Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1913-01-17
Death PENALTY?
OR HOW ELSE
PUNISH MURDER
BY o. r. LEWIS,
General Secretary Of the Prison Asso-
citation of New York.


IN er in capital punishment, but the
people of your state have voted
that they want capital punishment.
Four murderers are awaiting death at
the state penitentiary. Would you
commute their sentences to life i'm
prisonment?
Four men had been reprieved by
Governor West of Oregon until the
state could vote on the specific ques-
ton of the abolition of capital pun
ishment. When the mo" ballot out
numbered the Yes" ballots by 10000,
the governor refused to commute the
sentences. On the night before the
execution, far on the Pacific coast, all
night meetings were held to protest
against the murder" of the four Ore
gon murderers. ALI over the country
people waited with deep concern for
the governors decision.
Now, Governor West is only one of
many chief executives of our states
who believe that the ancient doctrine
of an eye for an eye and a tooth for
a tooth is barbarous. 1 have before
me a personal letter from Governor
Dix, dated December 10, 1912. He
writes:
Il am opposed to capital punish
ment 1t is one of the remnants of
the Biblical Injunction, "A life for a
life, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a
tooth, and a hand for a hand We
have done away with all of these ex-
cept the life for a life,' and believe
that society through the process of
law should take life for life. To
my mind the real punishment will
come II the capital cases are segre-
gated in a prison by themselves, cut
of from the rest of the world, and
upon conviction no interference with
that sentence shall prevail"
Trying Time for Governor.
1t is generally known that the days
Immediately preceding an. execution
are narrowing days for the conscien-
tious governor. The last futile visits
Of the relatives to the only person in
the world that can save the life of the
condemned, the persistent question
as to even the bare possibility Of inno-
cence. the grave doubt as to whether
the state should take life, the dread
that the execution may fail to kill
speedily; in short, all the horrible de
tails of the deliberate killing of be-
ing that the religions of civilized ma
tions maintain is inhabited by an m
mortal soul-all these things press
upon him.
why should / be forced to ever
else the prerogative of almighty
God?' asks the chief executive.
I recently made an exhaustive can
vass by letter OF the chief executives
of the states, the leading wardens
and superintendent of correctional
Institutions and distinguished crimi-
biologists as to their attitude upon the
death sentence and it's execution. /
wish to present some of the striking
answers to that canvass today to the
readers of the Sun, for to the citizens
of this state will be surely brought,
either during the legislative session of
1913 or soon after, the definite ques-
ton Shall capital punishment be
abolished in the state of New York;"
First, then, how do some of our gov
errors feel?
Gov. Marshall Of Indiana writes
IT am in favor of the abolition of cap
ital punishment"
Gov. Cruce of Oklahoma is opposed
to capital punishment for all crimes
except criminal assaults on women.
Legal executions" he says, ARE alb
solutely indefensible from the stand
point of Christianity and modern high.
er civilization. The time will come
when legal murders will be as unpop-
ular as midnight assassinations."
Gov. Pothier of Rhode Island writes
that capital punishment was abolished
in that state forty years ago, and he
is not in favor of its establishment
Gov. Burke of North Dakota is op
posed to capital punishment, but is
not sure that we have arrived at the
stage of civilization when we can dis
pense with 1t altogether.
HadIey for Capital Punishment.
On the other hand, Gov. Hadley Of
Missouri says that he does not advo
cate the abolition of capital punish
ment Il believe" says the governor
"our Missouri system is the best
which gives to the jury passing upor
the question of guilt the right to fl
the punishment at death or impris
onment in the penitentiary for life"
And Gov Baldwin of Connecticut
who personifies the judicial humane
severity of attitude toward the Grim
inal class, is firmly of the opinion
that capital punishment should not b
abolished He writes as follows
"As you are doubtless aware, it ha!
been abolished in some states in for
/, mer years where It was found neces
sary quite soon to reinstate ii in or
der to check the spread of crime
Life Imprisonment under modern con
ditions in respect of the pardonini
power and credit for proper behavio
is not life imprisonment and is no
dreaded as such. Such crimes a
murder and rape should be mad
dreadful, then they will be dreade'
and avoided"
Gov. Mann of Virginia finds the dealt
penalty in accordance with Scripture
and finds no movement for its abolt
ton in that state. Gov. Gilchrist o
Florida. Gov. Cary of Wyoming. Gov
Hay of Washington and Gov. Osborn