New-York tribune., 1901-12-04
TRYING 10 FREE " F'RENCHI
GOVERNOR ODELL HEARS ARGUMENTS
FOR PARDON OF MAN CONVICTED
OF OLD SHAKESPEARES s.
MURDER.
MURDER.

ALBANY Dec s (SpeciaD Governor Odsn gave a
hearing of much public interest to-day 10 lawyers
who seeking clemency for the Arab Amer Ben
Ali known also as 'Frenchy. who was convicted
in 1891 OF the murder of A woman sometimes called
Carrie Brown but usually "Old Shakespeare"
Amer Ben All convicted of murder in the sec
ond degree, and is now in Clinton Prison The ap-
plicaton for his release made by Paul Fuller.
of the law firm of Coudert Brothers New-iork
and by Ovide Robillard, French attorney Amer
Ben Ali Algerian Arab, and thus the
French Consul New-York, Edmond BruWaerts'
has become interested in his case.
Mr. Fuller said that he appeared in Albany TO do
a charitable act: he was not to be paid for his
work He believed "Frenchy' was an innocent
man. wrongfully convicted of the crime OF murder
The crime was a horrible and it followed the
murders of Jack the Ripper in London Amer
Ben Ali arrested as a suspect at hrst and II
was shown that the murdered woman went TO the
hotel In which she 3fterward found murdered
with another man. That unknown man was the
last one seen alive with her. 'Frenchy was also
in the same hotel. but he arrived there two hours
later The room in which the woman's body was
found had its door locked and the key was missing
Mr. Fuller then made the statement that recently.
ten wears after the murder. George Damon. of
Crawford. n. j., who was in business in New-i ork
CITY at the time. had come forward with the state
ment ta tnat @ m ten the room at W cranfor occupied by
in his employ whS had ef IL the day affSr tSp 'h e
other keys used in that hotel, and had tab marked
p2esened t an afsidavt signed by Mr. Damon max
ing oath to this statement that OF an empioye OF
Mr. Damon, who accompanied him to the hotel TO
compare the keys, and that of a friend of his.
Mr. Lee. with whom he consulted about the case.
A knife was shown at the trial which was said to
be Similar which the accused man had while
in the Queens County Jail. Mr.. Fuller said the two
knives different 'Frenchy s knife was
merely common dinner knife; that found in
"Shakespeare's' room sailors knife. and it
was with a that looked like sailor that she
last seen alive; 'Frenchy'' was vender of
fruit not sailor Then ''Frenchy" unfortunately
could not speak either French English we'll and
the Algerian interpreter according TO the testimony
OF Albert j. Leon. professor OF Arabic In a col,
lege did not accurately state what ''Frenchy' said
in giving his testimony 1t also had been stated at
'.Frenchy's' that blood marks had been found
upon the door of the room he occupied in the hotel
that night. Jacob A Riis aEd his assistant who vis
tied the motel reporters for an evening news
paper. made affidavit that there We're no marks of
blood upon the door of ''Frenchy'S' room when they
visited the hotel the morning after the murder.
Mr. Fuller ended his address by saying: Gov
ernor you have holy duty TO perform i'll regard to
this application for clemency for this most unfort
unate man. and one Just responsible that OF
saving money for taxpayers"
Governor Oden reserved his decision.