The Omaha morning bee., 1922-11-19
'Ex-Pastor
Will Hang
n \ !rderer
IOWA Sheriff, Former Chap.
lain of A. L. f., Condemns
Capital Punishment, but
Says He Will DO Duty.
Effect Not Permanent

Des Moines, Nov. lS-By A. P)
Sheriff w. Il. Robb, former A. u.
r. chaplain, issued a statement here
today announcing that he would
spring the trap hanging Orrie Cross.
condemned slayer Of George Fosdlck.
Des Moines grocer, sentenced 10 be
executed next Friday. The sheriff
declared hanging Is "a clumsy method
and that the act Ia "gruesome and tho
effect Is not permanent"
lie said thnt 1T accompllshcs it's
purpose only for the day" adding 1T
ls not n thing OF high motive, but
II Is the only way that the state has
yet devised to deal effectively with
the crime Of murder. II is the peoples
own effort to deal Justly with them.
selves"
The sheriff's statement in part fol-
lows:
"The state has established that the
man Is guilty beyond reasonable
doubt that he murdered without
cause; that he showed no mercy; that
he was n menace TO llfe--therefore II
has declared he must die as that is
the law Of the state as passed by the
will Of the people. The law IL the
will OF the majority and whatever the
majority wills is law under our form
Of government. This rule-the death
penalty for murder--the people have
established and imposed upon them.
selves as a method Of restraint.
Judgment Duty OF Love.
"rhe men and women who have
no ability to think-such as Debs,
who has neither brains nor sense,
who condemn everything and create
nothing and respect neither man nor
God, who believe free license and
rebel against all law--those will con.
demn and rave and spout as usual.
"Unthinking religious fanatics VIII
plead and pray and forget that God
liz the God of Jesus Christ and Mary
and that judgment is as much duty
OF love as mercy Is the delight OF love.
They forget that love, while the
greatest Of all laws, is the most per-
feet in its working and the most ex'
acting In its demands. II is this law
that demands the straight gate, the
narrow path and the crucifixion OF
ones self; that demands the DIS
clplined life as the only means OF
obtaining the eternal city.
America is cursed today with lot
II spineless, unthinking, cowardly,
reformers, editors, speakers
and politicians who have neither the
courage to face facts, nor the willing
ness to contend for the right, who
have not the nerve to brave defeat;
hey who crave public approval more
han they crave to be right. These
ire they who drift with the tide and
with loud voice condemn the trend
If the times.
Forget Example Of Moses.
"The above, with one accord, Will
III condemn a minister OF the gospel
or performing the duties OF the state.
They think of minister as a sissy,
,exless, spineless creature, with lilly
white hands, who spends his time at
ending ladies' societies and pink
cas- They forget the example OF the
Minister Moses, the lawmaker, the
of death, Of John the Bap-
ist, whose fearless life led to his own
eath, and Of Paul the peerless
hinker OF all times. :
Taking another's life, hurting
omeone over the precipice into eter. ,
Iity is the most terrible of all tasks
me instinctively shrinks from death
r from causing death and even .
hough know ! shall be condemned
y hordes of people, / am going to
Iang Orrie Cross because 1t Is my ,
uty. ;
II would to God that there was ,
ONE way out OF It. but there is none ,
hat is honorable and so shall do j
~ duty" J