New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-02-20
MRS. BOISSEVAIN
SLAYERS' PORTIA
Urges All Citizens to Pro
test Against Capital
Punishment.

Portis pleading for mercy is heard
again in the campaign now being or
gsnized against capital punishment by
Mrs. lnez Milhollsnd Boissevsin, law
yer and suffragist
Mrs. Boissevsin yesterday sent 20
Governor Whitman a copy Of the reso-
luton passed by the Feminist Alliance
urging him to suspend sentence upon
the three men soon TO meet death at
Sing Sing, and to refrain from action
upon the snti-eapital punishment bill
pending an investigation into the status
Of capita! punishment in New York
State.
She urges every citizen who disap-
proves Of capital punishment TO make
his feelings known at the present crisis
through kilograms to the Governor and
letters to his own Senator and Repre-
sentative.
Mrs. Boissevsin came down from Al
bsny on Thursday night after an inter
view with Governor Whitman, in which
he told her that he Intended to veto
the anti-capital punishment bill II is
generally understood in Albany, Mrs.
Boissevain said, that the bill putting
en- end to the death penalty would pass
both branches of the Legislature, but
would be vetoed by the Governor.
1.-The Governors attitude is based on
mis- own personal experience as District
Attorney" said Mrs. Boissevain in her
Office, at 115 Broadway, yesterday.
"He thinks the death penalty is nee
essary as q deterrent. ! suppose he
can't help feeling that way. The slogan
Of the District Attorneys Office S al
ways Get the criminal at any cost
Governor Whitman thinks il was his
bounding OF Becker hat elected him.
He falls TO realize that too persistent
bounding of a man may react against
the prosecutor, as the bounding OF
Harry Thaw has hurt jerome.
"The people, as whole, are natu-
rally tender hearted. They have more of
mercy than justice in their makeup,
and they are afraid of this system of
capital punishment which they have
reared up. They realize blindly that
there is something wrong about it.
Murder should be regarded as dis
ease, Just as insanity is. We should
have a state commission to inquire into
the degree Of moral illness in each case
of crime, just as we have commissions
TO inquire into the mental health Of
inmates of our asylums. When the
commission declared a man hopelessly
immoral he should be confined for life.
In other cases proper environment and
d discipline might prepare the man TO MI
useful position in society after few
years.
"This is the critical time for some
action in the capital punishment mat
ter. Why should Governor Whitman
be allowed 10 ignore the popular de-
mand lust because Of his personal ex-
perience in the District Attorneys Of
fee?
"To show the possibilities on the
other side Of the question there is the
wonderful experiment being carried on
at Sing Sing by Warden Osborne. II men
in other wards Of the prison can be
awakened to d sense of their manhood
and sent back into the world useful
citizens, there is no reason why the
man who has killed cannot be reclaimed
also.
"The Legislature should provide for
the appointment Of commission TO in
ouire into the status of capital punish
ment, its value as deterrent and the
possibilities of a substitute for it.
There should be at least two women on
the commission, as well as member
Of the District Attorneys staff and
some one who represents Warden Os-
borne's ideas. Until this commission re-
ports there should be no more taking OF
Young lives in Sing Sing