The New York herald., 1921-03-18
STATE TO EXECUTE
CONVICTS IN SLEEP
AT UNKNOWN HOUR
IL. IL.
Nevada Legislature Passes
i:.~ Bill Providing Gas in All
Deaths by State.
-GOVERNOR FAyORS IT
i III
Authors Find No Opposition
in Getting Bill Through
!: Both Houses.
SURE DEATH, THEY SAY
!.
Bigger Conviction Average and
:. Less Crime Predicted Tn
:. der New Law.
GOVERNOR FAyORS IT
SURE DEATH, THEY SAY

Shscsui Despatch 20 THE NEW YoRK HERALD.
Reno, New, March 17.-Gov. Emmett
Boyle announced to-day that 1t was
his intention 10 sign the humane
death" bill which has passed the AS
sembly and Senate. The measure,
Which is declared by its authors to
he the first of its kind in the United
States, provides that all executions of
Sentence on persons condemned to
Gtath shall be by administration of
lSthal gas. At present the law Of the
State permits a condemned person to
select death either BY hanging or
shooting.
THE condemned person under the
now law viii not know the exact time
for death. A special cell will be built
e, the State penitentiary for those
septenced to die. The Judge who
rstsses sentence upon the condemned
criminal will appoint a week within
Which Judgment will be executed, and
the person so condemned will be placed
in the cell at the opening OF that
rfriod
On night selected by the warden the
Death sentence will be put into effect
There will be present the warden, q
physician and six reputable persons
oser the age Of 21 years" the bill pro-
ydes While peacefully sleeping the
victim will succumb TO the lethal gas in
what is described as an absolutely
painless manner"
.Authors of the bill declare they got
their ideas from the French, and they
halieve 1t viii remove from executions
TIP danger of inefflciency which is de-
cfared to characterize some hanglngs
and shootings. When first introduced
taa bill was treated lightly as Ii was
T:rsented at time when freak legisla-
tion was much In evidence. but argu-
Yssnts presented by the proponents won
the support of nearly all the legislators.
sThe arguments were not on the floor
ofsthe Senate and Assembly, but in COM
Tsittee and when the matter came up for
Ute It was passed easily and quietly.
No one appeared In opposition to the
measure, but the Governor, who says
he. IS inclined to sign the measure said
ta-day he would not affix his signature
Immediately as he wanted to give an
Opportunity to any one who might want
10 be heard on the measure.
There have been few executions or the
death sentence in Nevada, and Il is said
one of the chief reasons FOR the rare
number OF cases in which the death
penalty Is inflicted Is because OF the
strong feeling IN this state against hang
ing and the firing squad. With the
lethal gas executions, i Is contended,
yhis sentiment win abate ana juries will
De more likely to provide the death
penalty in their verdIcts. As q result
Of this expressed change in sentiment on
the part Of iuries the proponents OF the
measure ho'd that crime win be de-
creased through the effect on persons
who otherwise might commit capital
offences. -4
Few OF the trial court JUDGES had any
knowledge that the bill was TO be intro
duced, but those who have been inte--
viewed on the matter believe * Is In line
with modern legislation and deserving
~ enactment.