Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-08-06
DRAMATIC INCIDENTS AT ALBANY.
The Passage Of the Law and the Excit-
ing Debate Upon It

ALBANY. August 6.-Dramatie scenes A.
tended the passage by the New York legis-
lature Of the measure under which Kemmler
hands Of . commission which had been ap-
pointed to consider q change In New York's
method Of executing murderers. II was first
presented in the assembly, and gray haired
Saxton-he Of the electoral bill-as chairman
OF the assembly's Judiciary committee, had a.
sumed its championship.
1t was q winter night and the great capito
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 Q respected man,
would make the chief speech in its behalf.
That struggle would be made against "the
new-fangled notion" by those who al
ways oppose innovations was we'll known.
foreshadowed this There was another and .
more powerful influence to be pitted against
the measure, for it was we'll known that the
Catholic members would bitterly oppose the
clauses of the bill which consigned the muir
derer's remains to the prison yard, with quick
lime to hasten dissolution, and that without re-
Ggious rites.
Every member Was in HIS place. The foer
the galleries and the speakers platform even
held curious spectators. The bill to substitute
the mysterious force Of electricity for the rope
was moved, and Saxton, standing in his place
in the brilliant chamber, made his plea Tor its
passage. Then came the battle. and 1t was
hotly waged. Ridicule and taunts we're leveled
at the commission which framed the bill-ons
Of them sitting beside Mr.. Saxton.
AN ANGRY SCENE.
Men grew angry, some insulting, others used
vicious sarcasm. and at each onslaught the
ray-haired Saxton, with magnificent voice and
keen mind, stood ready. Finally. within ten
feet of the bills defender 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 Q MUIR
derer. Then he referred to the war time and
to the sad comfort afforded those who were
permitted to receive and bury the bodies Of
the loved ones killed in battle.
81 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 re-
spouse to this.
to the state" spoke Mr.. Saxton, ''the state has
| undoubted right to dispose of the murderer's
body as public policy may direct. What COM
fort can 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 Dissertation?
I'm Chicago" continued the speaker, "the
bodies of executed criminals were exposed to
relatives and to the public, and that city was
brought very close to an Instruction Public
policy would have been better served had the
provisions OF this bill been operative there"
There was pause, in which the throng was
hushed. and Mr.. Saxton, turning toward Long,
ley, looked into his eyes.
Finally" he broke forth in q searching
monotone that reached every ear, "does the
served as did he in the Union armies,
q comparison of the sacred sorrow for
the dead soldier with the passion of regret over
the corpse Of dead murderer"
THE BREATHLEss SILENCE.
Interest Of the crowded chamber was too in
tense for cheers. The crowd Just waited in ST.
lence. This was broken by new anticipations
as Mr.. Roesch-who since, as senator, passed
the weekly payment bill-arose to speak. It
was known that he would voice the Catholic
opposition to the bill. Said he:
Il hold that where relatives claim the re-
mains the state has no right to retain them.
Property exists in human bodies and besides
(and his voice rose) this bill takes away the
right of burial in consecrated ground"
Here was the challenge made by religious
convictions
"Consecrated ground!' Numbered Saxton.
sis the plea here made that hardship follows
retention OF q criminal corpse from conse-
Grated ground? The criminal who in life
would not respect the flesh protected by the
law no bloho may uOt III Qeatn nave QSman deQ
for it that which himself had forfeited"
But" shouted Mr.. Roesch, '.was not the
body of Christ stamped with the mark of the
laws dissertation, ana was it not afforded
decent burial2'
The inquiry was launched upon the air with
vehement emphasis. There was not sound in
the chamber where hundreds waited in sus-
pense to catch the response. Saxton stood .
moment with bowed head. his face as white as
his hair, and then, tossing back his locks like
name, with quivering lips and reverent tone,
he said:
81 will not stand here to answer d question
based upon the association Of the Holy Savior's
memory with that OF men executed by the state
OF New York for MURDER
He looked squarely into the face of Mr.,
Roesch who had remained standing, but who
after moment Of intense stiffness, slowly re-
sumed his seat.
The tension on the listeners was relaxed, the
bill went through with some amendments and
was sent to the senate. After a less dramatic
history there it passed and Gov. Hill signed il.
1t took effect January /, 1885, and Kemmler
was first to commit murder in this state after
that date; hence, first to suffer death under its
provisions