HANGING FOR MURDERERS.

Westport Times, Volume IV, Issue 691, 30 July 1870, Page 2

HANGING FOR MURDERERS.

(Pall Mall Gazette.) It will be interesting to observe what course we shall now take with regard to hanging murderers after the reprieve of Rutterford. Matters can hardly be considered to stand at present on a satisfactory footing. All murderers are, it is true, liable to be hanged, but the sentence is a mere form as regards murderers with malformations of the throat. If we are logical we shall adopt some mode of despatching our criminals which leaves no loophole of escape for the deformed. It is uncomfortable to think that if A has a grudge against B he can employ C, who has either no chin or a wen on his throat, to rid him of his enemy without fear of the gallows. The next medical board who assemble to report on a case of this nature may also with advantage, express themselves better than their predecessors. According to the report of Messrs Kilner, Cox, and Dr Macnab, in accordance with instructions from the Home Office, they proceeded " to examine James Rutterford, a prisoner now lying under sentence of death, and the cicatrix which he Jias in his neck." We presume the Home Secretary only instructed them to examine the cicatrix, and we are at loss to conceive why they thought it necessary to extend their examination to tho prisoner. They go on to express their opinion that " he cannot be hanged by the ordinary means, for to secure against tho risk of failure and a prolongation of suffering, it will be necessary to use a very considerable and unuaual amount of constricting force before the rope can be adjusted in such a manner as to sustain the weight of the prisoner's body." According to this opinion all risk of failure and prolongation of suffering would be effectually secured against by the very means which they say would involve the contingencies referred to. They

evidently mean that there would, under any circumstances, he a risk of failure, and that the convict's sufferings would be prolonged (not secured against) by applying an extra amount of " constricting force." It would have been awkward for the convict if the report had been interpreted lite, rally ; but as he was sentenced to be hanged by the neck until he was dead, and as Mr Bruce feels doubtful if he has the power either to carry out the latter part of the sentence, or destroy him by other means, in spite of judge, jury, Home Secretary, and bad grammar, Mr Eutterford remains master of the position.