Capel, Thomas

JOHN, an English divine of the Roman Catholic Church, was born at Hastings, England, Oct. 28, 1836. He became one of the founders and vice-principals of St. Mary's College, Hammer smith, in 1854. During an absence on the Continent, where he had gone to regain his health, he established a Catholic mi ion at Pau, and was appointed chaplain. After his return to London he attracted overflowing congregations by his oratorical powers. He was appointed chamberlain, and in 1873 domestic prelate, to the Pope, with the title of Monsignor. At the Vatican, during the Ecumenical Council, a course of lectures which he delivered drew immense audiences. In 1873 the Catholic public school at Kensington, London, was established by him. He received the appointment as rector of the Roman Catholic University College, at Kensington, and has made many converts to his church from all cla es of society. Capital Punishment. The death punishment for crime. It has been applied for many offences and in many ways. Murder has been punished by death from the earliest times, and execution for this crime still prevails. Treason or rebellion against the lawful government has also been thus punished since prehistoric times. In the past centuries counterfeiting, forgery, mail-robbery and many minor offences were thus punished, even petty larceny being in some countries atoned for by death, while divergence from established religious opinions has led to the capital punishment of many you sands. The method of execution has varied greatly. In ancient times crucifixion and still more cruel punishments were common. In the med iæval period burning to death was the usual punishment for heresy. In modern times cruel methods of capital punishment persist in China, while in Japan the offender, in some instances, was formerly condemned to take his own life by disembowelment in the presence of officials. At present the usual mode of punishment for military offences is by shooting. Decapitation on the block, formerly prevalent for political offences by people of rank, is preserved in France in the punishment by the guillotine. In Spain the garrote is used, the spinal cord in the neck being pierced. Hanging, however, is the most widely prevalent mode of capital punishment. In the States of New York and Ohio it has been replaced by electrocution, all condemned murderers being now put to death in those States by the electric shock. Many persons at the present day oppose capital punishment under any circumstances, and it has been abolished in some States, as Rhode Island, Maine and Wisconsin, also by the governments of Holland, Portugal, and Brazil. What effect this abolition is likely to have on the commi ion of crime is not yet demonstrated. In several of our States the death penalty is still inflicted for other crimes than murder, such as rape, arson, a ault with intent to kill, mayhem, and in some cases simple robbery, burglary or perjury. Capitalism, n. ( Polit . Econ.) The power of concentrated wealth. An economic system which promotes the concentration of capital in a few hands, and the centralization of power which wealth confers.