Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1885-04-15

hear that Mr.. Bell declares that there Is a
great deal to be said on their side of the |
question, and to know that DR.. William |
A. Hammond regards the execution Of the |
insane as productive of very elegant ef- |
feet in subduing their homicidal tendencies.
He thinks insane people do not care to be
hung any more than sane people, and that
they would slay less If they thou hit they
would be hanged for it.
just what degree of comfort the board
of pardons may have in the association of
DIR. Hammond we will not say. He is
distinguished specialist ; and like many of
his class is held in many quarters TO be u
charlatan and fraud, doing his work and
taking his positions, with an eye single to
their advertising value. DR.. Cundurango
Bliss, of Garfield nctoriety, was of this
class, and one Shrady, of New York, bids
fair to go along with them. Hammond
was chief of the army doctors during the
war and was kicked out. Hammond Is a
daisy. But whether or no Hammond is a
sweet flower to the pardon board gentle
men, his theory can hardly fail to strike
them as just the thing. The idea upon
which they have been persistently hanging
crazy folks has never before been
uncovered. They have seemingly not felt
altogether confident that it was altogether
right to hang crazy fellows as warning to
other crazy fellows. 1t is certainly dis.
covery upon which they may plume them.
selves now that Hammond says il is the
correct thing, and Bell says there is some
thing in it.
But Bell modiiies the expression of his
acceptance of the theory by declaration
that the Legislature of the state had bette
enact it into law before it is enforced. Al
present he points out that il
Pennsylvania, as in every civilized coun
, try in the world, the insane ar
protected by the law from punishment TO
, crime, and are treated as the unfortunate
/ wards of the state, not at all responsible
for what they do.
We are of opinion that there is force il
the suggestion of Mr.. Bell and that the par
= don board is premature i'll practicing tn
hanging of the insane, as wholesome wa
; | of riddance of them and their troublesom
. | petitions.
! We do not fail TO note, and we presum
+. | that the pardon board will not, that NJ
. Bell states that they are not fit to cope wit
!. questions of insanity and that their funt
I: tions should be passed over to an examiI
j. ing board of experts. Mr.. Bell intimate
G that Governor Pattison refused to appoir
C such board to examine Beach, becauS
. the constitution made the pardon boar
I the examining authority. We do M
Y know whether the members of the boar
a will be better inclined to say that they hun
Beach because of their ignorance that !
Z Was insane OF because they believed
!, should be hung though insane. 1t seems
" be choice between stupidity and malic
a which one would not think could ev,
j. be presented to a coterie of ge
10 tlemen SO amiable and intellge
r. generally in the affairs of life. But to I'll
" condition are they seemingly come. II
q arbiters of the life or death of the insal
people of Pennsylvania should know
er least when they are insane, when othe
p know it ; and when they hang them mu
70 he assumed TO do il wilfully. In the d
ID cision of this issue of life or death gnoran
OF cannot be plead.