Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1901-02-14

rid society of those despeTadoes who
break in and steal and kill any one
who happens to attempt defense OF
the property. The Judge holds that
these men are without the pale of the
protection of the state, that they are
outlaws and should be put where they
can 90 no harm to society. He feels
that such criminals should not be i'm
prisoned What he wants is that they
should be disposed of SO that they are
beyond the reach of the pardon pow
err, and ne believes that capital punish
ment is the only adequate penalty. He
says criminaiity Of this class is in
creasing and that the culprits are pro-
gressingin the methods they adopt, but
the law stands still and is not able to
cope with all the new wrinkles of the
criminal classes.
The judge believes in the good old
fashioned hangman's moose, because it
is sure death. He does not take kind
ly to electrOCutiOn as plan of deal
in death to a criminal, because its eff
fectiveneSs has not been thoroughly
established. Why" said he, 1T has
been recently demonstrated that if
man has been killed by a current of
electricity passing through his body
from head to feet, all that is necessary
to bring him to life again is to reverse
the current, that is, send it from his
feet to his head. Now | don't believe
that man who has hanged by the
neck until dead can be restored to
life by stringing him up by the toes.
No sir, | don't think much of electro,
cution. Hanging is good enough for
those fellows I'm after"
Wisconsin is one of only five states
in the union where the death penalty
is forbidden by law. 1t was once 4boI-
ished in Iowa, but was afterWard re-
stored. The other states which do not
permit capital punishment are Colo
RADIO, Rhode Island, Maine and Michi-
gan. 1t was abolished in this state in
1853 largely through the efforts of
Senator Martin l. Bovee, who repre-
sented the Waukesha district now rep
resented by Senator Oong) Jones. If
Senator Jones wants to act consistent
ly with his predecessor, he will be
obliged to oppose the Orion bill when
it comes up.
Judge Orion is known to every one
at all versed in the affairs oI the state.
His public career began when he was
appointed university regent in 1874, a
capacity in which he served for a num-
Der Of years. He was elected to the
assembly in 1898, and became famous
as legislator through the insurance
tax law of 1899, of which he is the au-
thor and which increased the annual
revenues of the state by over $250,0OO.
HIS nome IS at Darlington, Lafayette
county. There he has had many hon.
ors bestowed upon him, having been
district attorney, county Judge and, for
20 years, president of the board of
education Of the city of Darlington.
He is one of the leaders of the Wis.
consln bar and enjoys a reputation
that extends all over the state. 1t
has been many times suggested that
ne would make an ideal citizen of
and that he should locate
mere where state affairs are central
sed. It's also intimated that by the re-
Of the state, Dane coun-
y will be placed in a congressional
district safely republican, and that il
he judge has any desire to enter ma
lonal politics he might find an excel.
ent opportunity by moving to Madi.
on