San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-03-22
CAPITAL PUNISHMENT.
THE NEW YORK ELECTRIC METHOD
COMPARED WITH HANGING.


The electric method of executing criminals
adopted by the state of New York is attract
ing attention in every part of the country.
One of its warmest advocates in St Louis is
Judge c. Normile, judge of the criminal
court As the one judicial officer of St. Louis
who tries men for their lives, his study Of the
execution subject has not alone been by
books, but by observation. He is a member
of the New York Medico-Legal society, an
association of doctors and lawyers, which has
correspondents in Europe and throughout
America Judge Normile is vice president of
the society for Missouri
SAYS HANGING IS BRUTAL
1T has been alleged that electricity does
not kill quickly" said the judge. "This is the
view of DR.. Hammond Well, do not con-
slider his statement as of great weight His
inaccuracies have been too many on other
matters. However, am led to think that
before New York adopted the electrical pro
cess there was conviction in favor Of the
wire rather than of the barbaric rope. 1t is
a step in the direction OF humanity Hang
ing is disgrace to our age. 1t is brutal to
an extreme, and every brutal act begets it
self 1t has debasing influence on all who
witness it. In my experience as prosecutor
and Judge, have, in eighteen years, noticed
a constantly increasing prejudice in the jury
box against capital punishment. Jurors can
not serve because they are opposed to it.
care you committed to its abolitionS"
Opposition to every form of death punish
ment is growing AS a member of the Med
ico-Legal society, have been requested to
use my influence in favor of the enactment of
law in Missouri resembling the New York
electrical statute. While may not be able
to do all that | would wish to, will commu-
nicate with members of the legislature i'll be-
half of it to-the extent of my ability"
The judge is in favor, as he has always
been, of privacy in executions and less news
paper notice of the event. He deprecates the
show features Of hangings, and approves the
Ohio and Missouri enactments for few spec
tators and rapid work. He has had expe-
rience in sentencing, and, as prosecuting
attorney, in securing the conviction of crimi-
nails AS circuit attorney he prosecuted
and convicted ten men who were executed,
and as Judge he has sentenced three to be
hung
~ have seen but one of them executed, and
that was when serving as circuit attorney.
1t was against my wishes to see it, but it was
my purpose to see justice done decently and
as the law directed"
THE guillotine is worse than the rope"
said the judge. There is an intoxicatiOn in
the sight of blood with some depraved nat
ures. The Spanish garrote system of execu-
ton, which once saw in Cuba, is less Objec
tiOnable, as it insures speedy if not instanta
neous DEATH
The Judge became discursive on the topic
His examination into the legal and physical
aspects of the subject caused him to say:
Our Anglo-Saxon ancestors, from whom we
have derived our notions of crimes and pun
ishments, were brutal Only $50 years ago
there were upon English statute books 2l0
Offenses for which the death penalty was
prescribed. The hanging, drawing and quar-
tering process bespeaks a sense Of humanity
bSlO" IuS ISHSl Va q SOuldHCuo AO
student of criminal Jurisprudence in investi-
CATION of ancient notions is appalled,. Nor
have we altogether outgrown the brutality of
our ancestors For poaching or shooting a
rabbit or for trivial offenses of any sort the
carnival of blood went on, and there was a
terrific slaughter Of humanity which our
later civilization is slowly rebuking"
JUDGE NOONAN's VIEWS
Judge E. A. Noonan, Of the court of Grim
inal correction, submitted very pleasantly to
an interview on the subject in the interval Of
| judicial dispensation. His views are directly
opposed to those Of his colleague. Although
in his court mercy tempers justice and he is
! personally and at heart kindly generous, 10
believes in the most rigid punishment {
murderers as necessary protection to society
Il do not believe in the electricity PROPOSE
tion," he said. 1T tends to make death easy
and dignifed. We want our murderers tc
realize the horrors Of the rope and the gal
lows. In my long experience as prosecutor
and judge have met many murderers, and
in every case these men were afraid Of the
rope. They do not know how painful - =
They do not know how long they may hang
and struggle, especially if the hangman il
nervous and makes a mistake. Every mar