Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1890-08-21
New Ideas III Execution.

| The statute of the State of New York
which provides that criminals con-
demned to death shall be killed by
electricity, provides also that mo ac-
| count of the details of any such execu-
| tion. beyond the statement of the fact
that such convict was on the day in
question duly executed according to
law at the prison, shall be published
in any newspaper" Violation of this
provision is declared a misdemeanor.
| This is one of those absurdities of
crank legislation that bring contempt
on the whole body of statute law. OF
course it has no application to news
papers outside the State, nor will any
attention be paid to it by the news
papers of New York, for the reason
that it embodies no moral or ethical
obligation and no effort ever would be
| made to enforce it.
The unnecessary parade Of reports of
executions, in revolving detail, is un-
questionably to be deplored. The best
as sensations. But it is not possible to
frame rule of universal application
defining what is proper for publication
on this or any other subject. In the
present case, the details of the execu-
ton of kemmler are not only of gener-
al public interest, but of great public
importance. 1t was the first execution
by electricity-andp possibly the last
and the experiment was attended with
so much doubt and uncertainty that
the public verdict upon the propriety
OF the new act may be said TO have de-
pended on its result. The newspapers
would therefore be derelict if they fall
ed to present the most complete and
accurate reports attainable,
If they had been allowed to obtain
their reports in the usual way, by
sending experienced and trustworthy
men, accustomed to the observation
and record of facts, who would have
told the story directly and promptly,
there would have been no undue ex-
element over the matter and 1t would
soon have passed from attention. In
stead of this, the reporters were all eX-
cluded and the official witnesses give
such varied and contradictory accounts
of what they saw that the reports will
be spread out at great length from day
to day until everybody has been heard
from, and we may expect newspaper
hot ff,r he IN,
come. This is the result of foolish
attempt to stretch statutory authority
beyond its practicable limits.
Making all allowances for error, ex-
aggeration or sensationalism, it is i'm
possible to draw any other conclusion
from the dispatche from Auburn than
that electricity, as swift, painless and
humane mode of putting a man to
death, is failure. Kemmler was kill
ed, unquestionably. But hanging is
refined and gentle mode of death COM
pared with this horrible process. Per-
haps experience may teach and the
process may be improved, but certain
ly the Kemmler case will not commend
it to public favor as q substitute for
older customs.
The important consideration in any
form OF capital punishment is not so
much its effect upon the condemned as
It's effect upon those who see or hearor
read of it. There is some sentimental
in the idea of secret
execution. And yet no execution ever
can or probably ever ought to be really
secret. The law, in our time, must
work openly-not with Haunting pub
Iicity. but also not with stealth, and
this execution was in effect less private
than those which occur from time to
time. without any fuss, in our County
Prison. And If the attempted secrecy
IS failure, still more a failure seems
The process itself. which the most fav-
,rable reports present as more cruel
and revolving than any mode of execu-
ion now in use among the civilized
lations of the world.-Philddelp
Times.