Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1912-12-12

there were nc large cities In the
state and the population consist
ed mostly OF Pioneers from other
states. There were o0t a lew
Misunderstanding industries Al tna1
time. The principal occupation 81
The people ccing that OF tarminS.
mining and loEginE or lumoering-
Ne do not believe that TIE num-
Der OF capital oNenses has been
increased because OF the abolish
nent OF capital punishment. be-
cause We do not believe that the
inIicliCn ~ capital punishment
Is a preventive Tor the Commls-
sion ~ capital crimes Since the
aboIshmcnt 81 capital punish
ment in this state there has never
hecu any sentiment in favor OF
rcstorinc DC. In tRcJ wc DO not
believe that any hil has ever been
introauccd into thc legislature 10
have capital punishment restored
The people OF The State of Wis
ccrsin Go uoL believe that the
state should lcrah.e the taking
oil a human ife. neither Go we
believe thnt the mere lcgaitzlng 81
thc takluE OF human iHe re-
nrtrs rne person VINO acts as
sxcruttcrtr cf The moral rCspcn-
sililtty ot the taking ~ s1ch hlt.
We believe trot whenever an
execution Rises place Dc has q very
Gfmnraltrir- effect upon me COM
rnr~.tr az which Sc does take
place. and that DO has a &C.
rno~altrirG eaeCt upcn The state
generally. IL might te argued
that where lie Imprisonment IS
the maximum penalty Tor the
commission % capital oNenee
nat che person convicted may az
zrmetirne secure has re4ease
through executive clemcncT. We
have law in this state which
Gives The State Board % Control
acting as a parole board, the
uower 70 release lifc couNicts on
parole. provided that they have
served thirty years less The 5000
time allowance. which Wollo
mean that they must serve SIX
ten wears anE three months net
That law was passed in 1893 and
since IL went lnto operation We
have released on parole seven lie
rcrvirts. most OF whom were re
leased because they were about
&c die. and were sent home 20 be
with their family when death oc-
CURED AT the present time we
have ninety 'lifers' in the state
prison. and more than one-thirc
q them are eligible - parole un-
fe~ the law. but the board eXer-
c.ses the powers given u with a
great deal OF discretion. ana,
therefore. but few lifers are
rar0led.
Prom Michigan. ATr- n T. MUIR.
secretary % the Board q Correcii
ana Charities. writes.
The last case - capital pun
ishuent recorded iu Michigan oc-
CURED on September -. 1880. II
1sas capital punishment was abol-
ished ~ law. Many inquiries have
been received by this board 81
&c the erect % the aboiishmen
o. the death penalty. but TN
mode rf punishment was dis
carded al such an early period u
the history Of Michigan. ano con
dlriCrs are 50 different from VIVA
they were an that time. that
satisfactory answer based upo'
statistics cannot zoe given Pre-
oueut Inquiries are received con
corning the numher 90 tie pris
cuers committed 20 the penal in
sffrutiorE as compared with ~
whole number committed. an
with the increased population
the state. but ar exam nation cii
closes fn1r there ls 20 ccuEt2r
relation wiki either. The mum ~
30 Ilfers' committed each year
this State varies materially IT.
number tu come Instances y
rreases four umes IN one ye,
over The rrececlrE year. and ~
decrease IN the next may De
rhe same proportion -vith no al
parent relsor FOR huc-uauon- 2
parole system ln rhis state ls a
Piled very literally under the q
fsternirare sentence law. and
an act passed hy the Lerlslatr
q 1911. prisoners serving j
sentences are eligible after pa
Ing served twenty-five years. ID
coed time allowance
u u-u 90 seen from these facts
no very definite conclusions car
drawn The States which have
the experiment % ahoNshlng the r
re-aifv seem Or pc rat.et Cd witf
possible exception ~ Rhode ia
With the reElits- IN osr next CO
v-e shah present such farts as we
been able 90 gather concerning
efrn countries lr which The Sent
~ death Isl 20 longer inflicted