The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-01-23
ELECTRICAL EuTHANAsIA.
Bill Nye Makes Few Remarks on an
Exceedingly Popular Subject.

Bill Nye Makes n Few Remarks on an
Exceedingly Popular Subject.
Finding these vital questions in my mail
yesterday, with no postage inclosed Ia
prepay tense reply, | take the liberty Of
holding the following animated converse
ton with myself:
I. What do you think Of the present
method Of administering capital punish
ment2
2. VIII electricity be an improvement
on hanging2
.. What do you think Of the custom Of
allowing criminals TO make u speech ON
the scailold7
4. DO you believe that cremation will
over take the place Of the present method
OF burial2
0. What are your literary habiis3
l. The present method Of execution q
not a great success. We have now 80
many styles Of death by accident which
excel hanging in tho matter Of rapidity
that u IL strange We do not Introduce some
Of these methods.
2. Electricity would be- popular and
successful style Of execution II once intro.
duced. In the old days OF barbarian when
offenders were put In the ringand required
10 light a ien-hundrcd pound lion with a
tin sword. the public required the sight OF
blood In order 10 be entirely convinced
that the law had been properly enforced.
Then no one felt perfectly satisfied with
the execution unless ringtail tiger from
Bengal gnawod large holes In the defend
ant, exposing his methods VI digestion.
J. Now W. have advanced 90 that point
when We arc satisfied 10 read the speech
Of deceased. Some day we will get where
W. will not even crave that loo many
people are now committing capital crimes
for the purpose Of getting into the papers.
some day the gentleman who kills his
parents because they will not pass the mo.
lasscs will not bo permitted 90 make n
spccch ON the gallows, but he will step into
a little room of the jail, sit down IN $40
scarlet plush chair, and while he IA read.
ing the morning paper the governor will
touch small cOllarbutton in his Office.
which connects by vim with the plush
chair, and a brief autopsy h all that will
be- necessary.
That clcmcntin our natures which scems
to demand dying speeches, long black fun.
erals, narrowing details, blood, hurror.
walls Of anguish, dull thuds, cold crccpv
Grape and the sickcning odOr oi coffin var.
nish la a close room IL a relic OF the times
when We used 10 live In hollow tn,cs and
eat acorns.
4. Cremation will one day take The nlaoc
Of the prcsrn, style Of burial. which l. only
polite way Of making poor helplen. ms.
mains assist In n miserable exhibition.
b. My literary methods arc simple. n
do none oi my writing while unler Tho
influence Of liquor l state this In order
10 corr'ci a wrong impression which lie
public seems 10 have found after nudiny
my work.
! devote the forenoon 10 tbouebt la
the afternoon take my thinker throus,h
the park IN pvrambulalor. In The even.
ing think some morn.
] eat plain food when NJ homo. lpi so,r
above Il while visiting other.. Rather ,b.n
appear rude while the CUES, of eminent
pc0plc eat the bcsi Of fo1l will innvni,y
and act a. though liked Il. Wealthy and
Hvuuh'ht FSplc are - sensitive that |
ing. "V
lrond ~ the New York papers IN the
morning before rising then fi-c. feeling
trifcshcd, and ~ down Stair. who're i
lcrk low refrain ont Of the furnace. Nv
uhai TINE the evening papers arrive. /
mad them ihoughtfully. 1 Then thnt
over what have Rad.
leat almost anything with perfect Inn.
puniiy, except health food. That h Inc
only Thing ! ever have trouble with.
lcal'l TODD VIII send my pulsc down 20
'H N,gnl ~ lcss than an hour A man
mus, have very strong constitution Ia
stand up against food which h ALREADY
prparcdr no that all he has 10 do i 10
oNcni-e great deal IN the opon air
n summer follow lawn moucf ar,nni
,of an hour each day, aud In winter | like
W nu',' fshbllS cross country, or take "A
Hp,,n ON The elevated milmad.
! ncp note book. IN which 10 Nri,e Al
my best thoughts. Iilrn nut ,hc booL I'M