The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1927-01-26

contcnded, punishment is Of no good
no matter how severe. lie asserted
that criminal dockets would be less
crowded If some Of the money spent
in prosecuting these youths had been
spent in teaching them that it Is
wrong to violate the laws.
Shuts Door Of Mercy
II am opposed to capital punish.
mcnt," Lynch continued, because il
is shutting the door Of mercy against
the offender. l don't want to close
that door even against \ murderer.
want that right Of mercy for all my
fellow men,"
A dark picture Of criminal justice
was drawn by Senator Patterson, who
based his opposition to the bill on the
grounds that it "lcgalizcs murder
The men who would enact the law
would not be asked Of the sufficien.
cy of evidence that would send mar
to death, he said. Juries "hand.
picked" by attorneys for both sides
publicityseeking lawyers, newspaper
headlines of violent crimes ant
bought witnesses would combine tt
convict innocent men on "jobbcd'
evidence, he contended.
Senator c. G. Richie, Sheridan
county, attacked the views of Patter
son and Lynch. "All the argument!
sc far have been in favor of the Grim
NAL" he said. 1--WE protect the Grim
inal or murderer" he said, but asked
How about the innocent man who's,
life has been sacrificed ?"
He went further to charge that i
North Dakota has bumper crop thi!
fall, armed gangs of murdcrers VIII
headquarter in Chicago will raid tn,
banks here that would be filled Will
deposits. Gangs will hunt out NORTH
Dakota for raids if there is no CAPT
tai punishment" he asserted.
Imprisonment Not Enough
Imprisonment is not suffieien
punishment, he said. Prisons hav,
fine parlors and bouquets are PLACED
in cells" Richie said. 1.-THE onl!
punishment is in being behind bars.
lie too attacked newspapers TO
headlining crimes, and added that g
think some of the press stories ar,
down right lies"
ut is a horrible thing to hang
man, but it is more horrible to tax,
an innocent mans life" Richie de
clared.
Senator P. O. Satire, Steele county
also urged passage of the bill. HI
said <ha< hn hoe e,,ff;n:nok Cot :,
jurics to trust them with a man.
life, and asserted that capital punish
nent would act as deterrent t,
crime. 1t would also be the quickes
way to force men who have killed t,
reflect on their crime, he said.
The bill was denounced by Sena
tor j. c. Forbes. Richland county
Capital punishment should foreve
be relegated to the outgrown, out
lived realm Of public evils" he de
clared. Imperfect men have no mora
right to visit vengeance on their fcl
low men," he said.
Forbes contended that most Grim
inals are SO because of some diseas'
of body or mind, and challenged tn
assertion that capital punishment
would act as deterrent to crime
Science, sociology and Christianit!
join voices in righteous condemnation
Of this barbarous, brutal BILL" HI
concluded.
World War Blamed
Senator Hamilton decried the ide,
that some still cling to the ancien
"eye for an eye" attitude. He charged
that much of crime can be traced t
the world war.
He pointed out that the youth 0,
the nation was conscripted and laugh
to kill with every invention Of man
kind. He asked how the state cal
take mans life when the state ha,
taught him to kill. 1.-THE taking of ,
criminals life never brings back on,
drop Of innocent blood" he said.
Senator j. E. Eastgate, Grand Fork.
county, in explaining his vote fol
passage Of the bill, said that he want
ed to go back to the middle ages 0,
further if necessary 30 1--WE can disl
out to some Of these criminals whar
they have coming"
Those voting against the bill were
Senator Atkins, Bakken, Benson
Brant, Carey, Conrath, Croker
Erickson, Ettestad, Fine, Fleckten
Forbes Fredrickson, Hamilton
Hjelmstad, Lynch, McCrory. Magnu
SON, Marshall, Martin, Olson o,
Barnes county, Olson Of Burleigh, OF
SON of Eddy, Pathman, Patten, Patter
son, Peck, Tofsrud, Whitman an<
Wog.
Those favoring its passage were;
Senator's Baird, Bond, Brunsdale