Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-01-03
Action Taken in the Camden Muir
derer's Case.
A REPRIEVE At THE LAST MOMENT
Reaction Overpowers the Con-
demned Man.
WHAT JUSTICE SHIRAS SAYS

CAMDEN, NJ j.. January IA half hour
before the time set for the execution Of
Theodore Lambert in the county jail this
morning a stay of proceedings, granted by
Justice Shiras in Washington. until March
A. was served on Sheriff Barrett. AT that
time a score of witnesses had assembled In
the execution room. Notice OF the stay
was given Lambert by his counsel, Lawyer
Sample. The condemned man fell to the
floor in a faint, fl ON which he recovered
In a few minutes by the use OF stlmu-
liant. He fell into a second faint, IN winch
he remained for nearly hve minutes. VI,
being revived ne shouted, Glory 10 Zoo,
and then fell on the neck OF his counsel
kissing him.
Lambert's mind has been Temporarily
turned by his good fortune. Since learning
that he has two months more 10 hVe ne nas
not been able to talk intellgenty. ne
shouts and sings at turns. County Physi-
clan Jones has him under treatment.
After leaving the Jail Lawyer Sempie
went to Lambert'S home, where MS Hothe'
was awaiting the news OF her SOL . eXecu-
ton, the lawyer having previously promised
to come to her Immediately after IL hdu
taken place. When he entered sne crleo
is he dead yet? i thought ne Wouio Ao'
be hanged until 10 o'clock.
When told of the stay she fell ike log
ON the floor. physician had to be called
to restore her to consciousness. she Weht
at once to the jail with the lawyer anu the
mother and son were permitted 10 nave
tbeir meeting alone The scene was affect
ing Mrs. Lambert refused TO leave TIE
cell of her son. and she was allowed 10
remain with him.
Lawyer Semple's efforts to save his
clients life have been extraordinary. He
claims that Lambert Is legally dead. Inc
date first set for his execution was De-
cember IL. Lawyer Semple asked Tor a re-
prieye which the governor at first refused
tbao "a ha
case, as the thirty days limit from the
time of his conviction had expired. Lawyer
Semple claimed that conviction dated from
the time of sentence and not from the time
of the rendering of the verdict, in which
case time since sentence was only twenty
days. The matter was referred to the at
torney general, and he took the same view
of the case as held by Semple. The re-
prieve was then granted. After December
13, the day on which Lambert was to be
executed, had passed, Lawyer Semple took
the opposite ground that conviction did
not date from sentence. but from the time
of the rendering of the verdict. AS the
day set for the execution had passed, LAM
bert was legally dead.
He exhausted every means provided In
New Jersey to save his client on the technf-
cality a fortnight ago. and then appealed
to the federal court, raising the same point
which had been dismissed in the New Jer-
sey courts. He went before Judge Dallas
In Philadelphia on yesterday. but was re-
went to Washington and called on Justice
Shiras of the Supreme Court and was re-
ferred back to Judge Dallas. He remained
in Washington, however, and shortly be-
fore IL o'clock succeeded in having the
stay granted He took midnight train
and reached here early this morning, but
did not serve the writ on the sheriff until
$50 this morning.
Justice shiras' Action.
In speaking today of his action in the
Lambert case, Justice Shiras said: II did
not interfere with the state court in grant
ing Lambert's counsel the provisional writ
of error which has operated as stay OF
execution. In the haste with which the
original application for writ OF habeas
corpus was urged no record was made in
Judge Dallas court. Without this record
could not interfere, although In criminal
cases the defendant is entitled to the writ
of error which is merely formal pro-
ceeding. When Lambert'S counsel called
upon ME last night there was no time to
send him back to Judge Dallas court. His
client would meanwhile have been hanged.
Therefore / issued to him writ of error
contingent upon the completion of the
record in the court. / did not take into
consideration the merits of Lambert's case,
which was not before me. l merely made
IL possible for the condemned man to avail
himself of such advantage as, had the pro-
ceedings been regular, he would have been
clearly entitled to-