The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1880-07-15
The lennucrat.
sCAFFOLD HEROES.
Comments on the Canton Execution.
Cincinnati Gazette'l

Cincinnati Gazette'l
Some are born great, some achieve
greatness, and some have greatnes.
thrust upon them" In our own country
the most conspicuous examples of the
last class are condemned murderers.
We no longer hang such culprits in
public, because the sight of executions
is said to be demoralizing. To promote
morality, therefore, we execute the cul,
prits in prison, thus encouraging public
curiosity, and feeding it by abundance
Of details. No sooner is it sur that the
Governor will not commute the sentence
of a criminal than he becomes an object
of public interest and Of official petting.
His demeanor and his sayings r re-
corded as if a second Socrates were
about TO drink a cup of hemlock; he is
feasted as if he were a distinguished
parsonage whose presence honored the
Jail; Sheriffs and turkeys vie with each
other in affectionate attentions, and even
the hangman often shakes hands with
his subjects and expresses the hope that
they bear him no i'll will.
Ohio has latterly been a conspicuous
State in politics, and it has just given it,
self equal, if less desirable, prominence
in the way Of convict coddling. On Fri.
day, three boys in age, yet veterans in
crime, were hanged at Canton for muir.
ders Of more than ordinary blackness.
Two of them. runaways from home,
and inspired by the reading of flash
stories to the commission of crime,
killed an old man, their fellow tramp
and generous benefactor, for the sake Of
a silver watch and a few dollars in
money, The third, anxious to secure
acquittal of a burglary, of which he was
likely to be convicted, shot a friend and
associate because he refused to perjure
himself in his behalf. There were nc
mitigating circumstances which could
be imagined in the case of either Of
these young villains. They manifested
no real sorrow for their crime, and if
their reckless demeanor throughout their
imprisonment was partially attributed to
the thoughtlessness Of youth, there was
evident also the callousness which long
persistence in evil course can alone eff.
feet.
Ofcourse there were many who, tax.
ing sentimental views of young in,
n%ocence, pleaded in vain for a commu,
tation of sentence. This was to be ex.
pected. The tendency of humanity tc
pity assassins and forget their victim:
was long ago noticed. There was an
attendance Of priests and clergymen
who no doubt tried to do their duty, but
beyond insuring a compliance with GER
tain religious rites, their advice does no
seem to have had much influence. The
boys joked with each other and with the
numerous visitors who were permitted
to see them, talked and sang through a
telephone which connected the Jail with
the Repository Office, and occasionally
two of them disputed as to their relative
culpability. AS the fatal day drew neal
the endeavors to make them comfortable
we're redoubled. On the night before
the execution they were RECALLED with ice
cream, and we doubt if the leading del
egates to the Democratic Convention
found a more varied bill of fare on Fri,
day morning at any of our hotels
Roast chicken, veal fry, oysters, ice
cream, raspberries, peaches. oranges
bread and butter, pie, cake and coffee
were the delicacies enjoyed by the three
young fellows a few hours before their
execution. To top off they were furnished
with cigars. They also requested tc
have their shoes BACKED, and one of
them munifcently paid s. cents to the
prisoner who did him the service.
Now came the sentimental part Of the
occasion. The culprits'yelled good bye:
to outside friends and admirers through
the telephone, exchanged more direct
greetings with spectators and attendants
and, one account says, kissed the Sheriff
and other officials. Finally they were
swung off, and as their necks were in.
stantly broken, died much easier deaths
than did their victims, neither of whom
was instantly killed. They were calm
partly from obduracy, partly from the
vanity of appearing game" to the last
but they had no other claim to be treat
ed as the early Christians would have
treated the martyrs to the faith had they
a chance.
The ludicrous and revolving were
never more in%termingled than in the
case which we have described. As we
have seen, the criminals were depraved
to the last degree. There was not a
trace of boyish innocence or unsophis'
t~ication about them, and, judging from
the detailed account of their last days
nothing that was interesting or lovable
in any way. Their fate was we'll de-
served, and would merit no further at,
tention than a mere record, but for the
manner in which its purprse was de.
feated. If the reformation of even a
capitally convicted offender is not to be
overlooked, there could be no better
way preventing it than by feasting and
petting him. If the community, and
especially the rising generation. is to be
impressed with the sure retribution that
overtakes crime, there could be no more
effective plan for defeating such an inn
preston than by converting the muir
derer into a hero.
In Ainsworth's version of Jack Shep'
Dard's history. the great Jail breaker