The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1935-04-20
TRRn DOOMED MAN DENOUNCES HIS ACCUSER FROM GALLONS
STATE STIRRED
BY SERMON
Of VICTIM
District Officials and Members
Of Congress "See No Good"
! In Method of Execution

III WElIIUu VI EACCulIUII
From many leaders of the Dis
trict's legislative, administrative
and social life today came con-
domination of the spectacle of a
public nging yesterday in
Smithland, KY. The criticism
was unanimous. The opinion eX-
pressed was that such a procedure
has no place in a civilized coun-
try.
Few Of those asked to COM
ment knew the name of the o.
year-old boy who was hung for
criminal assault on the wife Of
a Kentucky merchant. In his
name they were not interested.
Their statements were directed
not against capital punishment,
but against the spectacle OF a pub
lie execution.
Assailed by Hazen
Voicing his censure of the pub
lie execution, Commissioner Mel
win C. Hazen termed it reVersion
TO 0arOarlSm. He SAID:
II think it is terrible. The
public display of a man being
put to his death is a custom
which could we'll be left in the
dark memory of the Dark Ages.
Far from effecting respect for
the law and fear of crime such
q spectacle leaves one only with
o feeling of deep revulSiOn."
Commissioner George E. Allen
said the hanging seemed revolt
ing. He said, however:
81 know too little of the
circumstances to comment on
the execution"
JOHNSON ASTONISHED
A note of establishment was
voiced by DR.. Hayden johnson,
president of the Board of Edu-
cation. Himself an attorney of
many years practice and of out
standing prominence in the COM
munity, DR.. johnson said:
cat common law public hang
ings were the custom. 1 was
surprised to learn that such
practices still exist in Ken
lucky. 1t was outrageous that
such thing could have hap
pened in a land dedicated to
the good of humanity and the
advancement of civilization"
Opposed BY Logan
Senate and House Judiciary
Committee members joined in
condemning the hanging.
Leading the attack was Senator
M. M. Logan CD of Kentucky,
whose State had demanded and
succeeded in placing the moose
around the neck of the youth con-
victed of criminally assaulting a
woman. He stated:
"That hanging had no moral
effect on either the people who
were eye-witnesseS to it or those
who have read its details. No
good can come of it. On the con-
trary, I think the incident has
caused Q lot of harm"
Senator George w. Norris (R0,
Nebraska, echoed his Democratic
colleagues sentiments:
I'm against hanging of any
sort in principles and 1 queS-
ton whether a man convicted
of even firSt-degree murder
should die suspended from the
gibbet.
"The conviction of DeBOe
probably will have deterrent
effect on those who might con-
template similar crimes, but 1
seriously doubt whether hang
ing him will have any such ef-
feet. This is especially true with
public hangings such as &C.
CURED in SmithIand yesterday.
/ don't believe in them"
Robson Critical
John M. Robson, Republican
Representative from Kentucky,
also was critical of his home
States action. He said:
Kentucky law preScribeS
hanging for such Offenses and
! think this law is all right.
But I don't think it's all
right to hang a man in public
as DeBOe was hung, LecauSe /
doubt whether such a hanging
can have any beneficial effect
on the public. Except for neces-
Sary illnesses. no one should be
allowed to look on such a sight"
Representative Andrew j. Mon
tague CD Virginia, agrees with
his fellow member of the House
Judiciary Committee, stating:
I'm Virginia, executions are
held in private and I'm firmly
Of the conviction that this is
the only way in which an ex-
ecutiOn should be conducted.
The old theory of the deterrent
effect which public hangings
have on other criminals is be-
ing discounted by eminent
criminOlOgiStS. There can be
no good moral effect from the
Smithfield affair.""