Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-08-27
ANDERSEN YET LIVES.
Saved from Death BY Writ Of
Habeas Corpus
A BRILLIANT LEGAL COUP.
The Prisoner Was on the Brink Of
the Crave.
HIS LAWYERS FOUGHT TO THE END
And Vow the Murderer Has n Breath
ing Spell for Three MOnths-He
Had Fully Prepared to Meet
Death.
Death.

NORFOLK, VA, August 26.-(Speclal)
John Andersen, mutineer and The slayer
Of the captain and mate Of the schooner
Olive Pecker, still lives. His execution
was to have taken place between the
hours of 2 and o'clock this afternoon,
but at $50, within ten minutes of the
time decided upon for his death. as the
result of the most intensely dramatic
legal coup ever made i'm a Virginia court
room, his counsel literally snatched him
from under the fatal moose. At that time
he was carried before Judge Edmund
Waddnl, Of the United States Court, from
whose presence he emerged five min
utes later with almost three months more
OF life and the strong possibility that
he may never expiate upon the gallows
a crime which, in the opinion Of the
very jury that convicted him upon the
evidence as admitted by the court, was
committed while he was In mortal fear
for his own life.
THE PEOPLE REJOICED.
The people Of Norfolk are rejoiced at
another chance being given the swede.
Public sentiment is strongly in his favor,
and when the court ordered postpone
ment Of the execution there was a re-
lieved sigh from the crowd Of spectators
and some irrepressibles even started to
cheer but We're cut short. The prisoner
was not excited. He had made all his
preparations to die, but his great happi-
ness at living longer was apparent. To
your correspondent, he said: Il was so
near home. But, perhaps, I'll see my
mother again now" His first thought
was Of her, and his counsel quickly dis
patched a reassuring cabegram to the
old mother far away I'm Sweden.
EVERYTHING IN READINESS.
Everything was i'm readiness for the
execution. Andersen's spiritual advisers
Revs Messrs. Merritt and Schenck, visit
ed him last night. At y o'clock he was
still reading his Bible. When he arose
this morning he had apparently rested
well He got up and dressed himself fol
execution. During the forenoon Marsha
Treat and his deputies were busy making
the last preparations around the gallows
for the execution testing the knot with o
weight Of $50 pounds.
His spiritual advisers visited him agar
this morning. and prayed with him II
was a touching scene. Rev. Mr. Merritt
broke down, and as he leaned his head
against the bars Of the cell and wept-ht
could not be permitted inside-Anderser
said: you mustn't do that. You should
be happy, because Of the comfort you
have been to me. l should have died but
for you"
A WRIT OF HABEAS CORPUS.
Every possible effort was made to save
Andersen, the last being i'm the shape oi
an application for a writ Of habeas corpus
gotten out by Messrs II. j. Norris ano
Hugh G.. Miller, attorneys Of this city
| one of whom (Mr. Norris was connected
with the case in its incipiency. CThis ac
| ton was taken with the consent of Ander
sen and his present counsel MT Mcln
tosh) When Andersen and the othel
sailors Of the schooner Olive Pecker ar
rived here they sent for Mr. Morris tC
represent them. but before the hearing o
| the case Judge Hughes, of the United
| States District Court, assigned Mr.
| George Mcintosh to defend Andersen
| The ground for the writ Of habeas corpus
was therefore, that the court did no
grant Andersen his legal right to selec
/ his own counsel. IL also alleged that An
! dersen's counsel was denied admission e
| the iail before the preliminary hearing o
the case, although the government hat
| notice as TO who his counsel was anC
| that It failed to notify his counsel wher
| the preliminary hearing would be held.
HUGH MILLER'S GOOD WORK.
Mr.. Miller went to Rockoridge Alum
! Springs. where Judge Waddill, OF the
United States District Court, was sum
mering. and argued the application 10
the writ before him. The Judge seemed
disincHned to grant it, but was wililh'
10 stay the execution II an appeal to the
Circuit Court from his refusal TO gran
the writ would lie. He decided TO COM
10 Norfolk and hear argument to-da!
unon both sides Of the question. Tn
| Judge took this action and fixed Octobe
2Sth as the date for the Circuit court
hearing, staying execution meantime
|