New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1888-02-08

was true OF lSaacS IN his prime. But
We have had here, there, one might
almost say every where, so many bun
glers, SO much timidity, SO much over
confidence. SO much misplaced tender
ness, so much outrageous brutality,
that it is time a halt was called, and
some legislative notice was taken of
what can be considered neither more
nor less than judicial murder. 1t
should not be enough that a Judge,
solemn or fippant, as the case may
be, shall utter the words which con-
sign fellow creature to his doom; it
should ehis duty also to see that ex-
perienced hands carry the sentence OF
the law into proper effect.
AS 1T is the Custom, utterly unjusti-
fable, OF some notoriety seeking
Judges to deliver long lectures to
prisoners prior to sentencing them, so
it is the custom of Sheriffs, who as: a.
rule are intelligent men, to entrust to
any person willing to undertake what
they will term 1.-The job for money
the awful preliminaries and the terri
BILE final act OF this legal taking OF hui
man life. .-'-. o..
So far as the simple act is concern
ed there is no change, no improve
ment. since the days OF Hannah.
The attending circumstances are
not so demoralizing perhaps. There
is no drawing to the place of execu-
ton on a hurdle through public
streets; there is no stopping for half
hours guzzle in an ale house; there is
no exhibition in the eye OF the general
public at which children, women and
men can stare and cape; but after the
scenes attending the execution of
Bridget Durgen in the. Elizabeth Jail
yard, and that OF Cornattl in White
Plains, and in fact the scenes attend
ing all executions in rural places, [
am not so confident in the assertion
that even the demoralizing accom-
panlments are entirely removed.
Bridget Durgen was q servant, jeal-
GUS OF her mistress. In fit of insane
fury she murdered the woman who
paid her for her work. and IN her rage
and passion bit her repeatedly. She
had peculiarly shaped teeth, and by
the marks they left in the flesh of her
victim, the murderess was detected,
and after conviction was sentenced to
be hanged. It was bright, beautiful
day, and all the sheriff. friends, poll
ticlans of high and low degree, we're
given the privilege OF the jailyard. On
the ground stood two upriehts with a
horizontal bar across them, from
which depended the rope and moose.
Matches were never packed more
closely In blue paper boxes or enamel
led case than these men smoking,
laughing, chatting, all impatient for
the show. The woman was brought
out and with difficulty led through
the close pressing crowd. Unsupported
by relative, friend or woman she stood
beneath the horizontal bar while the
crowd in front, behind and on either
side of her, hats on, clouded with
smoke, peered over each others shout
ders, pushed and hauled and acted
like boys in a menagerie. AS the life
less body swung round and round
hanging from the bar so close stood
these spectatorst that her dress brushed
against their knees. They watched
her as they might q prize fight, and
from the midst of their assemblage,
from the very core and center of that
gang OF roughs and toughs, the soul
departed, bearing with it, if at al! a
Renaissance of this lite, the echoing
curse and laugh and jeer of the re-
spectacle citizens Of that extraor-
binary place.
The Cornatti scene could not be
duplicated.
The man, cheap Italian of the
commoner sort, had in some way OBJ
tanned the idea that he was to be set
free. and it was not until the last few
moments came, with their official
ceremony IN the jail, that gleam of
possible danger shot across his mar
row intellect.
Terror took possession of his abject
soul.
He cried and cursed, he begged and
threatened, he implored and fought,
and when the door was opened from
the Jail to the courtyard the amazed
spectators beheld, instead of solemn
procession with decorous procedure,
a kicking, fighting, screaming mad
man, borne forcible in the arms OF
stalwart deputies down the steps.
Quickly they rushed him across: the
yard, and ia less time than it takes
to say Jack Robinson the moose was
adjusted, the cap pulled down, the
| cord cut and the man swung off.
1t was according to, law.
But how about common sense, and
deceny and order?
The recent quadruple hanging in
Chicago was the best ordered, the
most carefully prepared, the most de-
corously conducted execution; / ever
saw, but even that Was little less than
butchery. After the caps were drawn,
and they were not drawn simultane.
ously, but one after the other, the
men turned one to the other, talked
with each other and with the, deputies
behind them, called to the, spectators
and OF course SO disarranged the ad-
justed knots that death was. the re-.
suit OF prolonged agonizlng rather
than that OF a quick drop, jerk and
| dislocation Of the neck.
This is an apt illustration.
It matters not how regular the pro-
ceedings, how all pervading the desire
| of the Sheriff and his assistants to
have everything properly, expeditions
ly and in order done, unless there is
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