Evening journal., 1897-02-16
NEWS Of NEW CASTLE
LIFE HANGSBY A THREAD
Thomas Willis May Be Re-
prieved BY the Governor.
WAITING FOR THE OOURT no AOT

GOVERNOR TUNNELL EXPRESSES
HIS WILLINGNESS TO COMMUTE
THE SENTENCE ON ANY RECON-
MENDATION OF THE COURT
MEssRs. MARVEL AND WHITE
MAN JEALOUS.
Thomas Willis. colored. 3S years old.
sentenced to death for killing his little
daughter, Callie, may be reprieved by
Governor Tunnel tomorrow in time to
prevent the erection of his scaffold If
not. Willis will be hanged about IL
o'clock on Friday morning. on the same
scaffold from which Wright swung into
eternity on New Years day.
There are some circumstances in the
case Of Willis which have started a
strong undercurrent of feeling for the
condemned man. and the belief that
the authorities will not let the man
hang. A reprieve for fifty years, with
the death sentence still hanging over
him, Is conceded to be punishment fit
ting the crime inasmuch as il was in
fanticide and not cold-blooded homi-
eide concluding that the man is guilty
although he still stoutly denies his
guilt.
WILLIS JURY OBJECTING.
But the jury Of New Castle county
which convicted Willis Is now objecting
strenuously to his execution. One juror
said to a reporter yesterday that, with
out rejecting for cne moment on the
dignity OF the court, the jurors felt that
the court had led them into a misappre-
hension Of conditions.
] rofH b 1,r
( juror, I'VE sent to the court asking if
it would accept a recommendation of
mercy. The reply was in the affirma-
tive. We Immediately concluded that
the court would officially communicate
those facts to the governor, if it was
not its power to extend the mercy rec
commended. These high authorities are
far more experienced in the study and
observation of crime and what they dc
must be right.
Willis jury consisted OF Walter w
Morgan, Charles Miller, Daniel NJ
Cochran, ElwOod r. Hawthorne
Thomas Y. Messimer Benjamin Bond
William c. Deakyne, Vincent Moore
Louis II. Day. George f. Wilson anC
Isaac Elliott.
COUNSEL URGING CLEMENCY
Attorney Josiah Marvel came up the
Delaware road from Lewes last night
having had a personal interview witt
Governor Tunnel. To-day Mr. Marve
went down to Dover to appear again
before the governor, while his associ
ate. Attorney Harry Whiteman. wa.
working up public sentiment at tn
Wilmington end. These young lawyer
have eXerted themselves night and day
] u ftau a III ci Il
save the life of Willis
THE GOVERNORS POSITION.
1t Is understood that Governor Tun
nell holds that If there are any ex
tenuating circumstances, the court vii
certainly communicate with him an
make such recommendations as tn
verdict of the jury demands. Other
wise, the executive will not act. MI
Marvel has, therefore, urged that tn
governor reprieve the man thirty day
that, as soon as Judge Cullen recover
from his indisposition, he and MI
Whiteman can appear before all fou
judges of the Court of Oyer and Term
ner to urge that official cOmmunicS
ticns be sent to the governor settin
forth the circumstances of Willis cor
victiOn
To-day Mr.. Whiteman will go befoi
the court in chambers while Mr.. Ma
vel is pleading with the governor
CONDEMNED MAN LOSES NERVI
Meantime Willis has undergone
partial collapse. Although protesting
20 change of heart, the man has been le
to fully believe he viii be reprieve
and has never realized his position III
til the thought seemed to strike hi
, yesterday that this was his last wcC
IL on earth. He is not a strong-minds
or cOol-headed man. and those WI
know him believe that he will collap
entirely and make q scene at the exec
- ton If hang he must.
ID Night Warden G. +. Bowers stat
J. that last night was a nervous al
N sleepless one for the doomed man. I
spent most of the time in nervous
reading and thumbing his Bible al
pacing his CELL Both his nerve and
appetite have fOrsaken him.
Willis was born in Virginia abo
thirty-eight years ago, and grew to
= a tall. muscular and supple man. weig
ing over 200 pounds He is marie
but his wife left him some time as
o., taking with her their first-born chi
and leaving little Callie with hi
~ Every day he receives spiritual advi
from. Da,ra A ~, hrnca and ITaH