Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1889-02-07
EXECUTION oB EDWARDS.

Are They Hypnotized 10y Sight Of he GalloWS
When They Seem to Meet Death Brayely?
The composure Of Prado, who was
gull totined in Paris a few days ago for
murder, was so con- plete hAt the state
meut was made that "the sight of the
guiilotine seemed to hypnotic him" Thls
Is suggestion which the St Lou r.
public thinks may account for occurrences
that have been attributed to other mfu-
ences, or for which the cause could not be
ascertain -.
Why Il it that nearly al murderers
meet death with apparent tranquility?
l. Is not because they want 10 de or
even become recorciled 60 death, for as
long as there is any loophole or chance of
law through which they might escape
they never want TO give up the fight IN
the courts. Nor do they ever, until the
last moment, give up the hope of pardon,
or repreye. To meet a violent death
calmly is esteemed the bravest acl OF
hero. But the hero who thus dies does
not develop a sudden furtitude; he sum
moLs the fOrtitude that has always dis
tins uished him. Murat, standing before
the ready guns of the detachment Of
soldiers, and Andre Wi h the rope around
his neck, exhibited courage and GOODNESS
that had always marked their character.
Tie ambition that made them risk their
lives might make them wish to die in
manner to sustain their reputation for
bravery.
Bat base assassin, who has no good
or glorious name to leave behind him,
who, in life, Is sueskiDg coward with
not sufficient pride 20 3OGceal his COW
ardioe even from his associates, Who
trembles when arrested, blanchgs aud
reels when sentenced, and cringingiy
pleas for pardon, and at the last begs
FOR only few days more of life; how
comes it that he generally walks to the
galIows and swings off without sign of
fear. Ii is not bravadu, for the braggarJ
always finches when an ordeal comes
1t Is not spirit of resignation, for he Is
never resigned TO his fate until he faces
the scafold. It it not despair, for that
always shows itself through the window
OF the face. 1t il not an application 10
self of the brutality that inspired the
crime, for they are all des rOus that the
rope shall be properly adjusted aud the
death quics, with as little pain as pos
sible.
May it not be that, when the generally
low intelligence anG dull com prehensiou
ot the murderer does grasp the thought
Of certainty of death, AL voluntary
thought is excluded and the one idea has
supreme controlf May it not be in this
condition, with the impelling aggregate
force of all the thought of ali the speota-
tors urging him on, that he feels himself
irresistibly drawn forward by the terrible
sight Of the soaffold, and SO hypnotized,
Is no longer him self, but only the yieid-
ing subject OF transmitted mental im-
pulse. The hypnotizsd subject on the
lecture platform will eat salt, thinking it
Is sugar, and fan himself while he sits
upon block of ice. Possibly the eager
and brutal Joy of the spectators over the
opportunity TO roe fellow man suffer "a
violent death finds lodgmeut in this hyp.
Noticed subject and urges HIN on ia a
sort of TRANSMITTED eostacy that, through
the absence % emotion has the semblanee
of courage. The ignorant and brutal
murderer, who so often has the reputa-
tion of having "oied game" possibly has
no more consciousness of exhibiting
game qualities than blind man has inten
tiOn Of showing his recklessness when he
accidentally stumbles down an open cellar
door.