The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1906-03-13
lwho May witness the Ranging.

| VINO may witness the Hanging
Much inquiry has been made as to tn
number Of people who may witness execu
lions. The law governing the matter wa
passed by the Legislature Of 1898, and pro
vides that 1t shall be the duty of the cour
In which judgment of death is given. i'm
mediately after giving such judgment, te
appoint and designate in writing. from
among the persons liable for grand Jury
duty in the county, twelve respectable per.
sons, two of whom shall be physicians,
whose duty shall be to be present at the
time and place of the execution of said
judgment, and to attend upon and witness
! the same.
Each of the persons SO appointed shall,
before entering upon the duty required
of them, take an oath or affirmation before
the clerk Of the court making the appoint
ment, to execute and perform the duty re-
quired of them, and truly to report and
make known in writing. under their hands,
to the court by which they were appointed,
the time. place and manner of the execu-
ton of such judgment and the names Of all
persons present thereat." The language
here is plain and not to be mistaken.
The jury, under oath, is to report in detail
all that happens at the execution, in order
that 1t may be shown that the law has been
carefully regarded. They must give the
names of all persons present. This is to
show that there has not been general ad-
mission or invitation and that the intention
of the law to prevent making this solemn
occasion a show shall not be violated.
The report of this jury must be filed on
the same day of and Immediately after
the execution.
Then comes the privilege of the sheriff In
the case. In the instance of the jury above
given the appointment is obligatory
The court shall" appoint is the law.
But in the sheriff's case the law saws It
shall be lawful for the sheriff Of the
county to appoint and designate" twelve
reputable citizens to serve as special depu-
ties. Nothing in the law shall prevent
the sheriff from appointing as many depu-
ties to serves as in his judgment may be
necessary to preserve the peace, but only
twelve deputies shall be allowed to witness
the execution.
There may be not more than three men,
beers of the condemned mans family and
not more than two ministers present at
the execution. all of which persons must
be named by the person under sentence
of death. Newspaper men are entitled to
be present in limited numbers, the law u.s.
ing the word ''shall' in their case by
saying that the sheriff shall admit to
the execution the accredited representa-
tive of the associated press, the accredited
of any one other genera
news gathering association, if there be
such, and the accredited representatives |
of the local press of the county, not to ex-
coed three in number" The stenographer |
Of the court of oyer and terminer may be |
present for the purpose of furnishing in
to members of the press con
corning the execution, and the sheriff may
call in to assist him in the execution not |
TO exceed three persons, without reference
to their place of residence; provided he
shall deem their skill useful to him in the
proper carrying out of the execution"
There is penalty attached to the ig-
noring of the law, as follows: IF any
sheriff, under sheriff, deputy sheriff or
jailer shall procure, permit or suffer any
other person or persons than those desig-
mated by law to be present at or witness
The execution of any judgment of death.
such sheriff, under sheriff, deputy sheriff or
iailor shall be liable to punishment as for
of court in which such judgment
If death was given"
BY the terms of this law it would seem
hat the number of spectators to the dou-
Die execution to take place on the Gath can
rot, in any manner, exceed 70. They are
made up as follows; court jury, 12; sher-
ifs deputies, 10; members of prisoners
amily, on his request only, 8 ministers,
IN request of prisoner, Q; newspaper men.
!; stenographer, skilled persons, S-38.
,ou have 49, To this number, giving the
names of each, the jury appointed by the
:ourt must under oath, report and the law
avs it will not be legal for any one beyond
he number designated to witness the exc
ution from any point. The object of the
tatute was to abolish the public hangings
which we're becoming too frequent and
we're attended with scenes not entirely
reditable. The law of 1898 was intended
o provide for witnesses in sufficient num-
yer to certify TO the court that the execu-
ion had been legally conducted and the
aw respected.