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Show mMmi To Punish Those Who Attack Public Ofiicers Now York, Aut. it. The attempt at assassination of a.Myor Gaynor has resulted already In ng:tatlon here for a more drastic law ror i he punishment punish-ment of criminals of the Gallagher typo and for tho protection of public pub-lic officials. Although the legislature of this state passed a lav,- fixing a penalty of not less man twenly-five years in state priso.i for "attempted murder In the first degree," after tho assassination cf ProFldent McKinley, the attack upon Mayor Gaynor has caused many officials concerned In the ndminiftratlon of the criminal law to advocate a still more severe punishment. pun-ishment. Previous to the or.r.ctmont of tho law, following tho Buffalo tragedy, the mnst severe punishment lhat could have been Inflicted upon Czol gosz had President McKinley lived would luve been a maximum penalty for assault in the f.rsi degree, or ton years In the stale prison. Under the present law ibis penalty is increased to twenty-flvo years, "But this punishment is not severe enough in the case of assault on a public official," says a (statement from Acting District Attorney Frank Moss. "An assault upon an individual is a serious matter, but iho seriousness increases when the executive of a community Is the victim, for then it becomes more than ever an attack upon the whole community. It should be punished accordingly in a more drastic manner than an attack upon an ordinary individual." |