The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1889-02-07
THE DEATH PENALTY.

death penalty for murder in the first
degree urged upon the legislature.
Surely the protection now afforded by
the law to honest and useful men and
women is none too strong or perfect.
The life OF an honest man is worth |
saving at the cost of the lives Of score
of villains. Yet the rule, with many,
is to make murder easy. and to give to :
bloody criminals the largest sentimen-
tality and protection.
1t is no time now to give to the i
White Caps, and other lynchers, addi-
tional excuse for taking the law into
the hands of the mob. The willful
murderer deserves death. The law, so
uncertain of execution, gives the ac-
cused so many ways of escape from con-
viction, or if he be convicted, so many
chances to escape the extreme penalty
for lighter one. that the public pa:
tience, long trifled with, gives way to
evaporation. Then the White Cap tyr
amy and brutality 20 forth to terrorize
whole communities. In the state of
Indiana, when brutal murder occurs,
the scene certain to follow is a mid
night masked mob, a broken Jail, and
| law dshonored and defied by an illegal
| execution Of one who has had no day
in court, whatever his real deserts may
be.
| Minnesota has had no mobs, We be-
lieve. Her people may not need this
sort of argument to curb the growing
laxity of penalties for murder. But
human nature is the same every where.
Poor protection for honest lives gives
licence to murder and other crimes.
A case in point is the Barrett bro
theirs who murdered car driver in
Minneapolis for the few dollars in his
cash box. If ever class of men need
protection it is the street car driver, at
the end of their lines. late at night in
lone neighborhoods. These men have
had all the advantage the law gives &C.
cused men. They have availed them
selves ofevery one Of them. The ingen.
|
hausted and every point strained to
make legal escape for the guilty men
Now the friends of the murderers are
appealing to public sympathy and for
executive clemency. Soft costs more
public money, more time of the courts,
more vigilance and work on the part of
the friends OF justice to punish serious
crime in legal manner, than the peo-
pie can we'll afford to expend. The
legal moose needs contraction not ex-
pansion, just now.
The Minneapolis Tribune remarks
editorially on the death # Capt. Grin.
ager, rs follows: The death of Capt.
Mons Grinager has left another vacant
place in the ranks of the pioneer citi-
Zens IT the state. Among the old set
tiers few were better known and none
more universally respected than he
lie took an active and leading part in
the early settlement Of the southern
tier OF counties. When the slave power
attemped to disrupt the union, lie was
among the first to enlist in defence
|
permanently III Minnesota, and being Z
; Staunch. true and loyal Republican
WAS instrumental in planting the seed:
of stalwart Repnblicanism in the mind:
Of the early Scandinavian settlers ir
this state. He was model OF al
adopted citizen, thoroughly American
in his views and sentiments. yet de
voted TO the elevation ami progress Of
his own nationality. He made NJ
clamnrous demands for office or leader
ship, but he was duly appreciative O
any evidence of possessing the con
fidence of his fellow citizens. He was
a familiar figure at all Republican gath
erings and performed his last politica
, duty when he cast his ballot as a presi
Dental elector for Harrison ard Nor.
ton. A man of unswerving integrit,
and never-failing genialilty he will b.
missed by a large circle of devote,
friends, composed of both native AM
adopted citizens.