The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-02-03
dANGlNG or A ERlpAN- =
No Reason for Executing Criminals OF
tho Fifth Day Of the Week.

No Reason for Executing Criminals on
the Fifth Day Of the Week.
An investigation of the question whether
Friday is a day which is especially set
apart for hanging shows that most mem
bers of the legal profession are ignorant on
that point They cannot affirm whether
it Was accident or design that caused the
unlucky day Of the week 20 b. chosen for
the executions
One member Of the legal profession
maintained that there was an old custom
which marked out Friday as the day for
hangings because the crucihKion Of the
two thieves occurred on that day. Another
light OF the law remarked: you see, Friday
is "a bad day There Is only one Good FRI
day in the whole year, consequently 10 IS
looked upon by judges as a most apprUpri-
ate day for hanging criminals"
1t may be stated right here that there IL
nothing in the above reasons, and that il
is Onlya chance Circumstance that four
fifths OF the executions take place on n
Friday. In the earlier days q English
justice, when the hanging Of man was
most ordinary occurrence. and WAS the pen
atty which followed lighter onen-es, such
as stealing, forgery, arson and other felo-
% every day Of the week except Sunday
Tho act governing the time OF eK~eution
provided that feion sbo1ld - executed
on the next day bat one after bis conyic
ton.
In consequences 2 10 particular day o. the
week was ever fixed upoa. All this was
in those good Old days when Lord Chief
Justice Jefreys. ia a circuit ~ eight
weeks. sentenced no lezs than 20 persons
70 b hanged. Well indeed ght bs boast
that be hanged more traitors than the
whole Of his predecessors since the con
quest That Wa after the Mon rroUth -
belijon in 1875, when the KING referred n
these dOInCs Of his fsvorite Judge a. 'tths
chief JustIce's campaign in the west
That TOO. Vas IA the time Of ne fsroO1l
Jack ketch, VINO h<oAnSe 20 notorious ~
an ezecuuoner that his mans h generally
given n the cOxnrDon hzngmzu 10 the offy
u London II Was ~ this ''rDpe Artist
as The n9Oderns hIppantiy call thai fu1c4io1
ary, that hLs wife remarked. ANY hunger
can pot a man 70 death bat only ny JACK
knows nov % make gentleman Dc
sweet s." Later Oh q more humane spirit
pe-vaded English justice L Nas rsoog
MEL that fort y-eis,ht hours VA indeed
sso-t period wherein 70 allow = criminal n
repent and 70 MAKE his peace vith h
Orator
The first step Wa % hold Al criminal
t-ials q FRIDAY. TkzS VA not he Pend
WHEN q tina lasted a ~esk Or longer. II
generally took the coErt only = fesT houri
20 decide O. a felon's f2te. Justlcs va
indeed quick-very frequently 700 quick-
and a murderer E0uld b sent>ro@d on to-
sarne day. By s-nteoe1Es hin On FRIDAY
us ezScu-i0a woald fai On Sunday, ~
oorSizg 70 cb@ two day. az. AL. a. -
hanging were allowed tll Mondzy ths
fesou thsas rained lays r-zpite. IN con
seo0>roe q thts GOE1Ay va The usua.
hanging d2y, add in narratives q the ~Old
Bailey IBIS explains The dark way "
which MondaY vNs Always spoken o.
n IsJs the two dag lS~ VA repealed Z
ard To present. la~ c@-1e into forrss, xhsch
allows q murderer reasonable time Tx
custom ~ appoiatsnz Monday fo- = hanx /
ing aill remained In order M % have
swS rEsrulioss c. tie s&Lns 1z5 Us lz.I-z I.