The representative., 1900-08-30
Two Brave Deeds in Roosevelt's Life
Hearst's Chicago American.

Hearst's Chicago American.
Martha Place, half demented old
woman, committed a most atrocious
murder. It was a murder of jealousy.
Homely, old, ill-tempered. not loved by
her husband. she brutally murdered her
step-daughter because she was jealous
of her husbands attentions to her STEP
daughter.
Newspapers had predicted that she
would never die in the electric chair.
Governor Morton, a plain, kindly old
gentleman, who had never shot anybody
in the back and had no especial claims
to glory. had twice declared when gov
ernor that he would not allow a woman
to be killed by electricity. No woman
had ever been killed by electricity. None
not even the very wOrst-had been
executed in the state for years.
But Martha Place committed her muir
der and was convicted when Roosevelt
was governor.
urged by his friends and family not to
allow the old woman to be killed so
brutally, he snapped his white teeth and
declared that "mawkish sentimentality"
could not move him.
When women and decent men ap-
pealed to him his courage could not be
moved.
What" he asked, IAN electric chair
paid for by the state and no governor
has had the courage to send woman to
that electric chair? I'll show them
what dare do"
It was no idle boast.
The day came. The old woman was
half pushed, half carried into the death
room. The back Of her head was shaw
ed so that the current might easily
reach her brain. One of her legs was
barred to her hip that the second elec-
trode might burn her without setting
fire to her clothing.
A score of men looked on at the
sight, which history owes to the brave"
Governor Roosevelt 1t was a sight to
be seen only once. Roosevelt will never
again be governor There will never
again be a man at the head Of great
state capable of sending a woman in
shameful dress to shameful death be-
fore many men.
The "brave" governor was under his
bedclothes far away. The woman was
pushed into the chair and strapped in,
the current-turned on by Roosevelt's
order-entered the brain. Twice, three
times. it was turned on, while the feeble
frame moved convulsively. and that was
the end of Roosevelt's bravest deed.
Some men are mawkish. Some are
sentimental. Some could not enjoy
executing an old woman. Some, If es-
pecially authorized by law to commute
sentences to life Imprisonment when
ever they thought wise to do so. would
have spared Martha Place the suffering
and shame of that death. Perhaps they
will not give their vote to Roosevelt
for that particular piece of courage.
But the second heroic deed may move
them.
That second deed can be told more
quickly.
Roosevelt had gone to war. After
heroic performances-told over his own
signature in numerous magazfnes-he
informs US that he took San Juan hill
/ At one stage Of his glorious progress
he saw fleeing before him miserable
Spaniard. The mans back was turned,
Of course. He was running away.
He had never hurt Roosevelt. He
was In the army because he was COM
PEELED to be there. The real conflict
was over.
But, as he ran, his back offered a
most inviting shot. Roosevelt, you
must remember. had never killed q
man.
He had once killed bear in : trap.