Visions of America: Public Representations of the United States Circulating in India from 1870-1900Main MenuVisions of AmericaRepresentations of America in India from 1880-1910IntroductionProject VisionIndian Newspaper ArticlesTimelineTags and TrendsTour content by major themesRadial VisualizationGrid VisualizationAdam Heidebrink-Brunodda1366ced630ae12c01119b6003cad348b8379cMareesa Miles07f5b1d62871cea403a104a2f291b405512e6016
Fact and Opinion: An American Death Sentence
12017-04-21T12:42:20-04:00Mareesa Miles07f5b1d62871cea403a104a2f291b405512e6016822plain2017-04-28T12:10:47-04:00Mareesa Miles07f5b1d62871cea403a104a2f291b405512e6016They manage a good many things differently on the other side of the Atlantic to what we do on this, and the report given by the American papers of an address lately made by a judge in New Mexico to a prisoner sentenced to death is an illustration. The jury having found the prisoner guilty-- of what crime is not stated -- the judge, in passing sentence remarked, addressing the criminal that "generally it is painful to have to sentence a human being to death!" In this particular instance, however, the magistrate continued, it was quite a different matter and the tribunal experienced a thrill of job in condemning him to die. It had been, he added, the intention of the tribunal over which he presided to recommend the soul of the man at the to Divine mercy. But on reflection, this would not be done, it not being considered advisable to assume the responsibility of asking Divine Providence to be more merciful towards a guilty person that a jury of his fellow citizens had been. As a last consolation, this singular magistrate assured the prisoner that it was useless for him to hope that a Supreme Being would have mercy on his soul, or to take any measures to prepare to meet his end. Having concluded this really remarkable address, the judge politely wished the prisoner goodbye, and he was led out of Court. Whatever may have been the man's crime, he ought, surely, not to have been deprived of the hope of Divine mercy held out to the worst of criminals. --Evening Standard.
From The Pioneer. Republished from Evening Standard. Saturday April 4, 1891. Page 6.