Rensselaer Republican, Volume 17, Number 32, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 April 1885 — Shall the Sentence be Commuted? [ARTICLE]

Shall the Sentence be Commuted?

Editor Bejntbliccm: —la the Jasper County Jail lies a man under sentence, thei severest the laws of Indiana, under any circumstances, can impose. Such is the horror with which the people of this state look upon murder, that they have seen fit to mako it, with treason, a capital offense. That crime must be punished in some way, will not be questioned ; but in the above case, the manner of punishment is called in question. We think the law contemplates capital punishment only in agravated cases of murder. All the circumstances- surrounding the case in question: the deliberate preparations, the mode of perpetrating the crime, the final disposition of the body, and especially the hiding of the clothes, all tend to show that the whole affair was a matured plan, a deliberate, premeditated murder. The grounds of-objection to the severe judgment are: that the perpetrator jof this horrid crime was ignorant of its enormity; that he had not the mental capability to comprehend it. The story of the crime causes these groundless assertions to fall unsupported. The associations of .this man. the church to which he adheres, hold in deepest flabhorronco such atrocilies; can it be possible that he has never been made acquainted with the enormity of murder? It makes no difference, for the purposes of this case, whether we believe in capital punishment or not. Personal feeling and personal beliefs must not, and of right should not enter into thismatter; that was not the point involved;' neither can the fact, that some one will be forever disgraced. If personal sympathy, sentimental emotions, unbelief in a certain mood of punishment are to control the actions of our courts, there will never be a criminal punished hence forth fir ever. There are -always a few who are involved, indirectly, with the criminal himself-, by dint of kinship, either by blood or marriage. Are the likes or dislikes ©f these few going to rale, and even overturn, the decisions of our courts? Is the unbelief of a Tew of our citizens in capital punishment to cheat the gallows of its dues? The Court realized the solemn responsibil - ity imposed upon it—that its sentence sealed the doom of this man. The Court did its duty; its judgment should be upheld; the majesty of the law reign supreme.

M.

A fine tombstone, of most unique design, lias just been completed, and is now ready for erection in Weston cemetery, for Mr. Simon. Phillips, in memory of his late 'wife. Jt is matte of Eliisville limestone, is eight feet high, and of corresponding size. It represents the lower portion of a large tree, broken off at the top, and with broken branches. Ivy and morning glory vines clamber up the trunk, and in an upper fork, rest two mourning doves. The mon-ument-is the work of our Iff ns seiner marble worker, Mr. Henry Mackey, and gives great credit to his abilities in his profession.

Among the items in the specific appropri ation bill, of the late Legislature was one allowing to S. P. Thompson, of this place, SofXJ for services as attorney, in the matter of escheating to the state a cartain estate in Newton' county*, several years ago. Owing to Mr. Thompson’s prompt action at the time, the state became possessed of property to the value of several thousand dollars, which it would otherwise have lost. As the bill finally failed -to pass, Mr. Thompson, in company with a good many other creditors of the state will have to wait for Iris money at least two years longer.

When Baby waa sick, we gars bor CASTORIA When slio was a Child, she cried for C ASTORIA When she became Miss, she citing to C ASTORIA WUca dio hid CMFIron, sin gave them CAST’A ... . tlfc *T- .A | . • v ;; * *'■ '' ‘ * ‘ j I The witnesses in the cases of the Travelers' Insurance Co. versus Ak Si Dent Al Inju-ie hi this bailiwick,are all well known and liv. among us. They comprise merchants, mechanics,, farmers, physicians, laborers, cattle dealers, clerks, rail .road employees and d ruggists. More than 50 cases have already becu tried and disposed of, upbu ex parte evidence, wi»h dhe company’s :igen*s for judge and jurymen. In every ease the claimant has been awarded and paid the kli.l amount of his or her claim. It* will surprise many that the?.* claims, paid”at Rensselaer, aagreg.-ie thousand a of dollars* The money has been paid to-the injured, except ih one case, it was paid to his widow. 'fho narrn 8 of claimants and the auiou.,i received by each are recorded iu y book for tliit purpose, and open to,he inspection of the public. It demonstrates. the wisdom of accident > insurance, which can bo Eotighfci*' any qu entity to suit the puru t the Doan atid Jnshfance Fmank W. jMh •’ ... » . ' ‘v ‘