New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1891-10-21
SHOULD WE PUNISH BY DEATH,
Views on this Much Mooted Question BY
Prominent People.
Gen. Sanborn Writes an Able Article in
Favor of the Present Law.
Senator G. K. Davis will contribute his
Opinion in later Number.


Redwood Falls has stirred up consider.
able interest in the question of capital
punishment and the Review has made
an effort to secure the opinions oi
prominent people about the state. Some
of these are attached, and others will
appear in later issues. United States
Senator Davis has promised to discuss
the matter and we already have an ex-
cellent paper from County Attorney
Robertson, which on account of its
length has been reserved for next week.
Mr.. Robertson faYors the repeal of the
present law and urges his reasons in a
very eloquent strain. His article will
= be found interesting as will also that of
Hon G. r. Davis, Hon. John Day
Smith, w. w. Erwin, G.. D. O'Brien
and others.Some Of the opinions already
received are as follows:
Senator E. R. Smith, of LIE Sueur: I
believe in hanging for Murder.
Rev. Samuel G.. Smith, St. Paul: Re
ferring to your interesting question, I
beg TO say that I am not in favor of
capital punishment on circumstantial
evidence
Senator Sevatson of Window: l BE-
lieve the taking of human life is mur-
der, no matter even, if it is done under
the form of law. [ shall vote to repeal
the present law and especially to repeal
the section which provides for the pay
ing OF premiums to sherifts for hanging
people in this state.
Hon. Geo. T. Barr state senator from
Mankato: I have never favored the
'death penalty and would probably
support any reasonable measure look
ing to it's abolishment. While the law
remains, however, it ought to be execu-
ted and the sentence having once been
imposed should, save in very rare cases,
be carried out, first, because it is the law.
and, again, because otherwise it soon
fails to have any effect in restraining
crime.
Rep. F. C. Stevens, leading at
torney of St. Paul. In answer
to your inquiry of the 10th ult, I would
state that during the last two sessions
of the legislature I have voted against
the abolition of capital punishment and
Dothing has yet arisen to change my
views, as to the advisability of it. But
am very strongly in favor of more
modern methods of administering the
penalty, electrocution or some mode
equally as swift, certain and painless.
Ex-Gov. A. r. McGill: Whether the
crime of murder is minimized by pun
ishing the murderer with death, is still
much discussed question. If such
punishment does not operate to deter
the crime, then capital punishment, is
not justified. Whatever the power of
the state, it has no right TO take the life
of human being simply for revenge.
Assuming that the extreme penalty pro-
vided by law serves in some instance to
stay the murderer's hand, l would not
favor its repeal. The w-abiding citizen
is entitled to every safe guard the state
can throw about him.
Attorney J. M. Thompson of Sleepy
Eye: The object of punishment, in ad-
dition to melting out justice to the Of
fender, is to deter others from commit.
ting like offenses, and for the protection
of society. It should never exceed
what is requisite, for to go beyond this
cruel and barbarous. .... r.-..
The history of our own state will sus-
tain the statement, that the infiction of
"capital punishment does not lessen
the number of murders committed, any
more than other less barbarous, but long.
er punishment. The fact has long since
been established that death upon the
gallows does not add to the safety, or
improve the condition of society in any
form. If it is true that society receives
no benefit from the practice of s'capital
punishment then the law, by taking
human life in this way, does SO from a
motive of revenge rather than q desire
to improve the condition Of the people.
In my view Of the subject, the killing
of one person to convince others that
killing is unlawful, is a relic Of bar
barism; and the law under which the
practice is required, should be stricken
from our code at the earliest opportun-
/ ity.
Hon. Ignatius Donnelly: I have re-
ceived your letter, asking me for my
opinion upon the question of the advis.
ability Of The repeal Of the presnt Law,
fixing capital punishment as the pen
atty for murder.
d. While it is brutal thing to hang Z