Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1906-02-03

Public sentiment In Generally Averse
10 Its Execution.

Pubttc sentiment IN tsencrhIIy ANfrse
10 Its Execution.
Unless there occurs some check In the
growth Of the feeling Of revulsion
against capital punishment the next
generation in Mexico is likely 10 CLEAN
all its Information regarding that In
depreciation Of justice that demands Il
life for life from history or from re-
ports of executions in other countries
In Mexico city 1t has been thirteen
private citizen has taken place In
Monterey II 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
Bclcm the wall against which the con.
dcmncd men We're stood is Scared with
bullet marks, but prisoners have ceas-
ed TO regard Il with the terror they
once might have felt and prison officials
have fallen into the habit Of regarding
II more or less as a curiosity rather
than rs part of the working machin-
cry Of the Institution.
The last time Il prisoner was stood
before that wall was following the IA
nous assault Of band of robbers on
II iewclry store in Platcros street The
place was looted and the proprietor I'm
old man. was murdered at time when
the street was crowded one Of the
robbers was Bruno MARTINEZ. His OK
ecution was probably one of the most
sensational rs we'll as the last that was
ever witnessed in Mexico. He had Sc
cured knife and ut the hour Of his
death ran amuck. wounding the chief
panic before he was finally ovcrpower-
cd and forced TO receive the bullets OF
the firing squad.
Merely taking advantage of the OPP
portunitics 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 II Is
IA question of communication or eXecu-
ton. Possibly no man condemned to
death can rest with assurance that by
exercise of official clcmcncy lac will es-
cape death. but IL is doubtful If there is
an attorney In the country who would
feel almost confident that IN the end he
could obtain for his client n commuta-
ton of the sentence To twenty years
Imprisonment
Tln~ condition of affairs Is sue large
Is to the feeling IN the matter enter
tanned by TIE chief executive, but a few
years ago there was issued in this co,tn-
try Il hDod of literature giving the ar
gulnentS against capital punishment.
These works were widely read. and the
sentiment thus created has doubtless
done much toward reducing the mum
Der of capital punishm"nis
A. long us capital punishment is au-
th0rizcd hy the laws OF the country II
Is probable that the method of cNecu-
ton viii he shooting This method OF
legally sending 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 u more humane means Of
ending the life of man II there can
lie assurance that the men with the
rifles shoot straight there can bc little
doubt that death will be rs nearly in
Simultaneous ~ that prescribed by any
other method.
Certainly n the time Mexico adopted
the method of shooting il was an inn
provcmcnt over the garrotc a device
not worse and not better than hanging
il mcrciful eXecu;iOncr stood behind
the post But not every cXccutioner
In the days when the garrotr fourished
was mcrclfu being II was the gar
rotc the Spuniards brought to Mexico.
A. long rs they retained their power
here II was the common machine of eX-
ecution. ON the retirement of the
Spaniarls the firing squad took the
place of the cXccutloner and their rifles
the place of the garrote.
Executions 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 1t Is not Impossible that the
day may come when ii mus; be an ex-
ceedingly grave and atrocious crime
that will bring for the perpctrator
whether civilian or soldier. q heavier
sentence than that which can he given
within the prison walls Mexican Her
alb