Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-01-08
ZOO PRISONERS
WITNESS HANGING
Sheriff Peters of Chicago Tries
Experiment in Psychology
Effect in Doubt

| Chicago, Jan. Am experiment in
psychology was tried this morning at the
| county Jail when 200 prisoners were
forced to witness the hanging of Rafalo
| Outrage, convicted murderer Hardened
criminals, selected from among other
J murderers and felons whose expiation is
I not yet the gallows-were placed in cells.
| tier on tier of which surrounded the
| square in which the scaffold had been
erected.
1t was the contention of Sheriff Peters
| that the sight of the gruesome happen-
| ing would have Il great Statutory effect
| upon those in whose life might come flu
turc temptation to Stay or rob or 10 burn.
| So firmly the sheriff believed in the
efficacy of this idea that he persisted In
| 1t despite the protests from scores of
persons who thought the scheme unne-
| cessarily brutal Accordingly the stage
was set in the death chamber. and Dur
rage was led forth The quiet in the
death chamber became absolute for a
| moment. Then the moose was slipped over
| the murderer's head.
| Sheriff Peters later issued a statement
answering critics who opposed his ac-
ton. The statement read:
"In my opinion the modern coddling
guided, sympathetic. theoretical refor-
mers and self-consttuted organizations
is one of the greatest causes of the
present crime wave in this city. Their
Interference with the vigorous enforce
ment of the law has destroyed the fear
of punishment by criminals to the extent
that 1t is no longer a dcterment to the
further commission of crime to be incar-
ccrated in our penal institutions. \ large
number of prisoners openly acknowledge
! that they would prefer to be incarcerated
in the county Jail where they are better
fed and where sanitary conditions are far
better than in their ordinary environ
ments. They are constantly advocating
the adoption and enactment of laws
which are for the purpose of alternating
the punishment of the criminal, forget
ting and losing entire sight of the pro-
| lection that the law-abiding and peac-
able citizen is entitled to against these
human parasites. "1f one-half of the ener-
Cy now spent in sympathy on murderers
and criminals would be devoted TO the
families of the victims and the other
half to bringing to Justice the brutes who
have blotted out the lives Of law-abid-
ing and peaceful citizens and darkened
forever the lives of others. this would
We II happier ana SAFER world TO i've IN.
From one of the tiers came a stoident
when do we eat?" Tier by tier, cell
by cell, the cry was taken up 1t became
roar above which the warden's voice
could not be heard
The trap was sprung. Burrage dropped
into the space beneath the scaffod-dead
when do we eat?' was his requiem.
Sheriff Peters declared after the execu.
ton that Governor Lowdons secretary
telephoned the Jail and asked regarding
plans for the hanging, but did not object
to the sheriffs program. Just before tho
execution the receiver of the only tele-
phone connecting the Jail with the out
side world was removed from its hook
in Jailer Davies office. Vt was reported
that this action was taken to prevent
possible reprieve of the condemned man
at the last minute. When asked for an
explanation Jailer Davies smiled and
said: Il cant say why it was done.
You see the telephone is out of order"