New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-12-02
.yoryEE AFfR0yr To JrSYICE.

Three fines in seven months have Federal
iudoos in,cpo.ed between condemned murder
e,s and the DEGREES OF this State. II Is onr
belief that great majority oi the ln'"il@rh'
citizens of \ew-loIh would cmphatlc;lly de
clare if they had the chance. that there nave
boon Just three too many OF these Intcrlcrch'c''
II i, obvious t. the most careless observer "i
current aflairS-e>pcclally OF electrical current
affairs-that this extraordinary expenditure oi
zeal and energy has not been made primarily
in behalf of the miserable creatures whose lives
il has prolonged. Indeed, Il Is the knowledge
of powerful agencies working secretly behind
the lawyers that most cNasperateS the pu'h'
mind. If the persons who are paying Tor thl'
adroit and INSCRIPTIONS service would com"
boldly into count and openly defend their sup
posed interest, there would be les, complaint
and les, cause for complaint.
Conspiracy j. Il strong word. bat We to not
know that il i, too olonS to indicate the means
Ly which, according u prevalent bchoi, the
opcratlon Of the new Execution Ia" III ms
state ha. been cmbarrs! ,cd. One tfIbuHiI
after another, including the highest. sustained
the law. and nobody not III the confidence OF
the opposing Interests imagined that the con
test would or could be continued further: when
suddenly. to the amlzcmcnt of the public and,
we believe, 10 his own subsequent regret
Judge Wallace at the last moment took the re-
sponsbility Of po>tpCnIng the death OF kcmm-
lor The DELAY va, valuable 10 those who
were paving for all this inquiry and litigation,
but it va, not enough. Knowing that the ap-
peal wa, frivolous ana that the supreme Court
Il 3 ntlf
had prepar,d another surprise for the pcol,a
of the state. and two days later, namely on
Nav I. 1890. the Assembly passed and the
Senate came near to passing a bill abol,hlng
captal punishment altogether. Lest our friend
General Cunt, should rise 10 protest that tins
i a false explanation of the sudden and amaz-
ing success of hi, bill! we hasten 10 add that
we have never charged him with knowing b!
what means measure IN which he had Iong
bcch Interested achieved such swift and uncN-
pcctcd support IN the Legislature.
The scheme almost succeeded, but the ocnat,
took a second thought just in time, and delay
WAS fatal. \ few week, altrrwad the Supreme
Count refused to interfere and kcmmlcr had
70 die II was said after his execution that
tbc martial failure of that solemn experiment
cav great satisfaction and inspired new hopes
in certain quarters. At all events, the first
chance Of preventing the further operation OF
the law until after the next meeting of the
Legislature was >clzcd and the death OF kcmm-
Ter was adlucod a. proof that The law is cruel
This prctcnce may nave given Ju%irO a brief
encouragement, # he CHANGED 70 hear Of it, bul
il did him no good the supreme Court would
not listen - IT, AID thr community thceupJn
concluded, somewhat ra,hIy, Is il now appears
that Jugiio would have To die Ike kcmmlcr
While these proceedings were beng taken an
other murderer was awaiting his fate at ~ing
sing. No lawyer appeared t. feel IN cXc'>,iy,
interest in him, and 1t seemed probable that he
wolld he permitted to pay the penalty of hi,
crime at the appointed time. But again at tn,
last moment the hidden forces are set at wo.k
and Judge Brown issues an order which act,
a. "A stay of execution in the case Of the ncgrc
murderer Wood, who was to have been put
| To death this week.
| Ii is not often tina, we agree with Governor
! Hill, hut we fully share his indignation over
| this miserable business. lnlc~S a, he says
some effective check is put upon such piac-
/ tees it will not be long hcIor" every murder
/ case in the country is taken into the Fedora
court, on some trivia! techncIiity Mean
while, the n>pircr> and employers Of all Thu
perniciou> ingenuity remain unconie>Sed if moi
mrecognzcd. Their purpose is to carry thc>,
cases along 10y all possible devices until they
have succeeded in procuring from the Legs
laturc repeal OF the present Law on the aboIi
ton of the death penalty. II l. Our impression
! that they are playing their cards rather reck