The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1924-08-23

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the floor Loeb, more composed
than Friday. did not take his eyes
from barrow.
Darrow glanced several times at
the boys. wggled his fingers, gripped
his suspenders with one hand. forced
the other deep into the pockets OF
his baggy trousers, and went on.
Sometimes I think l am dream
ing" he said in quiet voice. when
I see how the instincts Of hate and
revenge and lust Of the blood OF a
savage race has been transplanted
into Chicago in this first quarter of
the twentieth century"
Pictures Hanging
It can picture these weak, IRE
sponsibls. diseased boys put in a
cell checking off the minutes, the
hours, the days. until they are taken
out to be hanged. What a glorious
day that viii be!
Il can picture them awakened in
the cold grey light of morning.
dressed in suits Of clothes provided
by the State. led 10 the scaffold. with
black cap on their heads, placed on
the trap door. with some one press
ing a spring, the trap falling under
them and the bodies dangling at the
end Of the rope.
This should bring satisfaction to
some people. This should satisfy
civilization. This should satisfy
righteous indignation, and I know
nothing crueller than righteous in
dignatiou.
IF you can weigh all the facts in
this case and mete out justice to
these boys~as justice should he
melted out you are wise indeed,
your honor.
barrow leaned far across the
bench, pausing in his speech as he
looked into the eyes Of Justice Cav
erly.
Then ne shifted back and resumed,
but If this court has wisdom, so
it has mercy"
I'VE come to you, your honor,
asking. pleading that these boys
may be spared from death and al
lowed to spend the rest of their
lives behind the cold, gray walls of
a penitentiary
Where is the tender heart that
wouldn't be satisfied with that. And
still they cry for a hanging. The
hungry mob cries for vengeance. 1t
isn't a human emotion. It comes
from the heart Of the beast from
which we came.
barrow declared that mercy is no
new thing to courts Of law. He said
that thousands of cases Of felonies,
including murder. had been reduced
willingly by the prosecutors to give
defendants "a chance to see the
light of day"
But the State is trying so hard to
hang Richard and Nathan because
people are reading and talking
about 1t and because OF their
money"
Asks Only Justice
I'VE are asking justice" Darrow
said. IF you knowswhat 1t is; II
any one knows what 1t is. If you
can look into their hearts, into their
minds and into their souls and ad.
minister justice. with it would be
mercy, and with the mercy we are
asking we will be satisfied"
Referring to demand of Assistant
States Attorney Savage for death
for the boys to serve notice on
others who might contemplate muir
der, the defense attorney said:
II am fairly familiar with the lit
erature on this subject. There have
in oil and every other kind of pun
ishment. In olden days, pickpockets
were hanged on a high hill, so that
the crowds might see the example.
and more pockets were picked in
the crowds that went to see the
hangings than ever before.
Murder by the State cannot stop
murder by the individual.
Il know and your honor knows,
that since punishment for crime has
been made less horrible. the num-
Der of crimes has diminished"
Striking a dramatic poise, his
arms appraised, barrow, looking deep
into Justice Caverly's eyes, said:
Need I argue that cruelty only
makes cruelty, that hatred causes
hatred. You can't kill evil and
hatred and all that goes with It.
Can't people understand that charity
and love and understanding is the
only way to go about it? How often
must the people be told this?
This is Christian community
so-called-and yet it cries for blood
Has there ever been a religion or
an honest philosopher that has not
preached the doctrine of mercy?"
Man without emotion. Darrow
said, is not a man. Intellect is
nothing compared with emotion.
Without emotion man may do most
anything, including crime.
The ldefense attorney then at
tempted to show that his clients
were lacking in all emotion. He
held that the States own alienists