The Goldfield news. [volume] (Goldfield, Nev.) 1904-1911, 1909-11-27

- yARDEN MAXWELL is to be pitied. He is the most unhappy
w. man in Nevada. AS warden Of the state penetentiary he is
w the official hangman and must act in person at executions.
Maxwell is one Of the finest fellows on earth, and a good warden
BY the way. He is q wholesouled, bighearted and loving and lovable
fellow, in whom sentiment pays no inconspcuous part in shaping his
life and intercourse among men. He is a man OF refinement and la a
peculiarly sensitive nature, and with all is a manly man and a man
wherever and whatever his environment. In fact it was his sterling
qualities a s q man and officer that made him warden of the peniten-
tiary, al appointment made upon merit solely.
When Maxwell sought the position of warden Of the penitentary
he did not think of the trying ordeal the warden is subjected to in
the event of capital punishment; there had been s. few hangings and
so far apart in Nevada that he had forgotten there was such a thing
~or would take a chance that there would be no hangings during his
term. But through the perversity Of fate, there have been more first
degree murder case in Nevada during the past two years than for
many years past combined, and Maxwell is destined to have a num-
Der Of hangings to his credit unless he resigns. And this is not
improbable.
Some months ago Warden Maxwell had his first hanging. 1t was
enough for Maxwell. He had invited the governor and a number of
state officials to be present at the execution. None of them had ever
seen such an affair and a s officials of the state they wanted to see
how it was conducted. They believed in capital punishment-it
was just though severe and had to be carried out according to the
letter Of the law. Warden Maxwell performed his duty and the bal
ance witnessed the execution. That one execution was enough. From
the hour the party left the penitentary, Warden Maxwell, the gov
ernor and all were pronounced opponents of capital punishment.
It was quite a while afterward that the editor of The News met
Warden Maxwell. He had not yet recovered from the shock to his
nerves Of that awful experience, and it was almost with tears in his
eyes that he implored The News to take up the agitation against
capital punishment in Nevada. 1t had become . nightmare to him;
! mania and he talked for an hour of the crime against society OF
judicial murder It was not that he might escape future executions,
Int he had become convinced Of the horribleness of the deliberate TAX
inc of human life, not as a sentiment but q 8 a matter OF abstract right
and wrong.
The editor Of The News has always been an outspoken opponent
of capital punishment, and as q member of the legislature in Colorado,
took charge of the fight to prevent re-enactment i the caphai pun
;shment law which had been repealed. The time may not YET nave
x-a s Nev.da for the repeal of the capital punishment law
frontier conditions yet exist here and the fear OF the rope may nave
II. dsterment effect with the "bravado' sort of criminals, but the
time will come when capital punishment wl . aooaSn ., e !. ~
rare cares. and there be substituted me imprisonment WIN INC so'-
ernor,s hardening power vacated u nnui0u