Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-05-25
WANT MORE OF THEM.
The Death of Fitzpatrick Creates a
Thirst for Execution.
SPEEDY JUSTICE STRIKES TERROR,
But When Long Delayed 1t Only Begets
Contempt for Law.
OPINIONS ON CAPITAL PUNISHMENT

patrick was talked of in the streets yester-
day. The opponents and supporters of
capital punishment were about equal, but
the general opinion was that it's effect on
crime would not be notable. After
fast of eight years from execu-
ions the victim yesterday seemed to
create in the mind of the populace thirst
FOR more. The belief is that succession
If executions would strike terror to the
hearts of the criminals, while one death
penalty executed only served as warning
10 the more intelligent classes.
Nearly all were of the opinion that it was
good as a speedy way of removing obnoxious
members of society, but many were sad be-
cause so many of that class did not thus lay
themselves amenable to the law. Manr
more declared capital punishment is only
good in its effects if it comes swiftly, but
with the present delays the force OF the ex-
ample is lost.
One of the ideas advanced was that capi-
tai punishment could be abolished if it were
possible to sentence murderers for life with
no possible chance for pardon. Under
the present law, however, a man sentenced
for life seldom serves more than 10 or 20
years and is then pardoned out
Warden McAIeese Favors Hansings.
John McAleese, Warden of the county
jail-The hanging of Patrick Fitzpatrick
brings no doubt into my mind that capital
punishment is the proper thing 1 have
always been in favor of it, and am growing
more firm in my convictions When a man
deliberately takes the life of fellow crea-
ture he should be hanged A murderer
not only kills his victim, but in
nine cases out of ten blasts
whole family. Most men who are muir
dered have families of five, six or eight
children. Their ages run anywhere from
little tots in the mothers arms to the child
of IL or Is years The poor woman cannot
keep all these children together They
separate and in nearly every case go to ruin
The murderer is accountable for the
lives OF those children just as we'll as the
fathers. There are but few people view it
in this light and when circumstances of the
murder are no longer green in their memory
they think the murderer should be
more gently dealt with, forgetting all the
while of the misery he has brought on that
household. The greater majority of crimi-
nails have love for staying in Jail the most
part of their time For this reason L do
not think that under the present law any
thing but
Hanging Is a Just Punishment
for murder. If a man is sentenced for life
he serves 10 or perhaps 20 years. The
neighborhood in which he committed his
crime has changed. Those who were famil-
lar with his actions have passed away. A
petition is circulated; there is no one to op-
pose it, and the man is soon pardoned out.
This is the case every time If
law could be passed making death
punishable by imprisonment for life
without chance of pardon
being granted, then it would be time to
abolish capital punishment. The hanging
of Fitzpatrick will not have any effect on
crime in Allegheny county. If every
murderer was hanged then some impression
on the criminals of the county would be
made, but with over $50 murders in the last
eight years and one hanging, crime is not
the gallows is too great.
Ought to Hang the Thieves.
George Hoffman, Examiner, Department
of Notwithstanding is all right for the
man that is hanged, but 1 don't believe 1T
has good effect 1t has the result of max
ing bows tougher believe all thieves and
robbers should be hanged. 1t is right to
hang murderers, for a man who will kill is
not good Citizen.
John w. Hague, Attorrey-Capital pun
ishment is a good thing and 1 believe this
example will reduce the number of such
crimes.
J. j. Miller, Attorney-I believe murder
ers should be hanged but this will have little
effect on criminals. Justice is too long de-
layed. II man could be convicted and
hanged at once evil doers would believe there
was terror in law. The present method of
lo1l
creates disregard for law.
w. A. Blakely, Jr,, Attorney-Capital
punishment is good in that it relieves So
ciety of a bad member, but 1 don't know
that the effects are good
Charles A. Sullivan, Attorney-I don't
know that hanging has as good an effect as
imprisonment for life.
John D. Watson, Attornev-I believe in
capital punishment as a quick way Of dis
posing of a class that the world can well
spare, but i do not see how a Christian
country can harmonic it with the teachings
of Christianity. Executions only have their
effect on people of intellect, but take the
class that commit murders and it has no eff
feet upon them. 1t is good in that the vic
tim never commits any more murders.
General Blakely, attorney-It is a relic
OF barbarlsm and is dangerous power to be
given into the hands OF IL men.
But Little Effect on Criminals.
William Weihe, President of the Amalga-
mated Association of Iron and Steel Work
ers-I hardly know whether capital punish
ment is the proper thing. 1 think it was
not in the case of Fitzpatrick. Other men
more guilty than he have escaped. l do
not know whether the hanging of the man
has any effect on crime.
Stephen Madden, Secretary of Amalga- |
mated Association-No one but God should !
take life. / hold that all men who commit |
murder, and do it willfully, should be sent
to the penitentiary for life. The hanging |
of Fitzpatrick to-day will not have any eff |
feet on crime in the future.
Richard B. Scandrett, Attorney hardly |
know what is the better way of Furnishing |
murder, but am not in favor of taking lite. |
The world is gradually coming to the same
conclusion. Hangings have greatly fallen |
off in number in the past century. The |
jurymen, as a rule, who sit on |
murder cases, do not like to find |
a man guilty of murder in the |
first degree. They know that means death, |
so very often the verdict is acouittal or |
second degree. Second degree only amounts |
to about IL years Imprisonment and that |
is not enough punishment for a |
man who willfully commits murder |
We need law, but Just |
what kind of law it should be, am un-
able to say. The hanging of one man in Allie |
gbeny county will not have a tendency to |
decrease crime. The tendency would be |
more likely to increase sin. Those who |
have desire to take mans life can look |
back over the county's history for |
the past seven or eight wears and see that |