116 years
ago on this day (17 November 1896), the Hanging Judge of the American Old West,
Sir Isaac Charles Parker passed away. He would have been 174 years old today!
In memory of him, I will post two quotes from him.
QUOTE
1:
I have ever had the single aim of justice in view...
'Do equal and exact justice,' is my motto, and I have often said to the grand
jury, 'Permit no innocent man to be punished, but let no guilty man escape.’ [September 1, 1896, reported in Homer Croy, He Hanged Them High
(1952), p. 218.]
QUOTE
2: The
object of punishment is to... lift the man up; to stamp out his bad nature and
wicked disposition. [Letter to U.S. Attorney
General Augustus Hill Garland (May 27, 1885).]
AUTHOR: Isaac Charles Parker (October 15, 1838 – November 17, 1896) served
as a U.S. District Judge presiding over the U.S. District Court for the Western
District of Arkansas for 21 years. He served in that capacity during the most
dangerous time for law enforcement during the western expansion. He is
remembered today as the legitimate "Hanging Judge" of the American Old
West. In 21 years on the bench, Judge Parker tried 13,490 cases, 344 of which
were capital crimes. Guilty pleas or convictions were handed down in 9,454
cases. Of the 160 (156 men and 4 women) sentenced to death by hanging, 79 were
actually hanged. The rest died in jail, appealed, or were pardoned.
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