The Arkansaw traveler., 1883-12-22
INTENT vs. RESULT.
lPeck,s Sunl

lPeck's Sun.l
 For the past year or two, and especiasv within the past few monfhs, the ,eI,. graphic columns of the pres have or. tained an appalling array of murder ana attempts to murder. So numerous a,r. these eases become, that it begins to .oos to the thinking classes as though some. thing was wrong vith the sreatne.
 this class of crimes. Too many murde,. CTS are let go on a plea ot accioer,a horaicide,' insanity" s.seif defere e and others escape through the fact "a. their victim lived after the murdero.s assault, though the murderer made h. assault intending to kill. We have 100 many technicalifies in our jaws on :h,, especial crime, through which the sssAs sin may escape. It is a noticeable .ac. tEat the insane" murderer employs he best talent to defend him. and it Is se- dom that murderer who puts in a plea of self-defense, is punished in accordanc. te the crime he is guilty of, or receives sentence beyond the lightest allowed hy law.
 The fallacy of the principles upon which punishment is administered .o murderers, is shown by the disposal O, murder cases generally. The victim. oy some accident, such as the turning aside of the murderei's bullet, may live 10. some time. and so living, through TO fault of the assassin, may, possibly le- termine the nature of the penalty IT. f1icted. While the aim was deadly. he intentioo deadly, and result deadly. ye: lapse of time depending, may be on the skill of the physician. or. perhaps. on ..- strength of the victim, determines. .a extent, the punishment to be me,ed O. No matter what the assassin may ie clare as to his regret of the failure nj h, act; no matter how often such declara,.os of regret may be repeated, as to s3dde- results, all are counted out as no. a,ea- suring the character of crime
 Are not the laws faulty in that they le not so much measure mans intention. rather than the results of his acts An accidental shooting, though death ensue carries no penalty. That is right, and a> 1t should be. How then should foul IT, tent, accompanied by the overt act. oe freed from just punishment when oniy circumstance of obstruction, or tcrnin. aside of the missile, prevents the death o. immediate death of the victims
 When an individual seeks to init; | mortal wound, and is only hinderea ev circumstances beyond his contro! f-o committing murder, he has within ala the sentiment, the disposition, that make, him dangerous to society, and with holo- ing not his hand, he has committed maf- der and should suffer the extreme penalty of the law. If the lack of intention shield. one, the existence of guilty intentions IT the other case, should, with the attempt. involve the would be murderer ia :he full penalty for the deed he sets oat l. perform. Heroic medical and surgica practice is frequently necessary for ie. perately sick man, and little heroit ~ making IS as necessary for an unheai:t> state of society.
 The result of this seemingly loose ,y,. tenn in the punishment of the class .: criminals under consideration IS well l. frustrated by an occurrence of only as week. William Taylor, of Cincinnati was once convicted of murder in ner- lucky but managed through technical to escape punishment. "Wednesday o last week he was convicted of manslac ,h. ter. Had he in the first place been DIT lshed according to his crime, hanged. IT, stead of the cutting off of two llve> oy him. one would have been saved and s,- .iety would have taken no risks by hav!ng him m its midst. This IS but one et ,. score of cases that might be cited as hay- ing bearing on the point under eonsia- eration.
 It IS pity, but nevertheless true nal in many cases a murder secures hlzi legal talent to defend him, not alone b1 the paymen, of large fee but th,oegn deception. An attorney may be led ;a defend man charged with murder f:is believing him innocent In such :. -ase no blame can be pu, upon the legal gen tleman for doing all in his power to saqe his clients neck from the gallows. bu. there are also large class of petiifcgger5 who, regardless of the good of society. of of the honor of the profession of winch they are members, are ever ready to take case where n the evidences of murde. are conclusive. and attempt by techn:ca.- ities to clear the red-handed murde.e and turn him loose on society again. This fact, to great extent has and does interfere with the ends of justice. Bu: nevertheless. the intention accompanied with the act of murder though the vic tim may live should not be dealt with IT too lenient manner as is now the case Should general and firm stand be made by the several courts in such eases against the letting of, or easing of pun ishment in such cases it would not be long before their bloody crimes woulc be much less, if not entirely suppressed.