon u rrfmlhal 10 me mo-
ment his life Ia TAX en-, all H. Lotion q suHaring
upon him 10 unwarranted cruelty. Many waYs
afe a mdefn sh u y ii enn
may be can-ed by means In reach 81 every OK
ecutive officer Of the law, For the cake o. hn.
mauity aud decency an enlightened code ehoulh
prescribe some OH and lees basbarous
method OF execution than that Of strength q
the oulpl 1t to death with rope. q method often
attended with prolonged and Intense suffering
to tho viet IN 70 ( iture Of lie satisfss IN
full tho awful h!bute demanded bv the law !:
previous and In add ion to this all inf elton Of
pain IL unjust and tnhumane
to DO hoped that tho members OF the Legisla-
ture will take some action looking to a reform
In this most important matter. Perhaps II
would be we'll for them first to appoint COM
mission OF scientific men to examine thorough
Iy Into the various methods OF producing In
Simultaneous death, and to report as to the
best and cheapest method. The New York
Herald recently devoted much time aud at
tention to this matter and Its reporters in
teryiewed any number OF distinguished medi
oal men, electricians and others as to their
ideas on the best method Of producing In
Simultaneous death. Some were In favor OF
electricity, some OF drowning, and some OF
an instrument somewhat similar to the Span
ish Garrote, but oil OF them, we believe, were
OF tho opinion that the gallows was q relic Of
barbarian that could not too soon be abolish
ed, and which has become specially odlous by
reason OF the numerous and shocking scenes
enacted In recent buDgling attempts to legal
ly strangle criminals TO death.
One poor fellow who had committed muir
der while laboring under a fit OF temporary
insanity caused by his despair at not being
able to wed the woman whose love was more
llrium, shot the woman whom he could not
wed, was actually hung twice The first
time when the drop fell his weight snapped
the rope and he fell quite distance upon
the stones beneath, with life still loft IN his
quiverinR body. A now rope WAS procured
and the body while In oomatose condition
was carried again up to the platform, and the
criminal. while still insensible or, It may be,
dimly conscious or all that was being done,
was swung of second time, when the rope
proving adequate TO tho strain. the choking
WAS finally accomplished, though not until
most Of the horror-stricken crowd Of speeta-
tors had moved away, unable to witness this
dreadful mockery OF justice.
II Ia highly probable that In this instance
death was deserved, though there were many
who contended that tho accused was not
morally responsible for his act, which had
been committed under o condition of mental
exaltation closely bordering on insanity but
whatever the actual criminalty attaching to
his act, he was at least entitled to be decentlv
killed himself. and there can be no EXCUSE for
the bungllng and shameful manner ia which
justice and humanity were outraged In the
the manner In which public executions are
conducted does much TO brutalizs he speeta-
tors, and that the good achieved by the tor
rlble example has boon more than Offset by
the demorali2lng influence exerted upon pub
lie morals by the CHASTITY epecthces OF the
writhing bodies of improperly strangled hui
man beings dangling from rope. Let us set
on foot reform In this matter upon the
OF our humane and progressive
Governor. whose views are, We believe, very
approved by the most advanced
thinkers and by humanitarlans everywhere.
The appointment OF the commission sug-
yestad VIII be step In the right direction.
md We should like to gee Louisiana take the
initial move In this matter.