The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1890-08-11
ALL EUROPE AROUSED.
'y Lurid Reports of Kemmler's Exccut
Which Have Hench,,I Th,r.

~ ''" Nefp'ts VI hemmler's Execution
Which Have Reached There.
LONDON, August l0.-There has been
but one topic Of conversation in Eng,
land since Wednesday. The doings Of
the Emperor William, the Queens mis-.
hap, the illness OF the Duchess OF File
and the mutiny ut Chatham have palcd
into insignificance beside the all.absorb.
ing kemmler electrocution. For once
the English press arose to the occasion
and all the stately journals of Great
Britain fairly brissled on Thursday
morning with the sensational details Of
the execution.
Since then in the clubs, at the hotels
and even on the street corners it has
been kemm!ef, Kemmier and nothing
but kemmler. Public sentiment il
against tho execution upon general prin.
clpIes. Ihe correspondent, however,
managed to gather some interesting per.
sonal opinions upon the subject.
GLADsroNE's OPINION,
MIR. Gladstone, who was followed
ao"n 10 Harden, did not hesitate to
speak freely on the subject.
II have read the details OF the execu.
tion IN the morning papers," ne said,
and should judge. that the possible re-.
cuIrence OF SO painful a spectacle nav
induce the State Legislature of New
lork to reconsider the law. That the
law was passed in the interest OF hu-
manlty have no doubt, and the only
fault can fiud with it, as one inexperi.
enced In such matters, is in the method
OF ils recent application. 1t appears to
me that so serious matter as the TAX
iag OF human life under such circum.
stances should be in the hands OF ex.
perts only.'
DO you think that elecsrocution will
ever be introduced into England ?".
In the present frame of mind of the
people, | should say decidedly not, I
still think, however, that electricity
properly and scientifically applied would
be merciful and painless method OF
executing criminals"
TALK WITH A CARDINAL.
His Eminsnce, Cardinal Manning,
SAID: The execution OF kemmler will
no doubt be used as great argument by
the opponents Of capital punishment.
The old liebraic idea OF an eye for an
eye and tooth for tooth was uuoues.
tlonably the origin OF the death penalty,
but great minds Of this and past genera.
tlons have cried loudly for a repeal OF
this method of dealing with criminals.
The fear OF the death penalty has not
had any effect in preventing murder,
since the murderer, in his rage, does not
stay to consider TIE price he will be call.
ed on to pay for his deed, aud if it is pre.
medltated he hopes and expects to evade
the vigilance OF tho law aud escape de.
lection. But since society must be pro.
tected against those who are afflicted
with this homicidal mania, two
courses are open to us, either
TO lock up these unfortuuates
for the term OF their lives without any
possibility OF escape or else to take their
lives. In that latter case every notion
OF humanity demands that the execution
should be performed in a manner that
will give as little suffering to the subject
as possible, since it is not vengeance or
torture We should seek to innlct, but
merely the putting away of something
which is dangerous. AS for the doing
OF this deadly work by electricity, i
think that in the present condition OF
our knowledge, and in view OF the facts
ELECTED by its application, the possibility
OF It's being used in England is very re.
mote, and it becomes question whether
the law should not be put in allegiance
IN New York until electrical executions
can be made very quickly and simply,
and the current be certain to act with
the rapldity OF lightning flash"