Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury [Connecticut]) 1903-1917, 1905-09-19
NO DEATH PENALTY.
PUBLIC SENTIMENT AGAINST ITS
EXECUTION IN MEXICO.
Many Years Have Elapsed Since
Capital Punishment Was Last
Melted Out in Some Mex j
lean States.

Unless there occurs some check In the
g,owth of the feeling Of revulsion
against capital punishment, the next
generation in Mexico is likely to CLEAN
all its Information regarding that inter-
probation Of justice that demands life
for a life from history or from reports
of executions in other countries.
In Mexico City, states the Mexican
Herald, it has been 13 years since the le-
gal execution Of a private citizen has
taken place. In Monterey 1t has been
nine years. In other states years have
elapsed since men paid the penalty for
their crimes with their lives. In the
courtyard Of Belem the wall against
which the condemned men were stood
is SCARED with bullet marks but pris-
oners have ceased to regard it with the
terror they onoe might have felt and
prison officials have fallen into the habit
Of regarding 1t more or less Of curios-
ity rather than as part Of the working
machinery Of the institution.
; The last time prisoner was stood be-
fore that wall was following the famous
assault of band of robbers on jewelry
store in Plateros street. The place was
looted and the proprietor. an old man,
was murdered at time when the street
was crowded. One of the robbers was
Bruno Martinez. His execution was
probably one of the most sensational as
well as the last that was ever witnessed
in Mexico He had secured a knife, and
at the hour Of his death ran amuck,
wounding the chief of detectives and
creating almost panic before he was
finally oyerpowered and forced to re-
ceive the bullets Of the firing squad.
Merely taking advantage Of the op-
portunities offered by law, serves TO en-
able the condemned man in Mexico TO
escape death for many months, but after
every appeal has been taken 1t is ques-
ton of commutation or execution. Pos
sIbiy no man condemned TO death can
rest with assurance that by exercise OF
official elemency he will escape death,
but II Is doubtful IL there is an attorney
in the country who would not feel almost
confident in the end he could obtain for
his client commutation of the sentence
to 90 years Imprisonment
This condition Of affairs Is due large
ly to the feeling in the matter enter
tained by the chief executive, but a few
years ago there was issued In this coun-
try food Of literature giving the ar
gument against capital punishment.
These works were widely read. and the
sentiment thus created has doubtless
done much toward reducing the number
of capital punishments.
AS long as capital punishment is au-
thorized by the laws Of the country 1t
is probable that the method Of execution
viii be shooting. This method Of legal
ly sending a soul into eternity is one
that causes the people OF other countries
to shrek with horror. but after all there
probably has never been suggested
more humane means of ending the life
Of man. II there can be assurance that
the men with the rifles shoot straight
there can be little doubt that death will
be as nearly instantaneous as that pre-
scribed by any other method.
Certainly at the time Mexico adopt
ed the method Of shooting 1t was an i'm
provement over the garrote-a device
not worse and not better than hanging.
II a merciful eXecutioner stood behind
the post. But not every executioner In
the days when the garrote hourished
was a merciful being. II was the gar
rote the Spaniards brought to Mexico.
As long as they retained their power
here II was the common machine Of exc
cution. On the retirement Of the Span
iards the firing squad took the place Of
the executioner, and their rifles the place
OF the garrote
Execution OF soldiers for infringe
ment on military discipline are still not
uncommon. but even executions Of this
class are more rare now than they once
were. and Il Is not impossible that the
day may come when IL must be an ex-
ceedingly grave and atrocious crime
that will bring for the perpetrator.
whether civilian or soldier. a heavier
sentence than that which can be given
-. II a.