Weekly journal-miner. [volume] (Prescott, Ariz.) 1908-1929, 1912-10-16

law should take It's course. Mufn-
crers might be as severely punished
il kept in prison for long term
but as long a. capital punishment
was on the statute books. II should
be enforced.
Several men who did not care to
have their names quoted for one
reason or another (somc Of them
good Democrats and did no, care
TO seem to criticisc their GOVERNOR
were strong in their opinions that
the law should be enforced, II the
laws were to he Of any effect in the
community. They thought one rea-
son crime was So on the increase
in western America-possibly all
over the United States--was because
politics has been allowed to play so
large part in the question OF en-
forcement or enforcement OF the
law. One man who lived in Kansas
for a long time said tina, would-be
murderers had little fear of punish
ment there. The Kansas law says
that convicted murderer shall re-
main in prison for one year, after
which he shall be hanged on a date
set by the Governor. But the Gov
crnor does not set date for the
hanging. so that the prisons are full
Of convicted murdcrcrs, who know
that it is only a question of time
and usually only question Of a
short time--when they will be re-
leased.
Tom Sawyer, of Congress. thought
the Governor did just right in COM
muting the sentences of the four
convicted murderers from this coun-
~. for the reason that imprisonment
is sevcrer form Of punishment
than hanging outright Some of the
men must have been crazy to have
done what they did and crazy men
should not be hanged. II the Gov
ernor does not believe in hanging
he did RICH, in not allowing men
to be hanged The old Mosaic
law was outgrown and AN eye for
an eye, a tooth for a TOOTH" should
give way to attempts at reiorma-
ton under humane conditions.
=. w. O'Sullivan. County At
torncy: IL rciteratc what was con
tanned in the Journal-Miner last
week. in a statement published over
my name. In addition il has been
my belief for the part thirty days
that the action taken by the Gov
crnor Thursday was not unexpected.
So well Embedded is hs theory Of
c:emcncy toward the hardened Grim
inai. that a forecast of what was to
transpire has been verified by the
drastic and uncaiied for action that
has saved the necks OF four men
who are without doubt cold -blooded
murdercrs. There is no occasion to
go into details in each case other
than TO state that all four men had
fair trials and just jurymcn consid-
cred their cases honestly and with
out prejudice. The higher court
passed on the cases without fear or
favor. and the final verdict was APP
proved by the communities affected.
By the setting aside Of the will OF
the people, and the fragrant abuse
of the law as il is on the statute
books, | desire TO take this oppor-
tunity to state that neither myself
as the prosecuting attorney of the
county. nor my Office. must be held
responsible for any course the pco-
pie may adopt to uphold the law in
the future. | have done my duty
as an official and i'm behalf OF society
and in condemning the action OF the
executive have no twinges of
conscience or apologies to make to
the people
William Mays. Manager Elks
Theatre; II am in favor OF capital
punishment. and the action taken
by Governor Hunt in rcprieving the
four condemned murderers from this
county, does not meet with my ap-
proval by d. sight"