St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-08-07
ENACTMENT OF THE STATUTE.
Dramatic Scenes in the New York
Legislature.

Legislature.
AUBURN, N. Y. Aug. 6.-Dramatic
scenes attended the passage, by the
New York legislature. of the measure
under which KemmIer to-day suffered
death. The bill came from the hands
of a commission, which had been ap-
pointed to consider change in New
York'S method Of executing murderers.
1t was first presented in the assembly,
and gray-haired SaxtOn-he of the cleo
toral bill-aS chairman of the assembly's
judiciary committee, had assumed its
championship, 1t was winter night
and the great capitol was thrOnged. A
measure which should abolish the moose
and the gibbet was to be placed on its
final passage in the house and Charles
T. Saxton. an able lawyer and a
respected man, would make the chief
speech in its behalf. That struggle
would be made against s'the new-fan-
gled notion by those who oppose innO-
vations was well known. The commit
tee hearings OIL the bill had fOreshad-
owed this. There was another and a
more powerful influence to be pitted
against the measure, for it was well
known that the Catholic members
would bitterly oppose the clauses of the
bill which consigned the murderer'S re-
mains to the prison yard with quick
lime to hasten dissolution, and that
without religious rites. Every member
was in his place. The floor, the gal
leries and the speakers platform even
held curious spectators. The bill to
substitute the mysterious force Of cleo
tricity for the rope was moved, and
Saxton, standing in his place in the
brilliant chamber, made his elO-
quent plea for its passage into
law. Then came the battle, and
it was hotly waged. Ridicule
and taunts were leveled at the commits
sion which framed the bill-One of them
sitting beside Mr.. Sexton. Men grew
angry, some insulting, others used vici-
Gus sarcasm; and at each onslaught the
gray-haired SaxtOn, with magnificent
voice and keen mind, stood ready.
Finally, within ten feet of the bills de-
fender, arose War Veteran Longley, of
Brooklyn. He cited the agony of pain
relatives must suffer at not being able
to bury their dead, though the dead be
a murderer. Then he referred TO the
war time and to the sad comfort af-
forded those who were permitted to re-
ceiye and bury the bodies of the loved
ones killed in battle. II move to
amend" concluded Mr.. Longley, ''that
friends or relatives may reclaim the
body of the executed man."
There was both heart and brain in
the response to this.
when a man by his crime forfeits
his life to the State," spoke Mr.. SaXton,
1.-THE state has undoubted right to dis
pose of the murderer's body as public
mol mo 6iranf "hof anofnPf
be afforded those who loved the crimi-
nal by viewing the remains which in
life had failed of self-reSpect, and which
in death bear the stamp of the states
righteous desecration?"
I'm Chicago" continued the speaker,
1.-THE bodies of executed criminals were
exposed to relatives and to the public,
and that city was brought very close to
an inSurtection. Public policy would
have been better served had the prOvis-
ions of this bill been operative there"
There was pause, in which the thrOng
was hushed, and Mr.. SaxtOn, turning
toward Longley. looked into his eyes.
Finally" he broke forth in search
ing montone that reached every ear,
''does the gentleman wish to force upon
me, who served as did he in the Union
armies, a comparison of the sacred sor-
row for the dead soldier with the passion
of regret over the corpse of dead MUIR
derer?"
Interest of the crowded chamber was
too intense for cheers. The crowd just
waited in silence. This was broken by
new anIicipations as Mr.. Roe sch-who
since, as senator, passed the weekly
payment bill-arOse to speak. 1t was
known that he would voice the Catholic
opposition to the bill. Said he:
ST hold that were relatives claim the
remains the state has no right to retain
them. Property exists in human bodies.
aud besides land his voice rose) this bill