Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1903-07-16
FIRST AND ONLY PUBLIC UTTER
ANOE OF THE MURDERER.
HIS LASH HOPE is GONE
GOVERNOR REFUSES TO INTERFERE
FAKES A FRUITLESS PLEA
khea Also Wrote n Letter to Dr. whar.
toh-His Lawyer Again Asked for
Cl,mency but the Governor
Refused to Yield

The Lincoln star.
1T almost seems as though there
were TWO Gods to worship, two Gods
tn LOOK to In the hereafter. Since I
nave been here in the penitentiary l
nave been taught Of the God of mer-
cy ana forgiveness, one to whom all
collld flee for refuge l have studied
an read OF Him during my confne-
m,nt and many friends have visited
me have told me OF Eim. / only
nope that l am prepared to meet
| Him
The other God Is not so forgiying.
lie holds his children to strict ac-
counting, apparently, but perhaps it
Is the same God from different stand
points.
Since the visit Of Governor Mick
ey to the penitentiary Sunday have
given up all hopes of Communication
of sentence and am trying to prepare,
myself for Friday. l think | auf
lea'y to go before my God and have
settled my differences with HIM. L
h'pe that the same is the case with
the others who have had part in
my case.
Governor Mickey has told me that
he cannot and will not interfere in
the carrying out Of my sentence and
l nave therefore given up all hope,
for the governor is, believe, man
Of his word and it is very hard to
change his mind. When the govern
or was at the peniteL@dry Sunday
asked him to call and see me in my
cell and he consented. 1t was then
that | made my last plea for him to
give me my life.
He ted me that he could not in
terfere, as he did not consider inter.
fereuce justifiable, and said that he
would be afraid to go before his God
If he committed my sentence. He Is
evidently sincere in his belief and
| do not blame him, although it does
seem hat if the Lord will forgive
me, as they teach me, the governor
of the state Of Nebraska could not
be duing wrong 10 grant me my life.
But he has his belief and | have
mine. Perhaps we are both light.
l prefer to think Of God in my light
though, than in the ether.
81 have had several long talks with
the governor since my confinement in
this small cell, and each time he has
listened to my words and studied
my arguments. He looks at the law
different than do, believing In the
letter OF the law rather than the
spirit You know there are really
two constructions to be placed, a lit
eTal construction and liberal con-
stTuction.
1.-The rea! intention Of the law is
to make better men Of the bad, not
to punish them as a retaliation fon
their crimes. The Law should never
be looked upon as a means Of reven9I
ing crime, but rather as a means of
teaching the criminal to be a better
man. | talked to the governor 10 this
way about 1t put he could not see the
law that way, so my arguments were
useless.
"We discussed the particulars of
my crime, for understand me, / do
not claim that there was no crime
committed, and the governor prom
ised to weigh every circumstance.
He told me that he considered the
fact OF my being drunk that day ms
an eXtenuating circumstance, but
that was the only one he could find. |
Where we differed was on this very
proposition.
''When | went into that saloon In !
Snyder that day, with my compan-
ion, | was under the influence of lid
uoT. Not exactly drunk, for ! knew
what | was doing. We went there
to rob the place, but that was all. |
! had no more intcn ION Of killing /
Zahn than / would have Of Staying
nay own father. When the shot was
fired it was during intense excite /
ment and the gun went of almost
without my knowledge.
! need not relate III the details of I
the affair, for They ale familiar 10 all, .
but ] want you to believe me when | /
say that l never intend to kill
Herman /aln cav IL Iyrnrri,,,