The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1889-08-08
The Death Penalty Does no Good In
South Carolina,

OuIlDS tue suuuel teEm VI OuI Couits
there has been an unsual number of trials
for murder and they generally resulted
in acquittals or mistrials. In most of
our counties there are men, and some.
times dozen OF more, who have killed
their man and been acquitted. 1t is not
our intention here to discuss the justice
of the verdicts. The men who have done
this killing may feel that they were justi.
fable and conscience may never whisper
that they did wrong. Some of them may
be going through life miserable men, be.
cause they feel in their hearts that they
are murderers, Notwithstanding the yer.
dict Of the juries that heard the cases.
The fact is patent to every one that we
have many homicides and very few con.
victions, and ifa jury ever comes out
with verdict of guilty in murder case,
you may be sure that it is poor white
man or a negro that is tried. We are
not going to object to our jury system or
find fault with court methods, nor do we
feel that the country is in great danger
because acquitted murderers exercise the
rights of citizens in nearly all ofour coun-
ties.
Capital punishment is a failure. The
guilty are not always visited with the
death penalty, nor are the living de.
tered from committing similar crimes.
There is a general sentiment prevailing
in the minds of many that hanging is
too severe penalty, OF rather the wrong
penalty for murder. Consequently, this
sentiment often gives shape to the verdict
of jury room. No sort Of punishment
prescribed by our statutes deters men
from committing crimes that are the
result of high and uncomfortable pas
sion. An execution by lynch law is the
most terrible method of Furnishing a
criminal, yet the mob may hang a man
for certain crime committed under 8
high state of passion and similar crime
will soon be committed by some
one cognizant of the facts and knowing,
if he is caught, he will have to swing TO
the nearest limb. Lynching for Ger.
tain crime does not prevent the commits.
sion of that crime. Hanging for murder
does not prevent the next man from
killing his fellow man. During great
fear or excitement, or intense and MUIR
derous malice, a man does not think of
consequences. The shadow of the gal.
lows has no terror for him.
When one considers actual results III
our trials for capital ofenses, be is
bound to come to the conclusion that
man of good family, or possessed of
many good dollars, cannot be hanged in
this State. Even hanging does not deter
others from committing capital crimes.
The acquittals and mistrials rather en-
courage the thoughtless multitude to be
bold in the commission Of crime, believ.
ing that they will be able to escape pun.
ishment.
1t would be better to abolish the death
penalty. Let a heavy fine and imprison'
ment in the peuitentiary be the penalty
for murder or manslaughter. Many men
are tenderer in their consciences. Leave
it to the discretion Of the judge and jury
as to the fine imposed. Lett always be
as heavy as the man and his friends can
bear. A jury would often bring in a
verdict ofguilty when they knew the life
of the accused would not be taken. I'm.
prisonment in the penitentiary and
heavy fines would be more apt to bring
out correct verdicts than the present sys.
tenn and men would be deferred from
killing when they knew their peck.
ct books were in great jeopardy.
Then let the family Of the slain come at
them in the civil court for damages and
it would be found that man with prop.
erty would be very careful about killing
folks.-SpartanJu,y Spartan.