Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1889-02-27
CALHOUN'S DANGER.
EFFORTS MADE TO HAVE HIM
REPRIEvEp.
The Work MIR. Chandler His Attorney
Has Done for Him-The DIM
cultics He Has to Contend
With.

There Is no buster hard working young
attorney In the city al the present time
than Lilburne Chandler, Esq. He is
leaving hO stone unturned that may be of
benefit In his effort to save the life OF
young Calhoun, who is under sentence of
death for committing an unnamed out
rage on Catharine Utz, an elderly Ger
man wowan, and he will be hung Tor the
crime ON Friday, March %, unless Cover
nor Biggs can be induced to grant
ieprieve. Everybody admits that the
case Is bad one and yet there Ia grow
ing sentiment that the punishment In
this case is too severe, and that the
Governor would be justified In extending
executive clemeucy
Anyhow the blood OF Calhoun will not
rest upon Mr.. Chandler's skirts If he 10
hung. He was appointed by the court to
defend Calhoun against his inclinatloDs,
but having been appointed, he did the
best that could have been done by any
attorney for his client II was desper-
ate case from the start The proof was
positive against Calhoun, public feeling
was against him, his dl.solute character
was against him, and In fact every avenue
Of escape seemed to be closed against
him, except the one that he was so Insane
from long debauch that he did not
hhDW "hes ho wan lhC akp vi
the victim and the circumstances vi der
which the crime was committed arc
strong circums antial evidence that this
conclusion is a correct one.
Mr.. Chandler, by his indsfatlgable cf-
forts TO save the life of Calhoun aud
spending his own money and time In the
effort, is creating quite as much symps-
Thy for himself rs for his client. From
the day of bis conviction he has never
ceased working for him. He has called
upon every member OF the jury that con-
vcted Calhoun, and they have all signed
IA petition for his reprieve.
While going around among the Jury
be made the discovery that they bad In
finding their verdict agreed to recon-
mend Calhoun to the mercy of the court
out busy bailif who is sworn not to
speak TO the Jury counseled them and
told them that this would have no fleet,
as In such casts the court had no discre-
ton IN imposing the sentence of the law.
This would have been a strong argument
in favor OF Eew trial had Mr.. Chandler
known Of 1t at the time he made the ap-
plicatiou.
Mr.. Chandler has also letter from
Catharine Utz, the prosecuting witness
in the case, and Calboun's victim, asking
the Governor 10 extend executive elem
ency. Mr.. Chandler is firmly OF the
opinion that the woman did not know
that the penalty was death when the case
was on trial and that when she learned
that fact she gave the letter to the Gov
ernor.
Mr.. Chandler has also procured affida-
Wits from 81 persons before Squire Berto-
lette that they believe Calhoun to be OF
uusound mind. lie also has letters from
| coo business men of the city, represent.
| ing all the leading business establish.
nents, praying for reprieve, and besides
| all these he has general petition signed
| by between 2. 100 and $500 persons, all
| for the same object. Among these
tigners are all the Trustees of the Poor,
| all tie Levy Court members but one, and
nearly all the members OF the City Coun-
ell, city officers, police force and post
Office employees.
With this overwhelming appeal Mr.
i Chandler appeared before Governor Biggs
on Monday and laid the case b, fore him.
he was received politely and kindly by
the Governor, who listened intently to
his earnest plea, and promised to give
the subject careful and serious con.
| sidcration.
| Still Mr. Chandler is extremely anxious
and solicitous, fearing that the Governor
Hay not be induced 10 interpose
he has to meet the argument that
ince Arms trong was hung In 1867 only
one white man (ReidelD has been exc
cuted for capital offence, while numbers
of colored men have been executed for
offences upon the most fllmsy evidence
Some people are 30 inconsiderate as to
say let Calhoun go, he is of hut little
consequence anyhow, and then 1t cannot
lie said that only colored men are hung
in Delaware. Mr.. Chandler does moi
believe that such an argument will have
any effect upon Governor Blggs, but II
has upon certain classes of people. Some
even go so far as to say that the execu-
| tion of Calhoun would be an offset to the
large number Of colored men from the
lower part of the county executed fol
capital offences. These arguments, Il
they can be called such, Mr.. Chandler
main aims, should have no bearing upon
the case of Calhoun. 1t standt alone as
having none In the county compared to
il 10 its peculIarities and surroundings.
He wants 1t to stand entirely upon itf
own merits as It has peculiar claims that
no other case has had.
He combats the idea that Calhoun was
always bad boy, but refers to his Sun
day school teacher, a prominent lady In
the Presbyterian Church, who refers u
Calhoun as willie" and who was q
bright and promising boy when young.
This lady went to see Calhoun after his
arrest, and still spoke to him as If he had
never ceased to be Sunday school
scholar and was still under her instruc
tons.
ore thing is certain, and that is that
Calhoun was fortunate in getting Mr.
Chandler for an attorney. It. is doubtful
If he could have had any other attorn ey
who would have taken so much Interest
In him and who would have made 81
many efforts to save him from an igno
mln!ous death, no matter how the cast
may yet terminate.
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