Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-03-22
MRS. PLACES EXECUTION.

If the death penalty Is ever TO be en-
forced IL would seem that the case OF Mrs.
Place afforded proper occasion Tor IT,.
The crime of which she was convicted
was a most atrocious one. She first threw
acid IN the face OF her stepdaughter-a
girl Of 1s--and then choked her to death.
Next she tried 20 kill her husband. She
secreted herself I'm a dark hall and as he
entered she struck him two or three blows
with an axe and had her arm appraised
/ for another blow when neighbor attract
ed by his cries rushed In and saved his
life.
Mrs. Place had fair trial and was ably
! defended: but Notwithstanding the appeals
made in her behalf and the tenderness
with which juries are wont 10 deal with
women criminals. she was found guilty
| Of murder I'm the first degree. Then an
appeal was taken. but the judgment Of
the lower court was affirmed. Next
petition was circulated and signed by
many persons praying the Governor 20
commute her sentence to life imprison-
ment.
Many Of the names attached 10 this
paper are very respectable indeed, but
Governor Roosevelt was unmoved by It;
he declared that he would make no dis
tinction on account Of SEX that he would
not grant executive clemency merely be-
cause the petitioner was a woman.
The question of the womans sanity was
at last raised. and i'm consequence the
Governor appointed two experts To make
an investigation Of the matter. The re-
suit Of this inquiry was that the medical
men reported that Mrs. Place was sane at
the time the murder was committed and
at the date Of the investigation. Then
Mrs. Place was told to prepare for the
electrical chair, and after some days she
was executed
Where there was any flaw in these pro-
ceedings We fail to see. Nevertheless the
northern press seems TO be divided as to
whether Mrs Place should have been
shown mercy or not. We suspect that
some of the writer's are opposed 10 capital
punishment altogether. Others take the |
ground that the overwhelming public SEN
timent Of this country is against sending |
a woman to the scaffold or the electri- |
cal cndlr, ana tndt III SnOulu nave Dttn It. |
spected By Governor Roosevelt.
We should have great respect for that |
alleged Sentiment" if we thought it pro-
ceeded from the fact that the United
States executed an innocent woman in the
person Of Mrs Surratt; but, alas! we find
that not a few of those who entertain the
sentiment in question justify the govern
ment's action i'm Mrs. Surratt's easel
That there is in most instances a senti-
ment against executing the capital sem
tence against women We admit and jus
tify; but here was a case where every cir
of the crime-the sex Of the
victim. the cruelty and prcmedtation Of
the murderess, etc.--demanded that the
full penalty Of the law should be executed.
Had Mrs. Place killed the girl in hot
blood, that would have been different
matter But there was absolutely nothing
to extenuate her crime. and it would have
been a hollow mockery Of justice for the
Governor 10 have extended mercy where
no earthly mercy was deserved And so
The Governor ought TO Doe applauded
rather than censured for allowing the law
10 take its course.