Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1902-04-24
DODGE COUNTY DEMANDS THAT
MURDERER RHEA HANG.
UNFIT SUBJECT FOR MERCY
CALLS CAPITAL PUNISHMENT FU.
TILE III HE ESCAPES.
SHERIFF WRITES GOVERNOR
Strongly Protests la Behalf OF People
Again Communtcst ion-Recitai of
the Crime, Triai and Sentence.

Again Comm Mica ttOn-Hecital o.
the Crime, Trial and Sentence.
Fremont, Neb., Arpil 18.--Tho fol
lowing letter written by Sheriff J.
M. Kreader OF Dodge county, was
mailed to Governor Savage this az
terDoon. 1t Is an emphatic protest
against the committing Of, william
Rhea's death sentence to inprison-
ment for life, and 10 expressive of
the feeling Of practically the entire
population Of the city and county.
1t reads:
Fremont, Neb., April Is, 1902
Hon. Ezra p. Savage, Governor OF
the State OF Nebraska-Your Excel
ency: William Rhea, alias Hamil.
ton alias Klein, now under sentence
OF death to be executed April 25, as
am Informed has made application
for executive clemency. The county
attorney OF this county is, by resaon
or sickness, unable to represent the
county and has not been since last
September. The case Is such that,
as an officer OF the county and con-
cerned In It's reputation as n law
abiding county (no lynching having
ever occurred within it), and know
Ing the facts and having made the
arrest and been present throughout
the trial OF Rhea and his associates
10 crime, l deem 1t my duty to bring
thus directly to your attention the
real nature and circumstances OF the
crime and trials, which l would
leave to tho county attorney were he
able to prepare statement or to call
Ipon you.
RECITAL OF THE CRIME.
l will first give you brief state
ment Of tn crime as It s shown by
absolutely uncontradicted evidence
Of pers ms who were present and saw
1t, and for whose integrity I, as an
officer, and from intimate knowledge
and acquaintance with the neighhor-
hood and transaction and the men
unhesitatingly vouch.
! On the day OF the homicide Rhea,
with two companions, started across
the country from place near Crowell
to the village of Snyder. At this
place near Cr0well he had stayed for
some days before this day. This
place / know to have been the rem
devious OF criminals, such as burg
lars, thieves, robbers, etc. / know
this from Investigations made from
cases previous to this homicide. 1t
was then kept by the Williams wo-
man, whose husband, with his asso-
ciates went from this place shortly
before this tragedy to Antelope
county on tour Of depreciation and
crime and were there caught and
sentenced to the penitentiary and
are now there confined. THIS char
acter Of the pl zee is known by many
citizens and the officers. 1t Is from
this place that he started and It is
t. this place that he returned after
his crime.
He went to Snyder and with his
companions hung about the village
until near 0 O'Clock Nin the evening.
He had been IN the.t@o saloons, but
was not intoxicated nor under the
influence Of liquor during the after
noon and evening, so far as was dis
closed by the evidence. He had not
drunk Intoxicating liquor of any des-
cription, except beer, and only three
glasses of that, during the whole
stay. So far as this direct testimony
is concerned 1t Is fully borne out by
the acts and exertion put forth by
Rhea following the tragedy.
THINKS ROBBERY WAS MOTIVE.
Having thus familiarized himself
by lounging about the saloons, with
their probable conditions, means OF
attack, escape and the contents so
fa- as valuable things, the contents
OF the cash register which during
the business operations was being
opened and closed In sight OF the
people In the saloon he went out
with his companions and then for
the purpose OF robbery he finally
about 8 O'Clock made his last entry
into the saloon.
The attack was made with drawn
IevolyeTs by Rhea and Gardner en-
tering this saloon and ordering the
people to hold up their hands. This
was complied with, and Mr.. Zahn,
the proprietor. sitting at a table
about the middle OF the room. and
unarmed, arose and holding up his
hands (empty hands, In an expostu-
lating manner said: "NO shooting
here, don't shoot in here"
Fortune For Academy.