Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-28
OPINIONS DIFFER. HOWEVER
Bill to Substitute Electrocution for
Hanging Causes Controversy.
ONE POINT IS OVERLOOKED
No Provision Made for Death PEN
atty in Case of Assault
on a Female.

-AiinouSn rieCtrOCutlOn Will ne SHDSt1-
tuted for hanging as a punishment for
"arital offenscS in the District of Coz
h1mhia after President Taft signs the
bill which was passed yesterday by the
'iOusc. and which has been passed by the
Senate, there is "a difference of opinion
as to when the electric chair will be in
stalled in the local Jail On the floor of
the House Yesterday afternoon Repre-
sentative Mann of Illinois asked Repre-
sentative Johnson. chairman of tine Dis
trlct committee, what effect this act
would have on persons now under sen
tence of death. Mr.. Johnson answered
that. in his opinion. those now under
sentence of death would be executed in
accordance with the laws in effect at the
time of sentence.
My recollection is. replied Mr.. Mann
and ] am not certain how far ii is cor
rect-that there is n general law provid-
ing that where Law S repealed and
changed it shall not affect prosecution
then being carried on. How far it would
affect case where. sentence had been i'm
posed / do not know. Here. for example
is case of man sentenced to be
hanged until he is dead. Now if you
take away the power TO hang that man
liz pipDdplS goes Tree. 1nere Is now no
way of furnishing him
Submits to Majority.
Il Will say to the gentleman from III
nois.' said Representative johnson. that
1 understand the bill was prepared by the
United States attorney for the District
OF Columbia. and I Will say further that
l. myself. in committee voted against the
l. tel,
from the majority OF the committee. l
am in favor of inflicting the most igno-
miniOuS kind of death upon "A man guilty
of deliberate murder l believe that
hanging Is a more ignominious death than
the other form and for that reason I
was against the bill But ! am here
supporting 1T in accordance with the ma
jOrity vote of the committee.
There is no appropriation available At
present for the installation of an eiectric
chair in the District Jail. and no request
has been made for an appropriation. Now
that the law has been changed. it il
probable a request for money will be
made. and in that case the committee on
appropriations would pass upon it,
One Section Overlooked.
The electrocution bill fails TO abolish
entirely death by hanging In the District
of Columbia While the legislators have
provided that in future the punishment
OF first degree murder shall be death
in the electric chair. they overlooked
section SIS of the code which empowers
a jury in the case of u felonious assault
on a female to add the words with the
death penalty in which case, it is pro-
vided the punishment shall be death
by hanging.
Should this electric chair become a fin
tlire at the District Jail by the signing
Of the new bill by the President this
oversight il is expected. may require Su-
peTintenent Zinkhan % allow the scaffold
to remain as its companion pending ac-
ton by Congress amending section SOS
Should the Court OF Appeals uphold the
decision Of Justice Stafford. II is pointed
out. the scaifold would have to be used
for the execution of a,haniel Green.
convicted of an assault on Mrs. Grant
'.-- t-nas night.
Doabt Application to Convicted.
Doubt appears To exist among lawyers
as TO appi cation OF Il = new law to per-
sons already convicted of murder and
Sc fenced to be hanged. Some hold that
the sentence Of the court may not be in
terfered with by subsequent legislation
ard Others express the opinion that deaf n
by hanging as d punishment for murder
Il abol shed by the new enactment, and
that Il question might arise To the
inctOn asylum and jail to hand any one
a pun Shm"nt for murder after the bill
is signed.
Effort may lee made Ia have the Presi-
dent decline To sign the bill III its present
form United States Attorney Wilson
stated today that Chairman johnson was
nisinforned Wh"a the latter said yester-
day that tn. bin had been prepared by
The nitei States attorney. Mr. Wilson
said nc had not seen 1h, new measure
until shown copy of thu Congressional
Record his morning Icy a Star reporter.
He declined to discuss the question of the
effect Of the new act UPON pending cases.