The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-02-23

Society had come to that degree OF
feeling on the matter of numbering its
fellow man in a judicial way that nine
men out OF every ten were unfit to SIT
On jury where a mans life was to
be tried; hence there were less con
VictionS.
WHY THE GUILTY ESCAPE.
Men hated 70 take away human life;
they feel they have no right to, and
SO guilty men go free whereas, if the
punishment was a life Imprisonment
they would pay the penalty Of their
crime.
If the execution was to impress So
ciety with the punishment of crime,
why not hang men in open air, where
the whole world might see and take
warning Men when they commit
crimes do not calculate on the degree
Of punishment, but on the entire es-
cape from 1t. make the punishment
less but more certain than the death
penalty and crime VIII decrease.
In this and many other illustrate tons
he fortified his position with an earn
estness OF manner and weight of words
ana information that was impressive
and amounted to true oIatory. When
Mr.. Scott came to vote he offered the
following excerpt for supporting the
bill and non-capital punish
L believe in the abolition of capital
punishment. First, because, while HUI
man wisdom may properly, in the in
tereSt and for the protection OF society
and for the enforcement Of law pre-
scribe and execute penalties short of
the taking of life. beyond that limit it
has no right to go. unless il is abso-
Iutely necessary TO do so in order to
accomplish these purposes. Second, be-
cause if punishment be retribution in
nature, no wisdom, short of Gods own
wisdom, can determine the measure
of ,esl
measure of punishment; and if 1t be not
retribution in nature then it is the
certainty and not the severity of pun
ishment that prevents crime. Third,
because if the capital feature of pun
fshment be eliminated, punishment will
be more certain and justice less liable
to miscarry.
BAKER WAS ON HAND.
Captain Baker the father of the bill
also took care of it in mastery way
He would puncture President Pitzer and
other oppoSerS at a critical moment and
destroy their argument
Senator Orner made a strong speech
in favor of capital punishment, as did
Senator Prouty. Senator Ray of
Woodward said he could not then an
swer the argument Of Senator Scott, !
but he would vote against the bill. Sen
ator Prouty thought that by making
the governor sign the death warrant
after a years imprisonment was but |
cowardiy subterfuge.
Senator Candy said that if he had |
been against the bill he would now be |
for il after hearing the discussions |
in the council. /,
Senator Scott clearly made an unan-
swerable argument.
Senator Allen made a lengthy ad- |
dress against the death penalty and in
substance said that there was little |
left to be said after Senator SCOTS |
speech.
VOTE ON THE BILL.
The bill passed by a vote of to 6,
Scott, Feean, Baker, Allen, Candy,
Tankersly. and Spencer voting for it |
and Pitzer, Prouty, Orner, Doom, Ray
and Boles against it. Senator BoIes
made a long address against the bin
at the beginning of the discussion nj
which he accused Baker of being hyp-
Noticed by a spiritualiSt named DIR.
Furlong, of Oklahoma City, who had
written pamphlet against capital pun
iShment, mad who then sat next to Ba-
ker's chair This circumstance pro-
duced a windy war in which Captain
Baker asked the senator from Noble |
If he was discussing Doctor Furlong
Or the bill. and it shut the matter off.
The lobby was filed with spectators
and the discussion took up the whole
afternoon.
The house passed a bill making rail
road companies responsible for dam
ages done by employees, even If it be the
fault and carelessness of the employe.
The bill is considered unjust, and will
not pass the council
Both houses adjourned over Wash
ngton's birthday and are spending
heir time in committee work.