Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-12-07
WILL NOT INTERF ERE
The Law to Take Its Course in Hor-
tons Case.
COURTS SENTENCE TO Be CARRIED OUT
Attorney General Griegs Notified
by the President
REPORT OF MIR. DAV

T'residt Mt Nc kinley last night notified
Attorney General Grisgs that he would de-
cline to interfere in the case of George W.
Horton. the white murderer. This was all
that was necessary to be done in the case.
unless the President intended to commute
the sentence. If he had wanted to do this
h, would have written that Endorsement on
the papers
The President has not returned the pa
pcrs to the Department III Justice, but they
will go back there through the regular
channels
Horton will be hanged tomorrow. as the
Presidents decision not to take action
leaves the sentence of the court to be car
riCd out
Report OF Nr. Davis.
The report of Mr. Henry f. Davis. who
was United States attorney for the District
If Columbia wh"r Horton was tried. to the
Attorney General vas as follows:
Il haze considered the application of
George w Horton for executive ciemency.
and have the honor To return the same.
With the accompanying papers. and to re-
port thereon rs follows.
The facts of the case are first set out,
and lre too familiar to he given restate
In-Ift. The report then proceeds:
An apreAl was taken in the case to the
Court OF Appeals of the District of Column
trial court. and subsequently application
t'tS made To the Supreme Court of the
I -uit-d States for u writ Of certiOrari,
wnlCn was denied.
owing To the number of signatures to
the application for executive clemency. and
the character of such Il them as go beyond
mere request for such c!ennency. well
as becaUse Of the notoriety of the case and
81 Is seeming Nervousness. l have given the
matter unusually full attention and con-
<.deTatioIf-
al he -iII of he,
NiCt and was present during the trial only
from time to time and dill not hear all the
tSsjin ny; but l have read with care the
T. cord az The conduct of the case and the
opinion of the Court OF Appeals in affirm
ing the Judgment. and | have also read
with faTC all the papers accompanying the
application for clemency.
Moxt Atrocious Murder.
The record discloses. in the absence of
u defense on the ground of insanity the
commission of one of the most atrociOus
murders in the history OF this community
and the rulings and charge of the court
show that the law on the subject of insan-
ity. which vas the defense set I'D at the
t-iai. was very fully. clearly and accurately
stated b. the trial Judge | have no doubt
from tbs record that the convict had Il
fair trial: that the law was properly given
20 the Jury. and that the jurys verdict is
in accordance with the law as To insanity
aS d defense for crime. as il is established
10y the highest authority
The papers accompanying the applica-
ton so far as they exceed mere requests
for executive Intervention. purport to show
that the convict at various times in his life
committed ecCentriCitieS Of conduct indi-
eating want of balance in respect of his
emotions; that for Years ne was Il man of
II rong sexual disposition and of immoral
life and habits. and the manifest conten-
lion in his behalf is that the habit of life
contracted by him. and the state of mind
"ngendercd in him. rendered him so far in
capable of discriminating between right
and wrong as to bring him within the ex-
ctse Of the law extended to the conduct of
the insane.