The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-01-30
DEATH BY ELECTRICITY.
Reasons why Execution by the Rope
Should Be Continued.

To the Editor of the indianapolis Journal:
Electricity should not be employed to
inflict the death penalty, because it Is still
an unknown quantity-that is. we know
absolutely nothing concerning Its real con-
stitution. Consequently. such heavy cur
rents as are deemed necessary to design
eddy destroy human life would not. when
thus employed. be safe or certain In the
hands of an Edison, on account of the we'll
known fact that some human beings are
so much harder to kill than others. We
often learn of incidents where individuals
have survived an experience which ended
ten or maybe fifty other lives, hence hu-
man life is also an uncertain quantity,
and while the legally determined amount
ot the electric current. from seven to eight
amperes flowing under q pressure of from
LOO to 1000 volts, would kill five criminals
By the first application, rupturing the
heart, ETC., ii might require two, or even
three, applications for killing the sixth
victim of this unknown force. and then
result in a sickening, disgusting mess as
that witnessed in Columbus. o., in the
carly part of August. 1899, where the VIC
tim was still alive after two applications
and was literally roasted to death by the
third one. The procedure in that instance
and in some others that could be mentioned
proved to be thoroughly unscientific. to
say the least. Again. IL might be possible
that six or more shocks would be required
to, kill the tenth victim, because Of his
extra vitality, which we have no accurate
means of determining before hand: besides.
the electric current might vary from its
intended intensity, for all electricians
know that this current is liable to kick
over the traces upon the least provocation,
which is especially true of high pressure
currents and the electric currents en-
ployed TO infiict the death penalty can be
no exception TO the rule that electricity
flows In the path that offers the least re-
sistance. and ii might find a circuit offer
ing much less resistance than the body or
the condemned during the fraction of a
second, which ordinarily would result In
only Gripping more or less apparatus, but
while using il to infiict the death penalty
would mean the unnecessary torture or a
human being.
Some will say that equally strong objec-
tons can be offered against the rope meth
Oh. We have few II any instances OF this
method ever having presented such hide
GUS spectacles as are already recorded
against the electric method Furthermore.
an ignorant Indian knows what rope or a
knife (guillodne) Is. and any chemist can
tell US what morphine is; still. the most
learned scientist of to-day cannot tell US
what electricity is. simply because they do
rot know. Yet certain laws governing the
actions OF this mysterious force have been
established by experimental evidence and
patient research; many of these became
known at the expense of the experiment.
ers' feeling. who have been shocked.
knocked about, burned, ETC., In their en-
deavors to form the acquaintance OF ca
Iricious Miss Electricity Yet in proper
ton to the limited knowledge We have
gained of her very peculiar ways. she has
become an exceedingly useful and indis-
peusab member of society. cOmmer REALLY
and socially. But In the matter of pro-
tecting US against the murderous class OF
| criminals she is not a scientific success
| The problem OF diminishing capital crime
must find better solution.
FAIR PLAY.
| Connersville. Ind. Jan. 2s