The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1898-04-20
SHERIFF HARTlELl PREPARED
To Exeuate the Roady Boys, Convicted Of
the Foul Murder Of Farmer DaviI
Bsrkey, On Tuesday Next.
PRISONERS HOPE FOR coxxUrATIoE OF
SENTENCE Or A RRPRIEvE-

/ PRISONERS HOPE FOR c0KMUTATI0N0 OF
SENTENCE Or A REPRIEvz-
II James aud John Roddy, twice con-
victed Of murder in the first degree, are
hanged in the county jail on wednesday
next the day designated by Governor
Hastings for their execution, it will be
because their counsel, who to-day viii
appear before the board Of pardons, shall
have been unable to secure recommen-
dation for clemency.
General A. II. Cofroth and c. +. Uhl,
Jr., len for the State Capital Monday
morning. They took with them petitions
signed by several hundred citizens of
Cambria and Somerset counties praying
that sentence of death may be oommnted
to life Imprisonment for the Roddy boys.
They were also fortified with a large
number OF letters. written by members
of the bar and other prominent citizens.
some Of whom asked for an uncondition-
al pardon for the Roddys, while others
declared it to be their wish that the death
sentence be commuted to life imprison-
inent. Ia addition to the petitions and
letters, with which they were armed,
Messrs. Cofroth and Uhl had a mass of
testimony in behalf of the unhappy
brothers. secured since their second con-
viction, which they declare must be Civ
en- dae consideration by the pardon
board, and which they hope viii influ
ence its members 10 such an extent that
they will unite in asking the Governor to
grant the Roddy boys a reprieve, if not =
full and unconditional pardon, or a COM
mutation of sentence.
Before leaving for Harrisburg General
Colfroth asserted his conviction that the
Roddy boys are guiltless of the murder
of David Berkey, and declared his con-
fdence in being able TO have the sentence
of death commuted to life imprisonment-
you can say that the Roddys will not be
executed on next Tuesday" were his
parting words
+. J. Kooser and L. G. Colborn. attor-
neys for the family of the murdered old
farmer, are also in Harrisburg for the
purpose Of presenting the Common
wealth's side of the case TO the Pardon
Board. They will argue that the defend
ants have had the benefit of fair and inn
partial trial, that the evidence against
them was fully and carefully reviewed
by the Supreme Court who refused 10 dis
turb the finding of the trial court, and
that nothing has transpired from the
night of the Berkey robbery and torture
until the present time, that tends to show
the innocence of the Roddy boys or that
they were wrongfully convicted. While
on the other hand number of facts have
come into possession of the Common
wealth which go to show that James and
John Roddy are guilty of the murder OF
David Berkey, and that in view of al the
circumstances surrounding the case the
verdict of the jury should not be disturb
ed and the law should be permitted TO
take its course Private counsel for the
Commonwealth treat lightly the claims
that evidence has been secured in behalf
Of the Roddys that VIII i...laence the
Pardon Board when it is laid before them,
and point to the fact that every claim sci
up in defense of the condemned murder
ers has been easily exploded They are
fully prepared 10 meet any and all argu-
ments that may be advanced by counsel
for the Roddys.
SHERIFF HARTzELL PREPARED.
Meanwhile Sheriff Hartzel has gone
forward with his preparations for the
gruesome task the law imposes on him.
The ropes, which will play such con-
spicuous part in the execution, arrived at
sLo soil q. ,,-aai- - ,,,oro ao,, lax-fp.r heafa
specially made for the purpose by an Al
legheny manufacturer. The condemned
brothers have been confined in separate
cells, where they are constantly under
the eyes of the death watch, and they are
given every attention and comfort that
can be granted by the prison officials to
men standing on the brink of the gallOws.
Sheriff Hartzsll has issued about l25
cards of admission to the double execu-
ton, and had he been able to grant the
requests Of all who applied for admission
10 the Jail on Tuesday next, that building
would not accommodate one tenth of the
crowd.
The main corridor Of the Jail in which
the double death traps are located isquite
contracted, not afording standing room
for more than forty or fifty persons and
allow the sheriff aud his assistants snifi-
cient space 10 perform their official duties
The death traps are in the west end OF
the corridor aud are operated by lever.
which when drawn permits the heavy
iron doors to drop, when they are caught
and held in position by steel clasps. Tho
Somerset Jail is the only prison in tho
State provided with death traps that are a
part of the prison structure and ready to
be called into use at any instant their SER
vices are required. They were tested on
April ., 1891, when Joseph and David
Nicely were executed for the murder OF
Herman Umberger. On that occasion
there was not single incident to mar the
final act in carrying out the sentence OF
the law. With the experience acquired
on that memorable day, when he assisted
Sheriff Good in the execution of the Nice
ly brothers, before him, Sheriff HartzelI
viii have all of his arrangements perfect
ed for the double execution and every
possibility of accident will be carefully
guarded against
Unless the Pardon Board intery enes
Sheriff Hartzell will conduct the Roddy
boys to the death trap about O'Clock
next Tuesday afternoon, and it is expect
ed that the trap will be sprung few
minutes thereafter, or as soon as all of
the preliminaries have been carried out
The Sheriff will have a dinner, compris
ing such delicacies as the condemned
men may express a desire for. served for
them about II o'clock, and so far As hs
is able viii grant every request they
may make that will tend TO make their
last hours Jn earth cheerful.
SAY THEY ARE INNOCENT.
Acting or the advice of their attorneys
the ROddy boys have refraincd from talk
ing, even with the death watch and the
PRISON officials, in regard to their i'm
pending doom, further than to declare
that they are innocent of the murder of
David Berkey aud had no hand in the
robbery and torture of the old farmer
They both hope that the Pardon Board
will take favorable action in their case.
and say that If that body declines To
recommend that their necks be savesl
from the halter they will die bravely,
conscious Of their entire innocence.
Neither Of the boys up to this lime has