The L'Anse sentinel., 1921-09-02
Nevada Law Provides Peculiar
Form of Execution for Men
Convicted of Murder.
CHAMBER IN new PRISON
State Architect Ordered to Plan Cham
ber Where Witnesses in Safety
May See Man Die-Some Say
Method Is Cruel and
Barbarous.


Carson City, Nev.-In this capital
city Of Nevada they are building a
new state penitentiary which will con-
tain a lethal gas chamber for the exc
cution of condemned criminals.
Under a law passed at the recent
session Of the state legislature all per-
sons condemned to death in this state
must be killed by the administration
Of lethal gas.
The laws affecting the death pen
atty have been out of the ordinary in
this state for a number of years past.
Under certain restrictions the con-
demned criminal has been able to
choose his own method of execution.
The last man to die at the hands Of
the state was one Mircovich, who, In
the language of Gov. Emmett d.
Boyle, accepted shooting" The con-
demned man was seated in chair
In the prison yard with his back to
a wall. A diagram was fixed upon
his clothing. A company of men were
engaged to shoot at the living target.
All the riflemen were expert marks
men. AS they entered the prison
yard they were handed loaded weap-
ons. Some Of the guns contained
blanks and others were loaded with
steel bulleted shells. No member Of
the firing squad knew what his rifle
contained.
Death Was instantaneous.
After the single crash of the volley
that snuffed out the forfeited life it
was found the figure 'S" traced on
his breast hac been perfectly per-
forated by the bullets, which were
found to have plugged the back Of
the chair on which he sat. The chair
Of the states shooting gallery" Is
one Of the gruesome objects of Curl
osity which you can see In the old
prison yard. The figure "8" Is very
accurately outlined in the wood where
the bullets lodged after they sped
through the human body.
Those who witnessed the execution
say that death was practically instan-
taneous. The physicians believe that
shooting Is the quickest. least painful
and most humane method Of execution.
The new law has precipitated much
discussion. There are many lawyers
In Nevada who hold that criminal
may not be legally executed by lethal
gas. They say 1t Is unconstitutional
because It violates the constitutional
prohibition against cruel, barbarous
and unusual punishment. There Is
sufficient weight to this contention In
the minds of the members Of the
prison board so that they have care
fully preserved the gailows for such
use as may be necessary.
Gov. Emmett d. Boyle, head of the
state, who signed the bill making the
lethal gas execution legal, holds that
It is, perfectly feasible and constitu-
tional.
"There are a number Of lethal
gases that may be employed" he told
me. "Any will produce practically
Instant death. l satisfied myself thor
,ughly concerning this phase Of the
proposition before signed the bill.
I am convinced that this method Of
execution can be simply administered
and win be effective.
Uss MschanIcaI Methods.
"The gas will be administered by
some person designated by the war
Zen. It viii be administered by me-
thanical methods. The execution by
this method win not be painful.
II do not think, however. II Is re-
hted IN any respect to the abolition
81 the death penalty.
mo actual steps have yet been
hkep to provide the facilities for the