The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-04-11

After an Exciting Debate, the Connecticut
Legislature Decides that Swift Must Hang.

HARTFORD, Conn.,, April 10.-After one of
the most bitter legislative struggles in the
history of the State. it has been decided
that John H. Swift must hang, April Is, for
the murder of his wife. In 1884 Swift mar
ried Katie Mccain, the former being nine
teen years of age and the latter twenty.
They frequently met, but never lived to-
gether, and why they were married was a
mystery. July /, 1887, as Katie was return
ing from her work with two female COM
p~aniOns. she was shot dead by her husband,
after refusing to live with him. Swift
pleaded insanity caused by drink, but he
was condemned to death, and the higher
court upheld the decision. This was the
state of the case when the General Assem-
bly, convened in January. Soon after the
opening of the sessions good-looking young
woman. Mary A. Swift, the sister OF the
condemned man, appeared in the lobby.
She is a teacher in Browns school, and Is
highly respected. Never did woman work
harder to save q loved n than Miss Swift
labored to save her brother from the gal
lows. She was always ladylike and made
a good impression. A petition to commute
Swift's sentence was introduced, and then
the sister began her work in earnest.
During two months she had interviews
WIFI nearly all Oh Uno TWO uuuuICu dliu
seventy-five members of the Assembly,
leaving her school in care of another to
work for her brother. After a long debate
the petition was referred to the judiciary
committee, and it reported almost unanim-
Ously in favor of Communication. This was
Miss Swift's first victory. Then came the
action of the Senate, which sustained the
report by a vote of IA to 9. The House con-
CURED by a vote of lib to JOG. and every
body believed the sister had saved the
raoIy Of hor, ~ ,,rdaronc hrnfhar The oIn-
nature Of Governor Bulkely was all that
was needed, or the resolution would be-
come a law in three days without being
signed by the Governor. The House passed
hay on the table during Friday, when the
House adjourned until Tuesday, and that
day it was sent to the Governor. The Gov
ernOr reprieved the condemned man until
the 18th and vetoed the resolution. The
Senate committee passedth resolution over
the veto by practically the. same vote as
before, and but one more vote was neces-
sary to make Miss Swift's efforts a COM
plete success. Another vote was taken yes
terday afternoon and dashed all the hopes
a and Yesterday @nda 'ns Miss 0sn swift V0S Was
actively at work, and wrote letters
to all members urging them to vote for her
House yesterday afternoon were packed to
suffocatiOn, many ladies being among the
audience, as every one knew the deciding
vote was to be AIKEN. For three hours the
resolution was debated, and many bitter
u~tterances were made. The Governor was
called a coward for vetOing the bill. and
Mr.. Hill, of Stamford, the orator of the
House, said if Swift was hanged, his bloc d
would be upon the members who voted to
sustain the Governor. Mr.. Durand, of
Milford, said he had voted to m the
sentence because of a promise made to
another member, but now that he had full
filled his promise he would not again vote
to save Swift. During the vote there was
the utmost suspense. Many spectators kept
tally, and the %evenness of the vote was re-
| markable, until TOlland and Middlesex
counties were reached, when Swifts fate
was decided by q majority of "a votes, and
there fell a dead quietness on the House.
1t is possible that counsel for Swift may
| raise the technical question of the resolu-
ton becoming effective on account of the
expiration of the three days from the time
it was received by the Governor and the
day of the veto. 1t was sent to Governor
Bulkely at 1:3O o'clock, on Tuesday after
| noon; and his veto reached the Senate at IL
o'clock on Friday morning. Swift's sister
is at home heart-brOken, and his mother
does nothing but weep.
The resolution introduced in the House
yesterday to reconsider Swift's case was
to-day withdrawn and both houses adj
journed. Swift's ceunsel will appeal to the
Supreme Court for a decision ON the ques-
tion as to whether or not the resolution
committing Swift's sentence to imprisOn-
ment for life did not become a law at mid
night of Thursday last.