The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1888-03-25
The Preferences Of SIurderers.

The Preferences Of %1Iurdercrs.
It seems that II the Legislature consults
the preferences OF the murdercrs now under
sentence of death In this State, Il will follow
MIR. ELBRIDaE T. GERRY's advice, and sub
stitute electricity for hanging as a method
OF execution.
These murderers, six In number. have worry
candidly expressed their views on the subject
to reporters and correspondents Of The Sun,
and, as will be seen from the account Of the
interviews which we publish on another
page, they are unanimously In favor Of MIR.
GERRY's plan. But as to its "details they are
not In the same agreement.
DANIEL LYONS, who is In the Tombs under
sentence of death for having murdered the
athlete QUINN, is decidedly Of the opinion
that very much Of tho horror and repulsive-
ness Of capital punishment would be taken
away II the killing was done by
electricity. after the proposed
by Mr.. GERRY's Commission. Az he
puts It: I'VE are accustomed to
sitting down In chairs, 30 that there Ii moth
ing ugly in doing that, oven though . man
may know 1t Is q patent chair with q wire
fastened to it." while the hanging process is
=" horrible n enough to make a fellow shud-
der" But he thinks 1t is unfair not to let
the condemned man know at the time OF his
sentence when he is to be put to death. and
he objects to having tho dead body turned
over to the State instead Of to tho friends Of
the murderer.
ApoIPH REICH. also In the Tombs, and
GEORGE W. WILSON In tho jail at Albion,
both Of whom murdered their wives, them
selves prefer to be killed by electricity, be-
lieving that they should be put to death with
as little suffering as possible. though, like
LYONS. they did not stop to coneult tho
preferences OF their own victims on the
subject. REICH has seen five men hanged
and two shot, and no also knows
what death is by tho guillotine; but
none OF those methods suits him, hanging
seeming to him too barbarous, the guillotine
too bloody, and shooting too much Of a mill
tary punishment. When he killed his wife,
II we remember Alright. he himself chose a
horribly bloody way Of committing the
deed; but his own execution he wants to be
by electricity, az neater and moro speedy.
He also agrees with LYONS that he ought to
be told long beforehand the exact time whom
he is to be put to death.
VAN BRUNT, the murderer who Is await
ing execution in the jail at Warsaw. doesn't
like the drop" and prefers death by cleo
tricity, because it Is instantaneous and
less repulsive,' and 1.-The disgrace connect
ed with this manner Of capital punishment
would be considerably lessened." But he
suggests to Mr.. GERRY that it would be
an improvement on his plan to let
every murderer choose how he should
by electricity, or by some other means, Inc
he objects to turning the dead body over to
the State as "cruel to mothers and wives"
Though he was in the Salvation Army. and
doesn't require as much religious attention
as some would" we do not remember that
he showed any such tender consideration
when he did the killing himself.
GREENwALD, the Brooklyn burglar who
murdered LYMAN 8. WEEKS, has come to the
conclusion. after long bordering on the sub
ject, that electricity is the best way. and
ourht to be adopted" but he does not care
to know the exact time Of his execution; and
HAWKINS, the Long Island murderer OF his
mother, wants Ito die quick. and the quick
or the better"
II, then, it Is proper and desirable to con-
slider tho preferences Of murderers as to the
manner in which they shall be put to death.
there Is no doubt that Mr.. GERRY's plan
should be adopted. and it might Just as rea-
sonably be modified. as the murderer VAN
BRUNr suggests. by allowing to leach
person convicted his choice Of Methods"
But what is the purpose Of capital punish
ment. and what is tho only justification for
a penalty 30 repugnant to the theory and
sentiment OF Christian civilization? II the
horror Of the penalty Is lessened in the
minds OF murderers, and II the disgrace of
it is in any wise diminished, out OF consld-
Grafton for the feelings of the condemned,
the argument in favor of the death penalty
loses it's force.
AS these expressions Of opinion from MUIR
derers prove, 1t is not 30 much death as
death by the gallows, horrible and from
time immemorial the most disgraceful of
deaths, that awes and frightens and deters
the criminally disposed. II, therefore. We
are to have capital punishment at
all, it should be administered by
tho method most dreaded by the
murderer. and the hanging should DO 80
conducted as to most impress tho whole
public. The mere killing Of tho individual Is
not what society is after, for the law has no
vindictiveness. The execution is solely for
tho purpose Of making the crime
OF murder awful In tho imagination
OF the public, and accordingly it
should be n solemn ceremonial. described for
the whole community. Hanging as now ad-
ministered is such a ceremony, and the pur-
pose Of capital punishment would be largely
defeated il the killing were done in secret. and
by a method less repulsive to the murderers,
and less disgraceful in their estimation INC
that OF tho public.