The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1928-01-18
(Minneanolis Journal)


In New York Ruth Snyder and Henry Gray
have just paid with their lives, in the electric
chair, for the murder Of the woman's husband.
Out in California, the monster Hickman pos
lures as an irresponsible imbeclle, seeking
futilely, we hope-to escape explation at the
end of q rope for the most fiendish crime IN
the history of the state.
And between the two coasts Cincinnati re-
Gently saw jury all but pin medals on Remus,
the wife slayer.
These cases direct attention to the seeming
" endless controversy over the wisdom Of in
flicting capital punishment for first degree
murder. In the handful OF states, including
Minnesota, that have abolished the death pen
atty, there is continual agitation for its restor-
alton. In most of the states that have re-
tanned the death penalty, there are recurrent
attempts to have it abolished.
In the press, in magazines, in legislative
! halls. and elsewhere, the debate goes on. IN
The Journal, last Sunday, Clarence barrow,
able controversialist, albeit with weakness
for furnishing his own "facts," got this one
off his chest:
AS a theoretical proposition without the
imminence Of death, most all men and
women prefer death to long imprisonment.
There is certainly much less fear of death
than of long imprisonment in the mind OF
one who is about to kill.
/ Mr.. barrow says this can be proved by ask
ing a dozen men and women Well. We asked
q dozen men and women and they all were most
emphatic in preferring imprisonment to death.
Mr. barrow offers, as further proof, the ad'
mitted fact that an armed burglar will kill.
and thus invite execution, to escape an arrest
for HOUSEKEEPING that would bring only a
lprison term.
Which is no proof at ALL The burglar in this
instance merely takes the chance OF his trade
! Depending on his ability to escape subsequent
capture as a murderer, he kills and goes his
way. He CANDLES vague possibility OF exc
Icution against fair certainty of incarceration
If burglars really did prefer death to I'M
, prisonment, then most convicted burglar
, would try suicide. As Mr. Darrow very we!
{ knows, most convicted burglars do not try sui
eide. i, !,
) But this eminent defender Of the suddenl!
; and conveniently insane this man who has VOL
t fame and fortune helping murderers sideste
! the gallows he so eloquently condemns, scarce
5 " need conjure up hypothetical cases out Q
e his imagination to demonstrate the soundnes
{ or unsoundness of his contention that the k1lle
; prefers death to life imprisonment. Let hir
e but delve into his own recent experience for
e real case.
e It was Of course, because they preferre
i death to life imprisonment, that Loeb and Lex
!, pold induced their families to pay Mr.. Darro
q princely fee for making the state penitel
tiary. instead Of the gallows, the destination
e these two fiends. Il was, Of course, because I
Il preferred death to imprisonment, that one
le the two boys boosted to policeman that the
il would ret their case before friendly judge
te and 90 to prison instead Of to the death hous
. liz reasons logically. But not when he sets 9!
= Ito prove that the average criminal fears Il
modern prison more than he fears being p
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