Telegram-herald., 1891-04-22
SHOULD NOT HANG THEM.



Editsx rxLxssaz hszALs.
Having read the synopsis Of the dis
course on capital punishment delivered
by Rev. Mr. Frye al Piainneld Avenue
NJ. 4. Church. and Published IN your
issue Of April 20. together with editorial
comments Of the TELEsEAA- HERALD, /
beg for little space for BRET reply
The reverend gentleman save. ~ eau
refer you 70 passages OF scripture 70
prove that . capital punishment j.
right" Now j. Is little Singular, that
icing a Christian, hIs quotations are
from Moses, and not from Jesus Is
there anything IN The life or language
OF Jesus, which fayofs capital PUNISH
menti Rather, IS not the contrary true
Dld he not condemn the Old law of an
.eye for an eve and tooth for a
toothg' Does the reverend gentleman
believe that al the laws gwen ~ Moses
20 seuii-bsroar!c people 1000 years
ago, are adspted 10 the CIVILIZATION of
this enlightened agey
Gains Paai.hmrnt Not Hanging.
lie refers 10 Cam "a murderer, but
OF course he knows very well that
capital punishment was not inflicted on
Cam, but God placed a mark on
HIM so that men should not
Kill him for the murder OF Abel. ="
do not care 10 pursue the Scriptural
argument further, but wish to reply to
his extraordinary statement that "mur-
der has increased twenty-fOld over the
rate Of increase of population, since
capital punishment was abolished in
this State" Michigan has more crime
today than any state in the Union"
That IS a fearful arrangement. and |
venture TO say most unjust and exag-
gerated statement and highly damaging
To the fair fame OF this commonwealth.
The public has the right 10 demand
evidence on which such assertions are
made. VIII the reverend gentleman
furnish statistics TO prove tile truth OF
his statements.
Can he show by statistics that capital
punishment IS a deterrent OF murder?
Bold assertions, mere opinions unsup-
ported 10y known facts, 60 for nothing
on subject OF such vital Importance,
come from whatever source they may.
What the people want before they will
consent 10 change the policy OF the
so influential = journal as the TELE-
GRAM-HERALp arraigns the Legislature
for direllctlon OF duty. the members of
that body have right To ask for the
statistics on which the arrangement IS
based.
The Testimony of 7. r. Hazard.
Thomas X. Hazard, of Rhode Island +,
gentleman of wealth and culture,
spent twelve years in collecting status
published statement he says: 1T Is
very evident that capital punishment
does not deter men from committing
murder, but It is often an incentive to
ii. rs men have committed murder soon
after witnessing public execution who
never thought of doing so before" He
further says: murders are more fire.
quent. in proportion TO the number of
inhabitants, IN states that hang than in
States that lnfilct life Imprisonment"
He quotes the wardens OF the prisons OF
Iowa and Michigan, and other officials
of these two, as well as many other
States, to show that the frequency Of
murder has steadily decreased since the
abolition OF capital punishment. IL
these statements are true, would 1t be
right, would IT be good policy and con-
serve the public veal TO restore the
death penalty? The fact that vote
was taken by the congregation and cap
ital punishment sustained only shows
that they need information. Give them
the statistics, gentlemen.
J. c. BATDoRF, NJ. D.