Evening star., 1926-01-28
DEATHPENA[TY
HEARINGS OPENED
House Members Attack and
Defend Capital Punishment
in District.

Hearings on the Mcleod bill to
abolish capital punishment in the Ma
tional Capital, which are to be fea-
tured by the appearance of Clarence
j. Darrow. former Supt. Mott of Sing
Sing and others of important expert
ence in capital punishment cases and
penal institutions, were opened today
by the subcommittee on judiciary of
the House District committee.
1t was announced that the experts
will attend hearings between February
and February 4.
Five members Of the subcommittee
who are lawyers, discussed capital
punishment from various angles today
and reviewed all the famous murder
cases of recent years, and even the
punishment Of those found guilty in
the assa ssination of President Lincoln.
Representative Henry r. Rathbone,
Republican. of Illinois. said that while
he has an open mind, he at present
favors abolition of capital punishment.
He believes that experience has shown
that the certainty of punishment
rather than the character or severity
of punishment counts most.
Says Practice Is Waning.
Out of 80 years experience he has
noted that many who should have
been convicted were acquitted beca use
the prosecutor stated to the jury that
1t was either acquittal or hanging, and
juries are very strong against capital
punishment, so that the law, he says,
has defeated it's purpose.
Mr.. Rathbone discussed the history
of capital punishment since the days
of Draco, whose laws were written in
blood, and the time of Blackstone, in
England, when Lord JefferieS was
known as the Hanging Judge" He
feels that it is degrading for any State
to lnf1lct capital punishment. and in
the steady march of progress the
world is moving away from the prac-
tice. There is strong world wide
| movement among those who have the
cause of humanity at heart in favor
of abolishing capital punishment, and
those who wish to deter the commits
sion of crime are opposed to capital
punishment law as a travesty on
justice.
Representative Clarence J. Mcleod
Republican of Michigan. sponsor for
the bill, presided at the hearing and
commented that I'VE have advanced
beyond the stage of an eye for an eve
and a tooth for a tooth. He said that
Michigan abolished capital punish
ment in 1847.
Points to Injustices.
Continuing Mr.. Rathbone said tha,
capital punishment is against the
teaching of the New Testament. If il
could be shown that it is necessary
for the preservation of society he
would support it, but an exhaustive
study has convinced him that the facts
are that capital punishment is not
deterrent of crime. He also empha
sized that often punishment is un.
justly inflicted. While there is life
there is hope that this injustice NAV
be discovered and reparation made
but when man is hung there is nc
hope to right the wrong, he said.
Representative Robert G. Houston
| Of Delaware said that men are not al
lowed on jury in a capital punish
ment case who admit a conscientious
scruple against capital punishment
He admitted that they still have the
whipping post in Delaware. Repre
sentative William c. Hammer. Demo
crat, of North Carolina, declared this
to be relic of barbarism. He said
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