The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-08-01
LEGAL MURDER, SAYS
SING SING OFFICIAL
Deputy Warden Charles II.
Johnson Calls Prison HUI
man Slaughter House.
WOULD END EXECUTIONS

OsGNiNo, July 3I.-Deputy Warden
Charles II. Johnson OF Sing Sing prison
was opposed to capital punishment long
before his duty required him to show
his personal friend. Charles Becker. to
the electric chair. but the execution OF
Becker moved Mr.. johnson to speak
strongly to-day. To his mind. capital
punishment is murder. even though the
State takes life.
Becker has been killed." he said to-
day, but what possible good has been
accomplished by killing him? I sat
with Becker from 40 A. NJ. until
4:3o A. NJ. and we talked Of many
things, for Becker was an Intelligent
man, who had ideas to express. And
then. an hour and a quarter after our
long talk. 1 killed him. How can that
be justified7
tai punishment Is a deterrent to crime.
Blu how can that be proved positively?
II Is only a guess. an inference. a.
best. They killed the four gunner up
here for the purpose Of deterring others
from murder. but only a few days later
other gunner killed a citizen OF New
York.
Tho whole thing is illogical. The
State tells the individual, Thou shalt
not kill and then Immediately does col
lectively what 1t will not permit an in
dividual to do. 1t killed Becker. and in
doing 80 did Mrs. Becker more harm
V h a II 1t had killed her too. 1t Is
all brutality and plain murder. this
archaic theory Of an eye for an eye. a
tooth for u tooth, "a life for a life.
Where is the spirit of Christianity
apparent In such procedure? We are
supposed TO be "A Christian nation, n
Christian commonwealth, but we have
not displayed n Christianity In muir
dering Charles Becker. In the cells of
the death house are men awaiting Exc
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS OF them. Their
health is sedulously protected. Their
smallest aches and pains are quickly at
tended to. why? Merely that they may
be In prime condition when the state Is
ready to kill them. This place is a
human slaughter house and totally out
Of harmony with the civilization OF the
lWfIitltlu century.
Mr.. johnson has formed his ideas
strongly on the subject for the reason.
probably. that circumstances have COM
PEELED him 10 take charge of executions
since Warden Thomas Mott Osborne has
ben at the head OF the prison. Mr.. Os-
borne's detestation OF capital punishment
Is so pronounced that he will not appear
In the death chamber when the hour
comes for condemned men to walk 10 tho
electric chair.
A few minutes before Becker was
executed on Friday morning Mr.. Os-
borne LETT the prison and went for a
walk. Therefore 1t fell to Charles II.
Johnson. Harvard. 'O2. and an enthusi-
astic worker In the cause of lettering
social conditions, to superIntend the
death Of Becker. as he had directed she
execution OF six others since last Janu-
AIRY. Becker n the negro. Sam Haynes.
made the number eight. Inc In the
course OF the next few months 1t will
be Mr.. Johnson's duty to direct the exc
cu,ion OF at least eighteen persons.
II could evade the dreadful duty by
quitting my place" he said, but that
! shall not do. Prison work Is my life
work. There are in this place great
opportunities for doing good, and these
opportunities | shall continue TO seek.
II | quit the executions would not stop
and | would lose my chance CT helping
TO better prison c nditions."
Mr., Johnson advocates the utmost
publicity as regards executions. believ-
ing the more that is known about official
killings the greater will be public sen,i-
ment against capital punishment.