Morning journal and courier., 1888-01-18
Wednesday, January IS. Isss
THEE GALLONS sT8eULp GO.

As was expected would be the cage, the report of the commission appointed by the New York legislature to report the most ! modern science of carrying into effect the I sentence of death in capital cases is in favor of electricity. The report is very compre- ! hensive and interesting document, and it gives great strength to the recommendation of the commissioners. They say that an electric shock cannot produce a sensation which can be percsptible to the criminal. The velocity of the current is SO great that the brain is paralyzed. The man is dead be- fore the nerves can communicate any sense of the shock. Professor Hslmholz estimates the interval necessary for nerve eommunica- ! tion with the brain at oneAtanth of second Professor Tyndall estimates that an electric discharge occurs in 8 one hundred thou sandth of 8 second or ten thousand times more rapidly than nerve transmission. As to the manner of applying the electricity, the commissioners recommend that chair, with head and foot rest, should be used, in which the condemned man could be seated in 8 half-reclining position. One wire could be connected with the head rest and the other with the foot rest, which would be a metal plate. The electric current could De sup
 piled by electric light wires. An independent line from the electric light plant could be constructed if desired. The cost would be nominal.
 The commissioners go further and recon- mend some changes in the way of conducts ing executions which seem sensible. The act they propose directs that the death war; rant shall be directed to the agent and ward en of the State prison in the judicial district where the conviction has taken place, com manding the warden or agent to do execu- tion of the sentence upon some day within the week thus appointed. The defendant shall be kept in solitary confinement in the State prison, and only his counsel, physi- elan, priest or minister and the members of the family may see him. The time of the execution within the week appointed shall be left to the discretion of the agent and warden to whom the warrant is directed. No previous announcement of the day nor hour of the execution shall be made except to those who are to be present. At the execu-
 tion may be two physicians and twelve reputable citizens, to be selected by the agent and warden. There may also be seven deputy or assistant sheriffs. No other per-
 sons shall be present. A post mortem ex- animation shall be held and the body may
 be delivered for dissection to some public hospital or incorporated medical college in
 the State, or the body shall be inferred in the graveyard or cemetery attached to the
 prison with sufficient quantity of quick
 lime to consume the body without delay.
 No religious or other services shall be held
 over the remains, and in no case shall they
 be delivered to any relative or other person.
 NO account of the details of any such exeeu-
 tion beyond the statement of fact that such
 convict was on the day in question duly exe-
 euted according to law at the prison shall
 be published in any newspaper.
 The commission has done its duty we'll.
 II its recommendations adopted persons condemned to death in the State of New
 York will be certainly and expeditiously
 killed They will not be allowed to pose as
 heroes, the shocking details of their last mos
 ments will not be spread before the public,
 and they will not be honored after death
 Surely this would be 8 great change for the
 better. It is to be hoped that New York will set an example in this respect and that the
 other States will be quick to initiate it.