" HANGING JOHNNY " [To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.]
Sra,—It is quite easy to hang a couple of innocent people -in a novel, but how often does it really happen that an innocent man or woman is hung ? It seems to me the public, in their sympathy for the murderer, forget his victim hurried out of life without any warning, for greed or some other equally low motive. If you do away with capital punishment you do away with the sanctity of human life. The murderer does not think of his victim and knows the risk he runs ; and, pre- sumably, having counted the cost, takes the risk. Why sym- pathize with him when he is caught out ? In thirty years' police service in India I never heard of an innocent man being hung, so, with all due deference to Mr. Gilbert Thomas and those who think with him, I venture to think capital punish- ment should not be abolished.—I am, Sir, &c., R. RICIIARDSON, Punjab Police, Retired List. 11 Raleigh Terrace, Exmouth.
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