Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1917-02-22
LEGAL DEATH IN DELAWARE
By EIInor BaldwIn ROsa. Of MIIiOrd, DeIanare.

Italy. Bavaria. Baden, Portugal, Ven
zuela, Costa Rica, and Guatemala. In
fact, In most countries the death
penalty has fallen into disuse, II Il
has not been abolished by law. In
some Of our own States It has been
done away with. In Michigan, in
lS47, Rhode Island in 1852. Wisconsin
IN 1853, and Maine in 1876. Maine
restored It In 1888. and abolished IL
again in 1887, and statistics show that
IN all these States homicide has de-
creased" There are eight States now
in the United States in which capital
punishment is replaced by a life
sentence. While the testimony OF
those which abolished It years ago,
shows a marked decrease I'm homicide,
In no case has there been an increase.
Any passion that will lead 10 murder
is sure to be stronger than fear OF
the penalty. Quoting from the same
author as above:
But some may still say that the ef-
fects Of capital punishment are to do
ter others from committing crimes
"The evidence is all the other way.
When mans mind Is mado up to
much troubled about statistics. but n
he were, he could readily satisfy him
self that the chances OF escape were
very large. since out OF the homicides
mentioned as accruing annually IN
America only a few hundred MUIR
dcrers are executed and many OF the
murdorers are never apprehended; or.
If they are, escape punishment on
many different grounds. AS a matter
Of fact men excited by passion are not
afraid OF death They will take their
chances OF life, in war, for a mere pitt
lance, and in one year in America
more than 1000 committed suicide.
while the average number per an
mum runs up into the thousands.
Bacon says: There is no passion
In the mind Of man, but It notes and
masters the fear OF death. Revenge
triumphs over death; love sights Il.
honor aspireth to it. and grief fleeth
to IT, There is no deterrent influence
exercised by capital punishment, but
on the contrary II teaches men the
law OF blood, and they appeal to tho
rules Of the State and its Government
as the teachers OF tho crimes Of Vi
olence and vengeance which they
commit"
The effect upon tho community OF
legal killing Is a factor not to be ig-
nored. Statistics show an increase in
murder after each legal execution. as
wei as after each lynching or act Of
mob violence. The forces OF imitation
ana example are strong. and not UNI
I Ha
the sacredness of human life will It
be impressed upon its members. Fran
els Fisher Kane, United States Dis
trict Attorney and a strong oppon-
ent to legalized killing, says. Il am
Mortified when ] think of the effect
upon the eXecutiOners and those who
are parties TO the execution, and the
effect upon the public which reads Of
IT, is certainly not what might be
| wished. We know too little of life,
anyway, 60 presume It a right OF So
ciety 10 take Il away, even when a
person has committed the most terri
BILE crime he can commit" The only
logical conclusion that can be wrawr
is that a brutal and criminal act done
by individual, State, or nation, mus
surely retard the progress of human
ity That this is recognized as true II
shown by the fact that In Delaware
a strong sentiment against public ex'
ecution and against hanging. There
Is a desire 10 do away with the grue-
some details by having private cleo
trocution. But not all the refining OF
/ the outward features can change the
atrocity OF the act itself. and 1t were
] -. he IN nN
I " custom burned in upon its con-
sciousness until II awakens from It's
apathy and revolts against the deed
itself.
AS individuals, we hold ''Thou shalt
not KILL" as a sacred law, but as a
/ State we put aside the laws of our re-
/ ligion with the sophistry that they do
not apply 20 States and Nations-only
to individuals, and we as a State &c
on doing that which we condemn most
strongly in the individual. We believe
IN the continuance of life after this
existence. but we are utterly ignorant
OF the conditions into which we prem
aturely push our offending brothers
There are many who believe tina
those out of the body can exert {
/ kAAOnE AAAAMNANN WV NANAN VI 80 -
with whom they are in sympathy
that as truly as there is a guardian
influence from the pure and spiritu
ally minded dead over their love-
ones on earth. just so surely can tn
degraded soul cast out Of the bod
with hatred and horror. have a stron
influence over the weak and criminal
~ inclined on earth. Through thes
they satisfy their hatred Of their exc
cutioners who. clear-eyed have de
liberately done the same thing Z
them that they did when blinded b
drink or drugs, anger. greed, desir
for revenge, or by deficient mentality
II this be possible. there Is viciou
circle that the State keeps closed b.
its own deliberate act. That Il ma
be possible is borne out, not only b,
the fact that have mentioned befor
the increase in crime after eacl
execution. lynching or mob dee
where life is taken-but also by tn
confession Of many that they wer
impelled 20 murder not by reason
passion. or any comprehensive mo
tive. but by an irresistible fore
which they did not understand. TIL