Daily Republican., 1884-03-12


Lisu's Respite.
Governor Stockley has placed his
estimate upon the List case, which has
been the cause of SO much newspaper
discussion by granting a respite of the
time of execution for tifty-SiX years or
until the second Friday in March, 1910.
This long respite means that the eX-
IRENE sentence of the law shall never
be executed in his case. 1t means also
that List should never have been con-
victed of murder in the first degree 1t
means that there is possibility of the
public mind becoming so intlamed
against the general commission Of crime
and the escape of criminals that under
such conditions victim will be sought
to satisfy the popular clamor and that
the extent of guilt will be of little con-
sideration. The Governor by his action
has said that while he fills his exalted
office the life of the humblest and low
lest citizen shall be safe unless clearly
proven beyond a doubt that it should
be forfeited. With keen perception,
he seems to have taken in the whole
case at a glance, and to have fully sat
isted himself that Lists conviction was
to great extent the result of a feeling
that pervaded the whole atmosphere
that it was high time somebody was
executed.
The Governor seems to have been so
thoroughly convinced that List was
bn I-inr Of ,.ir 4, 81
which he seemed to have had no control
than the willful murderer he was
charged with being, that he at once by
his first action placed the case out of
the reach of the gallows. No second
nor third respite will be required to
save the life Of the condemned man,
even though he should die a natural
death in prison. The respite naturally
amounts to a life sentence, as List is
now thirty-three years OF age, and if
there was the remotest possibility for
him to live SO long, at the time his
respite ends he would be eighty-nine.
This long respite brings joy, not only
to the heart of an aged father also un-
der life sentence, Il white-hairrd,
venerable old mothera distrac ed almost
heart-broken wife, and six small help
less children, but it affords the greatest
pleasure to Lists Attorneys, MeSsrs.
Harrington and Sharpey, who never
believed that their client was guilty
to the extent to which he was charged.
These gentlemen though unable to stem
the force Of public opinion at the time
never lost hope though the future look
ed to them dark and unpromising.
They were assigned to defend the case
by the court, but had they been retain
ed by the defence with large retaining
fees in their hands they could not have
done more for the unfortunate men.
When the trial was over, and ended in
a verdict of guilty, then the work was
done and they might have then left the
law to take its course. But these gen
tlemen never lost sight Of the cast
never gave it up. Without reward or
even the hope of reward, they prepared
and circulated petitions to the Cover
nor asking for a long respite in the case
OF the younger List, paying the eXpen-
SEES out of their pockets. To these gen
tlemen the greatest credit belongs
Even had the cause for which they la
bored not been one worthy of their eff
forts, they displayed a philanthropy
and humanity that spring from tender
and humane sympathieS that do credit
to human nature.
Elm short, all who interested themselves
g.
prieved are entitled to credit. Even the
prosecution for the State are entitled tOI
credit for they laid no straw in the way
of respite nor by a word or an act inter
fered with the Governor in making up|
his mind what to do. only two voices
were raised against a respite, and thes"
voices amc from part of the press OF
our city.
We will not say that this part of the
press was not as honest as that part
which espoused the cause Of the con-
demned. We DO not, we cannot see
everything in the same light, and that
the press should as radically ditirrupoD
this as upon other questions is but an
evidence Of its independence and hon
esty. We are sure also that even the
friends Of the unfortunate young man
who lost his life, will feel none the
worse that another life was not sacri-
feed.
We believe finally that the interests
of Justice by the action of the Governor
have been more effectually subserved
than had the extreme sentence Of the
law been carried out Had young List
been executed shock of horror would
have pcrvaded the community, which
would have brought the machinery
of Justice into contempt and more thor
oughly demoralized public opinion than
if scores of guilty We're to 90 unpunish-
ed. A moral should be learned from
the whole transaction. and that moral
is, that people should learn torbearance,
do everything in a lawful manner, and
not carry deadly weapons.