If ; ' ' .r':\
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DEA1H PENALTY?!
OR HOW ELSE
PUNISH MURDER
By O. F. LEWIS,
General Secretary of the Prison Asso- i
ciatlon of New York
NEW YORK.?Suppose you were ,
governor. You are not a believer
In capital punishment, but the
people of your state have voted
that they want capital punishment
Four murderers are awaiting death at
the state penitentiary. Would you
commute their sentences to life imprisonment?
Four men had been reprieved by
Governor West of Oregon until the
state could vote on the specific question
of the ubolition of capital punishment.
When the "No" ballot outnumbered
the "Y^s" ballots by 20.000.
the governor refused to commute the
BentencoB. On the night before the
execution, far on the Pacific coast, all
night meetings were held to protest
against the "murder" of the four Oregon
murderers. All over the country
people waited with deep concern for
the governor's decision.
Now, Governor West is only Ctte of
many chief executives of our states
who believe that the ancient doctrine
of an eye for an eye and a tooth for
a tooth is barbarous. 1 have before
me "& personal letter from Governor
Dix, dated December 10, 1912. He
writes:
"I am opposed to capital punishment.
It is one of the remnants of
the Biblical injunction, 'A life for a
life, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a
tooth, and a hand for a hand." We
have done away with all of these except
the 'life for a life,' and believe
that society through the process of
law should take a life for a life. To
my mind the real punishment will
come if the capital cases are segregated
in a prison by themselves, cut
off from the rest of the world, and
upon conviction no interference with
that sentence shall prevail."
Trying Time for Governor.
It Is generally known that the days
immediately preceding an execution
are harrowing days for the conscientious
governor. The last futile visits
of the relatives to the only person in
the world that can save the life of the
condemned, the persistent question
is to even the bare possibility of lnnocence,
the grave doubt as to whether
the state should take life, the dread
that the execution may fail to kill
speedily; in short, all the horrible details
of the deliberate killing of a being
that the religions of civilized nations
maintain is inhabited by an inmortal
soul?all these things press
npon him.
"Why should I be forced to evercise
the prerogative of almighty
God?" asks-the chief executive.
I recently made an exhaustive canvass
by letter of the chief executives
of the states, the leading wardens
and superintendents of correctional
Institutions and distinguished criminologists
as to their attitude upon the
death sentence and its execution. T
""Wish to present some of the striking
answers to that canvass today to the
readers of the Sun. for to the citizens
of this state will be surely brought,
either during the legislative session of
101.1 or soon after, the definite question
"Shall capital punishment be
abolished in the state of New York?"
First, then, how do some of our governors
feel?
'Gov Marshall of Indiana writes;
"I am in favor of the abolition of capital
punishment."
Gov . Cruce of Oklahoma is opposed
to capital punishment for all crimes
except criminal assaults on women
"I,egal executions." he says, "are absolutely
Indefensible from the standpoint
of Christianity and modern higher
civilization. The tiino will come
when legal murders will be as unpopular
as midnight assassinations."
Gov. Pothler of Rhode Island writes
that capital punishment was abolished
in that stato forty years ago, and he i
is not in favor of its re-esLabllshment.
Gov. Rurke of North Dakota is opposed
to capital punishment, but Is
not sure that we have arrived at the j
stage of civilization when we can dis
pense with it altogether.
Hadley for Capital Punishment.
On the other hand. Gov. Hadley of
Missouri says that he does not advocate
the abolition of capital punishment
"I believe," says the governor,
"our Missouri system is the best,
which gives to the Jury passing upon
the question of guilt the right to fly
the punishment at death or imprisonment
in the penitentiary for life."
And Gov. Baldwin of Connecticut,
who personifies the judicial humane
severity of attitude toward the crim- I
inal class, is firmly of the opinion
that capital punishment should not be
',\ hnl iahf?H Mo writhe ? ?
..v "ovBn t?n ionowa: |
"As you aro doubtless aware, It hat*
been abolished In some states in for- j
iner years where it was found necessary
quite soon to reinstate it in order
to check the spread of crime. |
Life imprisonment under modern con-j
ditions in respect of the pardoning |
power and credit for proper behavior I
is not life Imprisonment and is not !
dreaded as such. Such crimes as I
murder and rape should be made
dreadful, then they will be dreaded !
and avoided."
Gov. Mann of Virginia finds the death
penalty in accordance with Scripture,
and finds no movement for its abolition
in that state. Gov. Gilchrist of
Florida, Gov. Gary of Wyoming, Gov.
Hay of Washington and Gov, Osborne
Governor Dix, Who Favors the Ab<
of Michigan are o!her executives o|?- I
posed to the abolition of capital pun
lshment.
Now where shall wo stand ou this i
question? Let us go llrst for the an 1
swer to thoae men who have dealt j
with prison populations, men in the ,
service 01 the state and recognized j
by the American Prison association j
are just and progressive.
First, as to those who believe in i
capital punishment. Warden Sale of I
the state prison of North Carolina j
writes as follows: "Persons of crim i
inal tendency, and who would not j
nesitate to commit high crime, would
be less deterred from doing so if they
knew that they would only receive a
life sentence. I believe that to abolish
capital punishment would tend to
increase crime.
Sees Need of Severity.
"The Individual who would steal into
the home at midnight or entice the
innocent into dens of vice and destroy
that which he can't give is unfit to
live in any community and should
therefore pay the penalty by forfeiting
his life. The murderous, danger
ous criminal who after his commitment
to the prison becomes sullen and
morose, refuses to obey rules and regulations
and upon whom punishment
has to be meted out in order to secure
from him a partial obedienco to the
rules grows under these circumstances
worse, becomes desperate and would
take any chance to effect his escape,
even if it were necessary secretly to
take the life of his keeper, for he !
knows that there ie no greater punish
inont than the life sentence and hence
would not mind conuniting any crime
that would secure to him liberty or re
venge for an imaginary worng. Not 1
only would the lives of keepers he
endangered but those of inmates as
well."
Some of the many prison officials
who fear the evil effects of the abolition
of capital punlsmment write
thus:
Fesars Increase of Lynchings.
M. I- Brown, warden of the Wea*'
I Virginia penitentiary: "Human life
would be rendered less secure, and
lynehlngs would increase."
Otis Fuller, superintendent of the
Michigan reformatory: "I favor capital
punishment in extreme oases, especially
where murder was committed
In attempting highway robbery, burglary,
safeblowing, rapo ami such
crimes as that, but I would leave to
the majority vote of the Jury the infliction
of the extreme penalty. Thero
have been many brutal murders in
Michigan in the last ten years where
it appeared to me that capital punish
tnent was the only legitimate penalty. ,
These murderers may escape and may j
subsequently he pardoned pr paroled, |
and again become menaces to the
same society they have outraged "
Governor l>ix has recommended the ,
same punishment in lieu of death, j
Zebulon R. Rrockway, for a score of
years the head of the Elmira Reform
atory, is quoted as having recently
said:
"I believe that there should he a
large, centrally located Federal prison,
or a prison under Federal control.
In which all life prisoners of the
United States should be incarcerated.
I believe that the laws should be so
I framed that the civic life of a murderer
could be terrminated This
should be accomplished by obliterating
their identity. They should be
known only by numbers. They should
be kept in ignorance of the outside
world. They should be allowed to see
im visitors nnil none save Federal in
spectors should be allow<'d to see
them. It should not be known when
they die."
What then. In summing up the ar
guments so far. have been the main
points raised in favor of capital punishment?
Seemingly the following:
1. Death is a greater deterrent than
the fear of imprisonment.
2. Our civilization has not progressed
to the point where wo can
give up the restraining power of the
most severe penalty.
I
?
>lition cf Capital Punishment.
Too many chances exist of the
murderer's freedom through physical
escape, favoritism, parole or pardon.
I. Capital punishment should be
reserved at least for the most brutal
murders.
5. There Is no other adequate pen
alty.
Against the Death Penalty.
I-et us now turn to the arguments
against the death penalty. Two
prominent men in the Held of penology
and criminology have presented
their arguments systematically. First.
Warden Wolfer, for many years head
of the Minnesota State penitentiary,
writes:
"I am and always have been op
posed to capital punishment for the
following reasons:
"1. llecause I do not believe that
capital punishment is in harmony
with and abreast ol the best thought
of modern civilization.
"2 Because it see ins wrong tor the
state in every sense to take what it
cannot give.
"3. Because human life is the
prerogative ot Divine Providence. Oo<l
alone can give it and he alone in hit
divine wisdom lias the right to taU?'
it away.
"4. Because statistics do not show
that capital punishment prevent*
homicides.
Because the whole scheme ol
punishment should carry with it a
chance for repentance and reform
whether the offender is ever releasor
from prison or not."
The leading criminologist in this
country is probably Prof. Charles ft
Henderson of the University of Chi
cago. He is the American representa
tive on the International Prison Com
mission, composed of representative*
of all civilized nations. Dr. Hender
son puts his reasons thus: "1 am op
posed to capital punishment, because:
1 It too often serves revenge
2. Not needed for the protection ol
society.
". Oeeaslnnallv I* infllof rwl ah tin
guiltless
I Ih Irreparable.
5. Tends to increase brutality ant
murder.
G. Diverts attention from proven
tivo policies."
Which brings us to the question
is the murderer the chief factor tt
consider'* In the protection of so
ciety from crime, is the example ol
the punished murderer of greafei
value as a deterrent than the possibh
reformation of the individual.
Hanging Not a Deterrent.
I have a letter from Warden Iloyb
of San Quentin prison. California
written recently, in which he says
'! think It is generally believed thai
the death penalty has not materially
lessened the number of murders com
mittcd in this state."
In conclusion 1 would list the state*
which on my recent canvass I foupt
were without the death penalty: Kan
sas, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Wis
consin.
Prom the following states were re
j reived reports of agitation toward tlu
abolition of capital punishment: Call
| fornia, Colorado, Connecticut, Indiana
Massachusetts. Ohio, Oregon. Wash
ington.
Where capital punishment has heei
i abolished the general dispositlot
! seems to bo not to restore it. Wherr
I it still exists many states scorn we]
! satisfied, many others restless.
The great public of the state m
I New York is the jury.
What shall the verdict he? Kxcru
I tion? Perpetual imprisonment? Irn
| prisonment with some hope of pardor
I or parole?
Wife's Quandary.
Mrs. Kxe?My husband Rot In :
I temper last, night and destroyed mj
j best hat.
Mrs Wye He did! What are yo;
going to do?
Mrs. Kxe?I haven't decided yet
; Tell me, would you get n new hat o
j- a divorce?- liostop Evening Tran
| script.
wis?!?-*. . \wx:
/
EURYTHMY IS THE ~
! POETRY OF MOTION
Musical Gymnastics Followed by
Evanston Society Women.
HUSBAND iS SHOCKED
I i
'Exercises Which at F'rct Called Bath
ing 3u.ts Into Use Now Have Garb
Specially Made?Brown Stocfcings j
arid Mauve Underwear.
Uiuengo t An Kvanston man who '
, las wauled the wife's rapid progress
through club life was startled the othit
day in rummaging about the house
to discover a strange costume he never
had seen his wife wear. The eostuuie
was scanty It consisted of four
yards i t ehiflon. brown stockings, and
a trim little suit of light brown underwear
t lutehiug the evidence in one
hand and his spectacles in another lie
I dashed nto the library.
"Wh what is all this?" lie demanded
The e laid down her eopy of
lleurik lb en
U 111 I... .I....".
. ...J . . rtiiw v lUIIIIJ , 111*11 r UI>
eurythmy suit "
After her husband had revived she
explained sin- had become a member
of Kvunstou society's latest cult. It
is a school of ' rhythmic dancing and
interpretative art."
Three times a week Kvntislou women
seek "eurythmy They hasten to
the studio with small bundles and
line up tie- their study class. The
brown suit represents the tanned skm
of the ancient t J reek, the scarf of chiffon
their costume,
i Vt first the classes performed in
bathing suits, but "eurythmy" could
not be attained in such cumbersome
costumes and the inexpensive Greek
scarfs draped over union suits were
substituted
It isn't dancing." said one of the
wnnp'u. when questioned. "It is a
serious educational theory. Rhythm
is at the bottom of it and rhythm will
discipline the minds as well as the
body.
"Kvery movement means a definite
b?*at in the metrical structure of the
music Tin actions may be read from
music shcts, only we dance the notes
instead of playing them."
"Why I in just crazy about it." said
another It's just the best idea It
C \
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' / .y '.f h i. V I v'r. "
,, >'/"!. .'<; >.W A/lj)
a m m $
: ?. II m I \ '
0Mp>~wj
> " 5> V;.
V ' . i! -i)
Dar.cc t!-e Notes Instead of Playing
Them.
curries out the theory of old Greek
harmony, costumes, and everything.
, and let's you express yourself all over
I rather like the costume because it's
[ comfortable and there's nothing in
the way and it helps the harmony
' You se(. one's feet are keeping
time different from what the hands
are following, and it keeps both sides
. of one's brain at work. There's really
nothing tike it. Isadora Duncan
made a start toward it. but this is
[ much more thoughtful than anything
she ever triml to do After we learn
i lot about 11 we'll i>c able to dance
a symphony, with a chorus for the
i heavy chords and a little solo work.
I It expn . . d just what the composers
wanted to express, and much better
than a pdino can do it "
The pursuit of a dunce In which every
li.tle movement has a musical
> meaning all its own has accomplish
ed wombrs for still another, who
. said:
Why. on!> la t week we were playing
'ha* little child's game at the
i club what i it? o. yes, "Simon says
> thumbs up' And, d'you know. I won
'' t-vi ry game. They just couldn't
I catch nie. That shows how the dance
aches the brain and the muscles
f to coordinate."
? . . ^ . ..
i-ui xo uooa trc.
> Chicago Tlu? Chicago Waiters' as
social ion at tlx? celebration of its
ninth birthday, dedicated ;i library of
iMitn volutins. bought with money obtained
b> rolling champagne corks at
' | * ) ."it) per t housand.
v1 ' .
Too Much Gum Chewing.
"j \ v York. -After ten days in this
!t> Uattbsnake Itiil Wallace said:
, i ia ; homo to Albuquerque be!
; n i- I'm tired seeing New Yorker*
i . ag theii jaws on a piece of chewiug
| mim."
m
MSHING7jl
Collapse of Washington'
- > -E_ .1 i . |
WNSIUNCTON. The collapse or
the "Bachelors" Washington's famous
cotillon club, which for the last
twenty years has established the
standing of the successive crop of
smart society, has been followed by
the establishment of the "Benedicts"
and at last ? tu<?
smart set has undergone the long
threatened pruning. The Bachelors,
according to some reports, "fell of its
own weight." In other words, too
many who could not. muster all the requirements
were admitted to membership
and one by one the "swagger"
element withdrew. The defection began
several seasons ago when Major
Charles Mct'awley, IT. S. M. ('.. who
throughout the Roosevelt regime was
the Beau Brutnmel of Washington,
gate up his membership, tleorge Howard.
son of Lady Howard of Hngland
and kin to the ultra-aristocratic Hlggs
connection, resigned about the same
time, (list Blair, one of the most eligible
bachelors in the country, came a
close third, but these lapses were
made up by the younger army and
navy set.
Y. M. C. A. Puts Ban 01
THIS notice was posted the other
day at the Y. M. C. A. rooms and
dormitory here:
'"Members of the Y. M. C. A. and
visitors to tin* Association building
w ill please refrain from playing or
singing music of the following kind
in or about tho buildngs: "Hltchy
Koo." "Row, Row, Row.' 'Kverybody's
ItQing It." 'When 1 (Jot You Alone ToaigUt.'
"Such songs arc suggestive and not
at all In keeping with the ideals of
i lie Association."
The notice appeared on the bulletin
hoards throughout the Y. M. C. A. dormitory
as .veil as on the announcement
boards In the Association's gymnasium.
pool room, bowling alleys,
turkisli baths, reading rooms and barber
shops.
"The ruling was made," said Secretary
Cooper, "not because any one has
made himself objectionable by per
forming these questionable songs, but
merely to insure that the policy and
moral conditions of the young man
shall be carried out in this detail as in
others. Cor many years I have noticed
a steady lowering in the moral tone
of the average popular song. FormerPlans
to Further Embel
PLANS aro made. and their cxecution
will be proceeded with as soon
as finances warrant, for further erahellishing
flic capitol grounds by the
planting of additional shrubbery. It
should be emphasized that no attack
is contemplated on the design of the
grounds which represents the admlr!
able work of the landscape architect,
Frederick l.aw Olmsted. The layout
of the capitol grounds is satisfactory
to everybody, and the design is venerated
by all the men having In charge
the care and preservation of the
i grounds.
When the capitol grounds, as we
know them, were young, a great deal
>t the plantation was for quick results.
!'h<- results were achieved. Some
hrubhery has developed so that as a
/
Baby McLean's Birthday
B\Mv Vincent Walsh McLean's $10,000
birthday party, given the other
day at 'lie Walsh home in Washingc?!l
eoonrtlu fi\c wnrtrnAtia
"Ml. IM wn' <111 i t"i hwl fcvvuu
itkI ingenious entertainments.
'rifts en me in hundred lots, and in
hundred lots they continued to come
for several days. The greater number
ire yet to he opened for the inspection
of the youthful recipient and a pair of
secretaries will b<* required to get the
notes of thanks off in proper time.
The one best gift of the whole coli
lection, however, is the snow burro
which came as a gift from Mrs. Mc'
Lean to her only son.
A giant white bull moose, white as
-now and terrifyingly natural, shares
'he place of honor with the burro in
1 'he afTections of the young heir This
also was a gift from Mrs McLean and
J is appearance for the first time creat<
d a great sensation.
i i hi? mriiMiiiy ciiKi', wmcn II<t(I Itio
place of honor on the tabic specially
j constructed lor the comfort of the
I 'in; guests, was a real wonder cake,
?? ??? ?+mm . t-^H
A ^ "f F ^
I J 1 i rj
H?^
mit ~x j.
's Famous Cotillon Club
Last year things got worse and even
tbo lances of criticism assailed the
bachelors, whose dances careful moth- i
era considered a bit too blase for tho
debutantes whose coming-out heretofore
bad not been considered nronerlv
accomplished unless "they appeared"
at least at the Bachelors' three yearly
"Germans." The turkey trot was one
of the first wedges, the Introduction of
bridge whist tables where some pretty
high play was possible was another
dislntegratory feature, while the habit
some of the young matrons had of going
out to the smoking rooms and puffing
a cigarette or two between dances
was yet another phase of the bachelors'
later dances which more careful
mothers refused to view with favor.
Anyway this season the Bachelors
fell through, the Inst president, Lawrence
Townsend, former American
minister to Belgium, resigning and the
general committee going out with him
and leaving the old organization with
its new membership floundering.
The Bachelors, under Major McCawloy's
regime, first attained the distinction
of having the mistress of the
White House stand as hostess at one
of the first dances each year. Mrs.
Roosevelt and Mrs. Taft both "received"
for the Bachelors at least
once each season. For "resident hostess"
one of the smartest of the resident
set stood as sponsor while always
the second or third dance had
Tor its hostess the wife of one of the
ambassadors.
i All Suggestive Songs
I f Znnrc 1 i f.
"""? , L?1 fincrew
oonoTa'ic VP J ^ A _ _
j Q|D 6AM
"i "!"' TOR THAT
TE55SS& J? SW *""> ?r
%0; j
ly sheet music was derived from the
operas of Gilbert and Sullivan; nowadays
they seem to come mostly from
the burlesque stage. Twenty-five years
ago many popular songs possessed
considerable merit; today many of
them are unspeakable.
"It is not tho actual, literal meaning
of the words sung that Is objectionable,
but it is the connotation, the
Idea obviously implied, or that one
is led to anticipate, which constitutes
tho peculiarly vicious effect of these
songs. Popular music today is at its
loweHt ebb. But even if it cannot show
brains, it at least can show decency,
and 1 would .welcome any movement
designed to this end."
The Washington Y. M. C. A. has a
membership of 3,000.
lish the Capitol Grounds
| permanent feature it cannot be inI
dorsed by progressive landscape ar|
cliitectB, but even this will not bo
I trifled with. Plant mortality in the
| capital grounds was high last winter.
A large amount of shrubbery was killed
by the long and excessive cold. A
number of troes have been slain by
summer storms, and several were destroyed
or irreparably injured last
summer.
Whenever the replacement of a tree
is determined on a memorial tree will
he set out, with the final result that
memorial groves will surround the
capitol. Last spring a beginning in
this line of work was mado, and in
the east park on the senate side Senator
Bacon planted a willow oak. Vice
President Sherman a purple beech.
Senator Lodge a red oak. Senator
f'ullom an oak, and Senator Wetmore
an Kngllsh beech. At the east front
on the house side Speaker Clark plant'
ed a sugar maple. Representative Can1
non an oak and Representative Browni
ing of New Jersey an oak. There are
1 several tree vacancies In the west
i grounds, and these will be filled by
the planting of remembrance trees
i next spring.
Party Breaks All Records
1' ^
- ?l
with it.B tier after tier of frosted "terraces,"
the pinnacle crowned with a
trio of birthday caudles.
Boxes of cake, with the monogram
of the celebrant, together with quantities
of wonderful toys and marvelous ?v>3|
' mechanical trophies, were given to
; each of the guests as they set off
| home at the close of the afternoon.
Kf>r entertainment there was a circus
with a real clown. Punch and Judy
I . how and a vaudeville entertainment
completed the show. ^
lhifoy McLean is three yeara old and
:< hei* to between ninety and a hu?
jUivd millions.
iS