The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-01-18

Nrw YonR, Jan. H. The report Of the
commission appointed by the Legislature
in 1856 10 report the most humane and
practical method known 10 modern science
Of carrying into effect the sentence OF
death in capital cases, was transmitted TO
The Legislature yesterday. ltrecommends
killing the culprits by electricity. The
commissioners are Elbridge T. Gerry, Al
fred \. Southwick and Matthew Hall.
"Your commission have examined with
rare the accounts which exist Of the vai-
Gus curious modes Of capital punishment
which arr or have been used among differ
ent communities, with the result OF feel
ing that the element OF barbarous cruelty
il 80 prominent in each that no existing
mode can be considered as embodying
suggestions Of improvement Of that now
in use in this State. Any change, 10 de-
serve commendation, must be TO n system
substantially new, and the careful reader
OF description Of those punishmenis can
not without, prejudice arrive at different
conclusion.
The chief objections to the guillotne by
the commission are that II II too bloody,
and that IL is associated with the scenes Of
the French revolution. The garrote is OBJ
jectionable because physicians say the fatal
screw cannot he depended upon 10 he 40
quick aud certain in operation that there
may be great agony on the part Of the
criminal shooting, Il used In civil life,
would he bloody in character and effects,
would sometimes lack celebrity, would ne
qure large number nj eXcCutiunen and
would be- demomliEing because Of lis ten
dency TO encourage the untaught populacc
10 think lightly OF the fatal use OF iircarms
The first objection 10 hanging is that the
effect Of giving stmulanls a. the con.
dcmncd Immediately before execution h.
demoulizing The prevalence OF the pmc-
iicc. the commissioners say, is well known
even in prisons where prisoners arr de-
barred from alcoholic drinks. When the
anarchists were hanged IN Chicago recent
~, nj the suggestion oi the sheriff, the
county physician went 90 the condemned
mems cells and asked them 10 take
siimulants Engcl drank two or thrcc
times Of por, wine and Spies sparingly 81
Rhine wine. One MASON assigned for
mcrry to lessen his perception Of the pain
ol diving Another Is thAt ho can thus
iurtiiy himself with unnatural strength lOr
the ordeal These reasons are objection.
able. As 20 giving liquor 10 supply the
prisoners II pain h part Of the punish.
mrnt, then the criminal should suilcr n.
II Il u not essential, then LET an aissihciic
o. narcotic he given. In either case the
r'sou to alcohol NJ n means Of Supplying
the sufferer argucs a defect In the method
OF execution. Moreover, II liquor enough
l. given 10 the condemned man be- be-
comes drunk, and drunkenness itself Il an
onense. IN a moral aspect the gruss i'm
proprioiy II sending man into the prs
encc IT his maker intoxicated i tuOobyious
g. require comment Another objection
o. hanging is the danger oi an attempt hy
h. condemned man a. commit suicide, and
@! some horrible scene ailcrNafd II
l.ingr. the Chicago anarchist, had lived
after be exploded bomb IN his mouth
the spectacle Of his face a. the hanging
would have been shocking. There are
four Eases on record where men who had
cut their threats just before the time iur
their execution arrived Wcrc hanged
The commission then stale. the uhicr.
hoiis 10 various other mufiCs Of iniliritug
the death penalty, In rcrnrd io the u-c
ol electricity, Il SAYS Perhaps the most
potent agent ior destroying human liir h.
electricity. Death h instantaneous. The
application mas boz made without injury
10 officials, the plarc for iis usc mas be-
strictly private, and its certainty j. beyond
doubt
zone objection lothe Use oi electricity l.
the shock which people uninslrucicd la 10.
uso suppose h inflicted ON the condemned
man. Asamattcr oi fact. an clcCincshock
cannot produce aHensatiUn which can hc
perccp,ihlc 10 the criminal The velocity
OF the current Is ~ great that the brain Il
pamlyrcd'
Thomas A. Edison writes that dynamo.
electric machinery which employs inter.
miltsni currents would pc the most suitable
apparatus Thepassar ui the currrntirnm
thcsc machines through the body. even by
the slightest contact causes instant death.
The commissioners describe number vi
experiments with electricity o. means ii
destroying animals, witnessed in buffalo
by one OF the commissioners Last wear.