Sturgis advertiser. (Sturgis, Dakota [S.D.]) 1887-1???, 1891-07-16
The Electric Chair.

Many States will follow New York's
example within the next few years.
Minneapolis Tribune.
So far as preventing publicity in the
press is concerned, the law seems to be
failure. Perhaps it would be more
exact to say that those who are charged
with the execution of the law talk too
much.-IndtGqldpoIts Journal.
Those electrocutions in New York ap-
pear to have been entirely successful in
removing from this life the four con-
demned murderers. Electrocution is
probably more merciful than hanging
Dayton Times.
If we must have capital punishment
1t is possible the new method is prefera-
BILE to the old, but the people are en-
titled to know whether that is so or not.
and they never could know if the press
gag clause of the law were respected and
observed. Rochester Herald.
1t will undoubtedly be many years be-
fore the electric death is adopted in the
other capital punishment States of the
Union, and perhaps before it Is gem
orally adopted there may be simpler,
although probably no less painful, meth
DDS of northumberland Free Press.
On the whole, there is every reason for
the opinion that electrical execution Of
criminals is distinct advance of civili-
cation. The only respect In which the
new law is failure is in It's attempt
to prevent the press of the United
States from giving the news with regard
to that important change. -PiHsb1trQ
Dispatch.
Evidently the electrical process Of
killing is more humane than hanging.
although it is barbarous enough, heaven
knows. Capital punishment Is hideous
and an awful thing, and it seems a safe
prediction that twenty-five years hence
1t will not be practiced In any form by
any people pretending to civilization.
indianapolis Sentinel
1t does not need careful reading of
the official story to convince any one
that the attempt to regulate by law the
sensationalism in reports of executions
is farce, and that the regulation cam
not be repealed too soon. Apparently
executions by electricity comply with
all the requirements of a humane law.
but the official report must be fled
away with. other unsuccessful expert
ments. --TTby Times.
There are differences of opinion as to
the deterrent influences of the death
penalty on evil-doers, but there Is no
room at all for donbt that while this
penalty. remains in vogue the electrical
system of infficting 1t has many and con-
spicuous advantages over all other meth
DDS YET devised. st. Louis Globe Demo-
cTdt
1t does not make much difference
whether murderers are hanged by the
neck until they are dead or whether
they are put to death by electricity.
The thing Is to kill them, and that
QyVfffIv ID m
"Eectrocution draws the Just con-
demnation of the New York Times.
@Electrothany," which the Press was
first to propose year ago, is the best
form yet suggested. 1t is philologically
accurate; 1t has analogies in other words,
such as euthanasia, and its meaning Is
perfectly clear, and the verb aelec-
trothanize" can be derived from IL In ac-
cordance with sound usage. PhGtadeI-
plltG Press
The only feature of the affair which
merits condemnation Is that provision OF
the law witch prohibits The newspapers
from publishing any OF the details OF the
execution, and which excludes represent
atives OF the press from witnessing the
official killing. When the New York
Legislature again assemblies II will strike
that silly provision from the law tn-
ctnqadM Enquirer.
The success Of the executions by cleo
tricity at Sing Sing will probably have
the effect Of silencing the objections to-
the law providing for this method Of
taking off criminals. That it is more
humane than hanging is practically GER
tain, and 1t is probable that for timei
OF least 1t will have q more terrorizing
effect upon the imaginations OF erim-
inals, 81. Louis Republic