San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-02-23
THINKS DEATH
PENALT WILL
Be ABOLISHED
DR.. Emory Lyon Says Capt.
tai Punishment Does Not
Deter Criminals.
SCORES TEXAS PRISONS
Believes System Very In
efficient Because 1t Does
Not Make Profit.

Capital punishment is not effectiv,
as crime deterrent and should b.
abolished, according 10 f. Emory
Lyon, founder and president of the
Central Howard Association of Chi
cago, who is in San Antonio TO speak
in the interest Of crime prevention
and prison reform. DIR. Lyon spoke
before the members of the Kiwanis
Club at the regular weekly luncheon,
Friday noon.
Capital punishment is ineffective in
stopping crime, DR. Lyon believes,
because those for whom the example
is intended, are for the most part,
men of little foresight or of abnormal
mentality. In proof of his conten-
ton, he draws an illustration from
the history of England.
"A hundred years or more ago,
he said, Friday morning, "eaphal
punishment was inflicted for deeds that
would be classed as misdemeanOrs to-
day. There are many instances on
record where pickpockets have con.
feSsed that they found their richest
field in which TO ply their trade, in
the crowds that gathered TO witness
the hanging Of a piekpocket. Prac-
tically every pickpocket that was
hanged in those days had seen one or
more pickpockets hanged before he,
himself was apprehended.
win Eventually BE Abolished.
When society inflicts capital pun
ishment upon n man for murder, DR..
Lyon believes, it violates its own law
of self-defensc. The, only justifica-
ton for self-defense that will hold in
a court of law. is fear that ones own
life is endangered. DIR. Lyon said.
When society inflicts capital punish
mcnt, he continued, there is, of course,
no fear on the part of society that
its own life is endangered by the one
upon whom capital punishment is
inflicted.
Capital punishment will be abol-
ished in the course of time. There are
a dozen states in which capital pun
ishment is not inflicted. In WiScOn-
sin and Michigan capital punishment
has never been inflicted and statistics
will show that the number OF murders
in those states are not any greater
in proportion TO the population than
in those states that exact the death
penalty for murder"
Scores Texas Prison System.
The Texas prison system was Sc
rerely scored by DIR. Lyon. The prison
iystefh should not only be self-sup-
porting but il should make sufficient
y large profit TO allow the prisoners
% support their dependents and to
give them new start in life after they
ire discharged. There is rrima facic
evidence Of gross inefficiency, DIR.
Lyon believes, in the fact that the
prison system Of Texas cannot sup
,ort itself by cultivating $1,000 acres
II land.
That a prison system can support
tself and turn in surplus to the
tate treasury is proved by the rec
nd of two states-Mississippi and
IiinneSota-Dr. Lyon asserted. In
Iddition to turning in thousands Of !
ollars each year 10 the state treas
Try, the prison system of Minnesota |
'ays the cOnvicts for their labor. and |
I the end Of their terms, gives them
$25 discharge fee.
Not Given Enough 10 Eat.
Several years ago visited Texas"
Dr.. Lyon related. AT that time the !
tate administration was highly
lated over the fact that the state
risOn farms had made over $1,000
90 in cotton. / visited the farms
ear Sugarland. In my association
18th the convicts on these farms ]
armed that the universal complaint
as that they did not have enough |
eat. They would be Syilling TO
'Ork fourteen hours a day il they
'ere given substantial food. They
ere fed on squash. vans and other
nod not high in nourishment value.
After my return TO Chicago wrote
letter to the governor of Texas. in
'hich | cited the results of nv in
A few weeks later | re-
lived a reply from the governor. ia
hich he THANKED me for calling his
-tcnti0n TO conditions existing on
le convict farms and stated that
had turned the hitter over TO the
'ison commission for investigation.
That action was ridiculous. In my
ply to the governor | asked him d;
lat If he had reports that nnn of his
nplOyes was inefficient. that If he
Ould refer the matter to that mar
cular employee for investigation. The
'ison commission was responsible for ]
e condition that was the subject Of
Y report to the governor
DR.. Lyon believes thar parole or ;
citation officers should be or duty Z
every county seat rs an adjunct ~
the court. Nv This mems Enc strS-