Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1905-06-23
THE VERMONT PRINTING CO., Publishers
sRArrLEBoRo, FRIDAY, JUNE IS, 1905
What Better Have We to Offer?

II is unfortunate for the people o.
Vermont. a majority of whom, includ'
ing many sherlffs and other oinciais
object to the execution Except In the
ory) of the death penalty upon
criminal. that another case has oc'
curred within the commonwealth II
which no satisfactory way out OF
hanging can be found
II has generally happened, in Ner-
mont murder cases. that some tesu-
mony or technically has appeared ar
fording legal means of evading the
infection of the penalty so OBNOXIOUS
to public sentiment, and such means
have always been eagerly seized upon
The case of Mrs. Rogers is no excep-
ton to this custom. Although her
guilt is fully established and although
no lust reason can be found why, uh-
der the law. she should not hang. the
hest legal talent of the state mas
diligently employed itself in her be-
half even to the extent of arraignihg
the Judgment and discretion OF our
highest courts state officials and laws.
on this arrangement the United
States supreme court is now appealed
to. Mrs. Rogers has had eV-
cry chance under the law pul
no mitigation of her sentence
seemed justifiable. Justice Peckham
Of the United States supreme court
said emphatically to her counsel, "The
action of the state appellate court in
passing on the question of newly dis-
covered evidence is due process OF
law. 1t covers her rights"
If the state of Vermont really be-
leves in the justice and beneficence OF
the death penalty for murderers, its
conscience need not suffer in the case
of Mrs. Rogers even if, as seems un-
ayoidable. she is finally executed upon
the gallews.. 1t will simply DO
IFS duty, after long and careful con-
sideration of the testimony offered. 1t
has given her every opportunity shc
has asked for to establish her claims
for further hearing. No such claims
could be established. If punishment
is now ayerted it will be by means OF
legal tricks and technicalities or by
executive weakness unworthy the
commonwealth.
But if the state does not believe in
the beneficence and justice OF the
death penalty for actual application
regarding it merely as deterrent
threat whose fulflment may be easily
evaded by the employment of legal or
medical jugglery, then this crucial ex-
nerience of choice between the sacri-
flee of human life and the honor OF
the state will mean an end to capltal
punishment in Vermont, either as
farce or tragedy.
But if we abolish the death penalty
as inhuman what are we substituting?
Are we giving our criminals whom we
confine in our states prison, the
schance" their friends clamor for. 10
reform? Reports of prison life in
Vermont are indicating somewhat
lower depths of physical, mental ana
moral depravity within the prison
walls than would be likely to be reach
ed outside. Capital punishment may
be cruel, but to shut human soul
in with dishonesty, brib-
ery. immortality and debauchery, is
fiendish. Death ends career OF WICK
edness; if life Imprisonment does not
do this. it is hardly preferable, from
any point of view
Before we take any action toward
abolishing the death penalty, which is
enforced, we must see to
it that we have something more hu-
name to offer-life, which, while re-
strained. solitary, perhaps, and un-
is still clean, useful and IN
the possible growth of the human soul
toward its Maker. not hopeless OF