Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1886-12-03
CAPITAL PUNISHMENT.
Minor Offenses Against the Law
that Were Formerly Punish
able with Death.
Interesting Stories About the Exploits Of
Certain Famous Criminals.
A Long imprisonment.

no age. people, or nation has been ex-
empt from these evils up to the present
time. SAYS writer in The Boston Her
AID This condition of affairs necessi-
tated the formation of governments and
the enactment of laws for the protec-
ton of the people. No community
has ever existed, no matter how igno-
rant. barbarous, cultivated, or uncult-
waited they might have been. but have
been governed by certain laws or rules
either written or understood, the viola
ton of which would be attended with
punishment of some description. AS a
general thing it has been found that
just in proportion rs people have adj
vanced in civilization and culture have
the penalties for crime been modified
or abolished
The theory once entertained that
prisons should not only be places of re-
straint, but of restraint coupled with
deep and intense suffering, and that
evil could be repaired by misery inflict-
th, ms btOOiuC pDSOAtANs otNtlN
penalties were once thought to be the
only method of suppressing crime, and
| to this end at one time during the last
century in England there were no less
/ than 220 specified crimes punishable
with death. As an illustration of the
public sentiment upon the subject at
/ that period, it is said that Lord Eden
actually shed tears when the death pen
alt, for 5-shilling thefts was repealed.
One day in each week the gallows
was set up al Tyburn, in London, and
frequently twenty and sometimes thir-
", men. women. and even children.
convicted OF every conceivable crime,
were executed in a morning. The
writer remembers very distinctly, al
though 1t was many years ago. his
feel ngS, rs one morning passing from
the Edgway road into HYDE park, his
attent on was attracted TO what looked
like an old-fashoned headstone, which
had upon it this inscription; Here
stood Tyburn Tree" Probably there is
not another spot of ground in the
whole CIVILIZED world upon which so
many lives have been sacrificed in the
Va hope of suppreSsing crime. The
experiment failed. 1t was found then.
as now. that people can not be made
honest or virtuous by legislation. Al
though the gallows was thought TO be
the only panacea, il proved a failure;
it was like sowing dragons teeth, and
though kept in such constant use. the
criminal ranks were not materially thin
ned; new convicts sprang up from eve
. a Il. IL. I 4
the scaflold when occupied by IFS con-
victs; crimes were committed with rs
much impunity as in the most retired
and untrequented quarters.
Up To within a few years after Ty-
burn was discontinued rs place Of
execution. the gallows was erected in
public square IN front of the old New
F gate prison. The last man executed
in this square was NJ chacl Barrett for
be ne implicated in Fcnan riot in
which policeman lost his life. As the
rope was placed around his neck man
IN the crowd IN loud voice exclaimed:
flake heart Micheal Barrett, all is not
( lost while drop of blood flows in an
/ freshman veins Amid the shout
that burst forth from the threats Of ten
+ NiibhCsNiiA iAitu All' 'iOD l'lis dtl'i IIt W dS
ushered into eternity with the sound
rnging in his ears.
For good. probably prudential. rea-
sons from that time public eXecut ions
we're discontinued in London. They
now take place in the prison yard, and
are conducted in most unObiectiona-
ble manner. The prisoner is pinoned,
the rope placed around his neck, and
AL the serv ces performed in room in
the prison, from which he steps through
adoor right upon the drop. and in less
than twenty seconds the bolt is drawn,
and, as the base of the scaliod is sur
rounded with cloth, he drops out of
sight.
Previous TO 1885 there was no place
m Massachusetts for the reception and
confinement OF convicts except che COM
mon ja Is. and they were usually so
rudely constructed and insecure rs to
DC of but little terror TO the rogues of
that period. The exploits of Stephen
Burr oughS, Tom Cook. and other noto-
tious thieves who flourished during the
after part of the last and commence
ment of the present century are familiar
20 many; the facility with which they
orOkc from the various ials. the utter
nnpossibilty of keeping them in con-
anement, gave color to the idea quite
prevalent among the more ignorant at
that me that they received assistance
rom the evil one him. elf. and many sto-
lies and incidents TO prove the fact
we're in circulation within the writer S
recollection
On the l4th of March. 1885. an act
was passed 10y the general court pro
.iding that the island within the harbor
Boston, commonly called Castle
ISLAND, shall be place for the reception
and secure confinement of all such
persons rs shall be sentenced to con
'nement and hard labor for the term
Of their natural lives or for any shorter
space of time The convicts were
principally employed in making nails.
The machine for cutting them had not
then been invented, consequently each
nad 10 be wrought by hand, slow
process under any circumstances, but,
~hen intrustcd TO men who felt no in
.crest in the work and were only re-
3ured TO keep busy. the results were
i a,t enpb xVfulI .Vap IL, fboca ff,,as