Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1889-04-07
DEATH eY %sL.eo1Rlcl1Y.
Why II Il to Be Preferred to Executions by


Why II IL to he Preferred to Executions by
X, =
Now that Now York officials may be
called upon to execute the law rcqnir-
ing that condemned criminals shall be
put to death by electricity u storm Of
opposition threatens. and all sorts of
objections nre urged. some OF them i'm
pcaching the constitutiouulity OF tho
statute. Complaint is nude thatftho
sheriff can not carry out tho law, be-
cause he Is not an expert electrician.
ind that those who are engaged in
electrical pursuits will not make the
proper machinery for the occasion;
hat the plans suggested are faulty.
inasInuch rs they contemplate causing
death by applying the electrical cur-
rent to tho brain instead of the heart.
and that the tortures OF the condemned
by the now method will be so horrible
that, by. comparison. slow s%trangulu-
ton by n rope is ecstacy.
Those who projected this reform
probably anticipated just such oppo-
sition. Even in an enlightened and
progressive country like our own, it is
impossible TO rid tho public Of Il bar
barous and unsightly custom. about
which clings the cobwcbs Of ages,
without mourning prejudice, ignorance
md n little OF the old spirit which lin
gers in every community long after it
has ceased to be n live and potential
factor. There may be difficulties TO
overcome in enforcing the law. In
dealing with n matter like electricity.
about which there is much TO learn,
the lawmakers may not have conc in
to details rs deliberately ms would have
been prudent, but that there should be
such un~conquerablc obstacles rs is pre-
tendcd seems pr~eposterous.
The sheriff need not be nm expert In
the first place. llangmcn in America
nrc mover experts. and yet they per-
form their duties rs ac~ccptably as their
brethren across the water. a button
will serve the purpose OF n spring. and
can be manipulated rs easily. The
electrical companies in New
York will provide all the paraphcr-
nalin II offered sufficient inducements.
The fclon is not executed for his own
pleasure or convenience. but to deter
others from committing crime, and the
object OF the law will be accomplished
MI tho samo, whether tho current
passes through his brain or his heart.
AS to the fortunes, they are purely
illusory. No one who has died by
electricity has returned to give an nc
count OF his sufferings and certainly
during tho brief space intervening
between contact with tho current and
dissolution tho victim has not been
ablo to give much satisfactory data on
the subject. Those who have rccov-
cred from an electric shock. like those
who have been resuscitatcd after being
in the water or being hanged, say that
the process of coming 10 is infinitely
more painful than that of dying.
But every large city in the world
has Ind numerous illustrations of death
by electricity. a workman climbs a
pole and nbscnt!y touches n wire.
Down hr drops as dead rs a door-uail,
without even the fraction Ola moment
to think OF torture. In the same way
n citizen drifts againsta wire loft care
lcssly hanging near the sidewalk. and
lies on Tie pavement Il mass Of mani
mate clay. lilo Tay or may not have
tried to shrek, but II he did 1t proves
nothing except his Amusement at tho
blow which buried him into eternity.
Such momcr>nry pain can scarcely DO
compared wish the writings of ono
who is hanged. II the New York OIL
Gals arc cornered they can use the
electric light wires. Ono Of tho latter
can be conducted into tho felon's call,
and II they are rs efficient in tbs cases
OF condemned murdorcrs rs when they
tackle innocent and unsuspccting vic
Tins on tho sidewalks tho felons will
scarcely have time to write out their
sensations for the newspapers. -Balti-
more American.