Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1889-01-15
c0WARDs DIE LIKE HEROES.
Are They Rypnetized by sight of th
GallOws2

Are They RypuetiAed by Sight of the
Gall0ws2
st. Louis Republican: The composure
OF PrGdo, who was guillotined in Paris a
few days ago for murder. WAS 30 COM
plete that the statement was made that
"the sight of the guiilotine appeared to
hypnotizs him." This is suggestion
that may account for occurrences that
have been attributed to other Influences,
or for which the cause could not be
ascertalned.
Why is it that nearly ell murderers
meet death with apparent tranquility
II is not because they want to die or
even become reconciled to death, for as
long as there 10 any loophole 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 reprieve. To meet violent death
calmly is esteemed the bravest act OF a
hero. But the hero who thus dies does
not develop sudden fortitude; he
summons the fortitude that has always
distinguished him. Murat, standing,
before the ready guns OF detachment
of soldiers, and Anre with the rope
aroand his neck, exhibited courage and
coolness that had always marked their
character. The ambition that made
them risk their lives might make them
wish to die in manner to sustain their
reputation for bravery.
But base assassin, who has no good
or glorious name to leave behind HIM,
who, in Lille, is a sneaking coward with
not sufficient pride to conceal his cow
ardice even from his associates, who
trembles when arrested, blancheB and
reels when sentenced, end cringingly
pleads for o pardon, and at the last begs
for only few more days OF life; how
comes it that he generally walks to the
Rallows and swings off without sign
of fear? Is it not bravado for the brag.
gart always fiinohes when an ordeal
comes. 1t is not q spirit of resignation,
for he is never resigned to his fate until
for that always shows itself through the
cation to eelf OF the brutality that in
spired the crime, for they are all desir-
ous that the rope shall be properly ad-
pain as possible.
uApy Az bop SO hhuSt WACb sio BchCk-
ally low intelligence and dali compre-
henslon of the murderer does grasp the
thought OF certainty of death, oil volnn-
tary thought is excluded and the one
idea has supreme control? May il aot
be in this condition, with the impelling
aggregate force of ell the thought OF all
spectators urging him him on, that he
feels himself lrresistibly drawn forward
hy tbs teFFihi. sight 81 the sorHoid, and
80 hypnot zed, is no longer himself, but
only the yielding subject OF transmitted
mental impulse. The hypnotized sub
ject on the lecture platform will eat salt,
| thinking 10 is sugar, and fan himself
while he sits upon block of ice. Pos
sibly the eager and brutal Joy of the
spectators over the opportunity to see g
fellow man suffer violent death finds
lodRment in this hypnosized subject
and urges him on in sort OF transmitted
ecstaoy that, through the absence of
emotion, has the semblance OF courage.
Tie ignorant and brutal murderer, who
SO often has the reputation Of having
died game" possibly has no more
consciousness Of exhibiting game quail
tiles than blind man has intention oil
showing his recklessness when he ecoi
dentslly stumbles down on open cellar
door.