The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1884-02-09
.u.rx WE ABOLISH HANGING.

Nj. been The fashion of late to exal,
.,..iu foreign methods at the expense ol
~ own, chiefly because the latter has some.
inns broken down. Two of these foreign
,.a,us in particular have been glorihed.
I'd no doubt both have certain undoubted
,r;h Of their own. The guillotine is most
.s.diye az a means OF destroying life. 1,
! IN unerring. nearly automatic machine.
"A probably snnihilates without unneees-
srly protracted pain. Its inventor went SO
=, n 70 claim fos it that the sufferer felt
.rsly pleasant freshness about the neck
nd nothing more. To the sensitive mind,
however, there Is something terribly dis
sutine in decapitation; it is horrible to see,
~nther to hear. the head fall into the
s.iket amid torrents of blood. The Spanish
nuutss again, which is obviously Oriental in
n;rin, and an adaptation Of the bowstring,
+ ,l,o instantaneous in its action. The old
necAanism, which was simply rope and a
~ Of stick used tourniquet fashion, has
IN improved into brass collar encircling
= I'd, and containing asharp point which
/ iusced into the spinal marrow. But
ad1aw Of these forms are really 20 far
1paiw 10 oun ~ to be entitled to super.
1sR After ~, our method is - good ~
aulhs. provided i fuldlls certain indis.
snnbls conditions Capital punishment i
hnndsd b remove The criminal, 70 extin.
- Ms forfeited 10 the lava and il this
Ah accomplished promptly without in.
1akg tsstarA ensoumging kavada o. d.
a6na1ng ths szse1tioaez, ~ desired shd
hahissed Thess srs net unattainabls re.
~ nd % long - they can be composed
1 tlneins thsRs oan b NJ sufficient reason
lkhJhg 70 domsstioate exotic methods Of
Ssastia b ~ also bsea mooted recently
ssIAw sms moss sciaatihc process might
- ut b sdaptsd with advantage. The
Amik md ths electrician have tremendous
ends 4 their disposal. one OF other Of
- night b utilized for the destruction
4 - criminal But poor humanity 10 Al.
NJ 10 scss'y beet by murderous enemies
nd legislators may we'll pause before they
pRni ihe dbvelopment ,of the means of
aing lie. Great practical difficulties, too,
would probably supervene in giving effect to
ny new process. whether by poison or cleo
eiaN. The Intervention of some skilled
1esnt would be indispensable; the fatal
poison must 10 administered scientifically !;
y dread forces Of electricity must be set in
notion BY some expert, and it might not he
~ to persuade doctors CT savant, to act
= elscusDnsra. But still stronger objec-
efa exists to this or any kind of change in
lle manner Of carrying cut the penelty Of
~. Is not likely that any such change
mud easily secure legislative sanction, not
lsun any positive dislike to accept this or
~ new method, but because the opening
q The question at all would end in the
a1ol'f'on Of capital punishment altogether.
saasn1 society can quite afford to part with
g q II greatest safeguards is beyond the
'ops Of this paper to discuss. Bnt all who
~ thas the law which exacts life for q life
s0s BET md perhaps our only protection
le'nE The growth Of homicide will prefer
9 iaase our system OF execution unchanged.
= imperfect process is better than none It
= md It viii Be better to adopt reasonable
scvensnts than bring about abolition by
'sn 'sa1ch after an impossible idesl-TAs
ewdigAay Revien!.
Isxss