The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-12-09
SMALL WILL NOT HANG TODAY
GOVERNOR GAMBLER GRANTS 4
RESPITE UNTIL JAN. IL.

the Record for HimseIf-sOIicitor
General oshorne's strong Protest
to the Governor-In,pIcmcn OF
Escape Found on Small by Sher-
ms Omccrs-The Condemned Man
Feels Vow That He Was Not Born
to BE Hung.
Abe Small will not hang to-day. This
man who has been thrice convicted Of
murder and upon whom implements of
escape from jail were found by the sher-
ifs officers yesterday, seems TO bear a
charmed life. The fact that Small will
not hang is due to the interference of
Gov. Gambler, who has granted him a re-
spite until Jan. IS. The first intimation OF
this action on the part OF the Governor
received by the court officials was a tel
egram to Sheriff Roman from Gov. Cam
der which was received yesterday morn
ing. The telegram briefly said:
4 have respited Abe Small for thirty
days and send you order by mail
A d. Gambler. Governor.
Sheriff Roman handed the telegram to
Judge Fauigant and Solicitor General Os-
h2AAF- 1ONil NAAN SUI ~ ilNN 60 ivy 4ittA
no intimation of any intention of this
character on the part Of the. Governor. or
that the Governor believed there was any
reason for delaying the execution Of Small
1t will be noticed that the Governors
telegram TO Sheriff Roman states that the
respite is for thirty days. \ telegram re-
ceived by Messrs. T. P. Ravenel and
George A. Mercer Jr., from the Governor
states that the respite is until Jan. Is. 1t
says:
Il have respited Abe Small until Jan. 10
in order that I may have time TO invesu-
gate the case"
This action on the part Of the Governor
is attributed TO the recent visit which the
committee of colored ministers of Sa-
vannah made 90 Atlanta in behalf of
Small, and also to efforts which Smalrs
counsel have made in bringing to bear
upon the Governor the point that il was
a question of doubt as TO whether Neve
was killed by smalrs bullet, or by the
shot Of a brother policeman.
Gov. Gambler having been only recently
indicted into office and probably not be-
ing familiar with the details Of the
Small case. doubtless desired to make an
investigation for his own satisfaction,
after hearing the strong appeal from the
colored ministers. This is confirmed by
a telegram received yesterday by Solicitor
General osborne from the Governor in an
swer to an inquiry wired by him 10 the
Governor in reference to the latter's action
In che matter. saying: "Smalls sentence
respited that | may have time to read the
record before l act"
This telegram of the Governors was in
answer TO one from Mr. Osborne in
which he entered his strenuous protest
against the respite of Small, stating that
there was no reason for it, and that
great injustice was being done the com
munity.
After receiving the Governors telegram
Mr.. Osborne wired him again stating that
both he and Judge Falligant had publicly
refused to favor an application for a re-
spite for Small. Mr. Osborne further
stated in his telegram that Small had been
searched and implements of escape found
upon him. Parties desiring respite are
imposing on YOU he said. "If respite
signed it ought TO be recalled. You are
only giving Small time to prepare attempt
TO escape.
This is a rather unusual telegram 10
send the Governor of the state. but Mr.
Osborne felt that under the circumstance
he was justified in speaking his mind plain
ly.
When Small was searched yesterday by
the sheriff's officers ae had Two small three
cornered files secreted on him. How long
il would have taken him 10 have fled his
way out through the heavy bars Of mis-
cell and then through the outer barred
exits Of the jail is a question. but that
he meant TO make the attempt there is
no doubt. When and how he got the files
the officers have been unable to discover.
With numbers of prisoners passing mis-
cell every day and all sorts of visitors
ii would have been a very easy matter
to have passed him almost any small IN
etrument When he was searched Il was
MOI so much a precauton against his IS
cape as il was TO discover if he had any
n7ears OF suicide Small has shown 10
inclination to self destruction, but the jail
officials wanted 70 be sure that he had
nothing that he. might use 10 beat
The ea.Iows Small refused to say how
he got the flies ana the deputies saw there
was no use trying to find ont through MIN.
Very little was said about the discovery
of The Instruments of escape Deputy
Sheriff Kinchly when asked about The dis
covery, replied bluutiy that he didn't know
anything about ii.
Sheriff Roman said that every precaution
has been taken to guard against Smahs
escape if there We're any danger, which
there is not. and he will be closely looked
after during his respite.
All the arrangements had been made at
The Jail for Smahs demise. The gallows'
trap had been put in working order ana
the rope for the execution had been pur-
chased. The announcement Of the respite
was surprise to the jail officials who had
fuly expected that the execution would
take place to-day.
Small manifested litue feeling when he
heard that he was not to hang to-day. lie
has escaped for so long however, and has
been sentenced 50 many times already
without having the sentence put into exc
cution. that he mas come 60 feel that fate
did not ordain him TO be hung and that a
way Of escape will yet be pro
vided Circumstances have uudoubt-
edly justified him ia this be.
lief in the past. and Yesterdays res
bite tends to stil further confirm him ia
l.a1tnf that ~, ie not destined IN Iae