The evening world., 1888-07-07
THERE MAY STILL BE HOPE.
ANOTHER PETITION FOR THE COMMUTA.
TON OF cIGNARALEs SENTENCE.

Vno fFuytE bNh betu EoEWbtuou 10 tNO
Governor, and an Answer May Soon \ ,
Exprcted-How the Thoughts Of Dread
full Death Unnerve the Prisoner-But She
Had n More Cheerful Day Yesterday.
1.-THE petition to Gov. Hill, asking for q
r%ommutatiop of Chiara Cignarale's sentence
from the death penalty to imprisonment for
life, has been sent, and we are expecting o
decision every day now" said LAWYER Joe
Moss to an EVENING WORLD reporter this
morning.
There was a long list of signers to the
petition, and among them were some pretty
prominent names. A good deal of interest il
felt in her case. Mr.. Howe sent to Gov.
Hill a petition for mercy. signed by the
twelve jurors in her case, some time ago, and
the Governor told him to exhaust legal
measures first, then apply for pardon. The
answer may come any day now, and, of
course, the petitioners have high hopes that
the executive c!emency may intervene to
rescue the woman from hanging"
Chiara Ciguarale Is the most interested per-
son, beyond all question, in the success Of
The petition. The shadow of death that hangs
over her is prostrating the poor creature
with the utmost dread. Like most Italians.
she has q horror OF death, and presented to
her eyes in the form of strangulation on the
gallows, 1t is frightful in contemplation.
She is wasting away with the terrible
thought and is weak and languid. II she is
hanged she will have to be carried bodily to
the scaffold and held while the rope is ad-
justed around her neck. She has not nerve
enough to face the dreadful ordeal with any
courage.
The Fourth of July wearied her. The con-
slant popping of of firecrackers, with the oc-
casional sharp crack of one of the kind that
Broker Beckwith uses, Jared on her jaded
nerves and she was weaker and more nervous
than usual.
She slept we'll, however. and yesterday felt
hopeful, and showed more vitality than she
has for some days. Several people visited
her and chatted cheerfully in a way to revive
her spirits. Among them were Mrs. Alex
ander and Mime. Collia. who have been 80
earnest in her behalf from the 8 art. Before
they left the sacerdotal figure of Father
Anacletus, the confessor and spiritual ad.
wiser of Chlara, entered the little cell.
The priest eonversed with his dark-eyed
penitent for an hour, and left her soothed
and in a good frame of mind. Her appetite,
too, although she doesn't eat enough for an
ant, was sharper, and the morsel of bread
and the cup of good tea which she took were
enjoyed.
Occasionally she takes q glass of Chants
wine, which the kind charity of some friend
has supplied her with. She has all of an
Italians relish for good wine, and it benefits
her.
Chiara does not speak often of the oommu-
tation Of her sentence. although there is no
doubt that as she lies tossing on her iron bed
she often thinks of the message which will
rescue her from the gallows, even though it
consigns her to lifelong imprisonment.
Her little daughter has not been to see her
for nearly a fortnight. The interviews be-
in some respects p easant. My poor child"
CHAR will ray over and over when her little
girl visits her, passing her hand over her