The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-02-22


of executing prisoners does not APP
pear to be progressive step in
dealing with criminals, in the opin-
ion of DR.. Earl budding, head OF
the Prisoners Relief society.
DR.. budding is opposed to the
death penalty in any form on the
ground that it is inefficient-that
/ it does not prevent crime nor re-
form criminals Minnesota, with
out capital puniebfnent, has less
crime than any other state, he says,
But there are only a few states
where the death penalty is abol-
ished, and until it is generally abol-
ished, says DR.. budding, we should
use methods of execution which
| will discredit our civilization.
Details of executions by the state
are unpleasant and, therefore, it
seems people know comparatively
| little about them. They assume
! that electrocution is swift and pain
less. 1t has a modern, efficient
sound and it has supplanted death
by hanging in a number of states.
DR.. budding has personally
made tests at prison executions ;,
and he finds that contrary to gen
eral opinion the most humane
method of execution in use is hang
ing. That is, hanging is less pain
full to the condemned man than
electrocution, and all things consid
cred, would probably be far less OF
an ordeal than the gas method
| which one state is to try out in
April.
Death by hanging" DR.. Dud-
ding explained, lis usually instan-
taneous. Where death does not
take place at once, the shock Of
the drop causes Inconsistencies.
The preparations at the scaffold
take about minute. Several men
are there, each ready for the sig
nal When it is given, one man
straps together the hands of the
condemned man. another ties his
knees, and a third his ankles. 1t
is done swiftly, and there rs sing
ing going on or the sheriff or some
one else talks to the man to lessen
the strain. Often he does not real
ize he is being tied.
Springing the Trap.
Then the black cap is quickly
slipped over his head and the trap
is sprung-perhaps six men press
six buttons One Of these buttons
one of the six men knows which
one-starts a motor to whirling.
This instantly pulls out the pins
which hold the trap, and it drops
with crash.
"On one occasion I got hold OF
the mans pulse about three sec
onds after the drop and there Was
only little tiutter.
"Electrocution, on the other
hand, is not so swiftly certain as
hanging even when the most eff
ficient equipment is used. l saw
man electrocuted in Ohio. It takes
about as long to prepare for an
electrocution as for hanging. The
man is strapped into the chair
tightly His wrists are wet, and
generally a wet rug is placed under
his feet to insure the contact.
Il made an arrangement with
this condemned man, confidentially,
that he would move his finger as
long as he could. They turned on
enough current to kill him. sup
posedly. In spite of the straps he
body twisted and was horribly con-
torted by the force In about half
a minute they turned on a second
current and he was still moving
his finger. This is not instantar-
eous DEATH
Dr. budding explained that the
gas method is new idea and that
people can merely conjecture re-
garding it. After talking with a
penology he found that the con-
would prefer a swift death by
hanging to less violent one which
would take place at an unspecified
moment. The actual experience of
being gassed might or might not De
so uncomfortable as being hung.
But it is the uncertainty, the fact
that a week is to be set aside for
the execution, and that the prisoner
is put into the specially construct
ed death cell knowing that during
the week, unknown to him the gas
is to be introduced into the cell,
that strikes many people as repuI-
sive.
Agonies of Suspense.
The last few hours before fac
ing the gallowS or the chair are
an ordeal. 1t is often necessary to !
give the sentenced man some stimu- |
liant. Whisky used to be given Cor |
this purpose; now strychnine is !
generally administered.
But imagine the suspense of |
knowing that with each dragging
minute of the week before your /
death may come. Imagine being /
keyed up to that fear and expec-