Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-01-19

papers aud led the way to the cells of the
four boys. They were sleeping soundly |
and were in terror when awakened, think
ing that they were about to be hanged by |
q mob.
The officers tried to alay their fears, but
they were not sure of their escape from
the gaiows until they found themselves
on board the LatrObe. They were told to
dress as quickly as possible, and in few
minutes we're on their way to the steamer,
which they reached inst % minutes after
she had touched her wharf. No time was
lost. The ropes were cast of and the
l4atrobe started on hhr return to Baltimore.
She reached the d tr ice Of the harbor
about | o'clock III h afternoon, and at
Las was tied up iGer I, Light street
wharf. The central district patrol wagon
was summoned, and the four boys, accom-
panied by Captain Cadwallader, Detectives
Humphrey, Hagan and Seibold and ser
gpaat i;ilbert, were driven to the peniten-
tiarV, where they arrived at 2.l5 clock,
aud, by direction oil Warden Weyler, were
| taken at oHGe to the bathroom. They
aiterward had their halr cut close and
| their cloJhing was exchanged Tor suits OF
| the regulation stripe! clothing. To-day
| the boys vii, be photographed and meas,
| urel by the Bcrtilion system They Will
| also undergo physical examination ana
/ then be assigned TO work.
/
In speaking of his action in committing
the sentences, Governor Brown said: After
my visit to y'aeStertoWn last week ! made
ZIP my mind 70 commute the sentence OF
the folr boys To imprisonment for life
| While holding this view ! communicated
i; "a no one fearing ii the impression got
abroad that the boys were not to be hanged
tho people OF Kent county might i'll theiI
excited condition resort to some extreme
| mn fka
were many IN the first place had beer
told that the boys We're strong, robust ant
weil-developed physically; that their dis
positions were naturally vicious, and that
if not punished for this crime their in
T clinAtions would sooner or later promp
, them 10 another equally as brutal.
! found the boys to be puuy, weak striplings
, physically incapable OF committing |
crime Of this kind If left 70 themselves
and without sufficient intelligence TO az
: preGiate what Il conspiracy meant, All
! satisfied that whatever part they took wa
y prompted by the older heads and, Will
: they may have stood by and witnessed tn
: crime they did SO not because they sane
/ toned it. but because they had not sens
7 enough to protest or 50 away.
y While in Chestertown l was given
great mass OF confessions made by til
Z; prisoners under various circumstance
y Many OF these confessions were not sui
a. United 10 the court AZ all, ana llai no pa
~ iii aiding that tribunal in reaching its col
ct clnsions. All these papers ! have car
Of fully examined, and ! find them very col
y flcLing. do not question the verdict
~ the court. Technically the verdict was
n just one based on the evidence suDmitte
ID When the ease came before me, howeye
n. | was not Tied down by close rules Of la
IN and practice, but was privileged To take
4, broader view and judge of it more us
% court Of equity than as court Of Ia
n n Taxing this view, ! cannot say that co
as spiracy was fully established, and witbo
nk this the boys Caunut be said To be equal
in guilty with the men,
Il have acted in the case and feel no
of greet at the conclusion reached, II ha
by erred il is on the si,le Of mercy, lam s.
az that the boys We're brought safely to la
es- more, and sincerely hope that no simi
in case will come before me during the
ere mainder of my term"