The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-10-11
DUkCAN'S WIFE IS
 WORKING WITH VIM Doing Everything Possible to
 Save Husbands Life PRISONER NOT SENTENCED Explosion of Blasting Powder on Fifth Avenue Causes Big Crowd to Rush to the Jail, Thinking 1t
 Was Blown Up.
PRISONER NOT SENTENCED

Myrtle Haas the wife of Frank Dun can, appeared in Birmingham early yes- terday morning and after a few hours rest immediately went to work looking up attorneys at, law and taking all steps necessary to save her husband, if pos sihle. from the hangman's moose. In the meantime Judge Samuel h. Greene convened court but contrary to ex- peetation did not have Duncan brought before him to be resentenced Juose Greene has decided to give Duncan ample opportunity to consult his attorneys be- fore being arraigned The judge also in timated that he did not care to sentence the prisoner while the court was crowd- ed with persons drawn thither through curiosity. The day of sentence has not been definitely set When Duncan IS brought before the court Judge Greene can sentence him 10 be hanged within four weeks from that time but the time can not be extended beyond eight weeks
 Duncan Expresses Surprise.
 Duncan had expected for the last two days to be brought in court yesterday and was a little surprised at what he thought a change in programme. q do not know why l was not sent- enced today" said Duncan, but 1t Is probable that I will be taken before the judge tomorrow or next day. At least that is what I expect"
 While Duncan was figuring on the de- 1 lay in being brought Into court his wife was working with vim to secure law yers and set some legal plan in motion that might save her husbands life. she said last night that she had not engaged an attorney as she understood that her husband had seen Col w, H. Denson.
 Mrs. Duncan, or Myrtle Haas, as she Is better known, appeared to be worried and nervous all during the day. She would fit from place to place, apparently des- perate over the fact that everything moved so slowly. During the afternoon she went to Ensley for the purpose of seeing the wife of the acting governor She thought that she might place the case so clearly before the wife of the executive that she would speak kind word to her husband In behalf of the condemned prisoner.
 Mrs. Duncan Retlcent. T am going to stay here until the af- fair Is over" said Mrs. Duncan last night, and of course I am going to do every l thing I can to save my husbands life He is innocent of the crime for which he is to hang" Mrs. Duncan is very reticent about discussing the affairs of her hus- band and talks guardedly at all times. She expects to be allowed to see him to- day, but this will be matter entirely In the hands of the sheriff.
 Six small hack saws. frequently used by criminals, were brought to the sher- iff's office yesterday. The person bring 1 ing them said that they were intended l for Duncan, but that the sheriff was the best person to have them. The sheriff s office will not disclose the identity of this person, but upon examination the saws were found to be those usually used In saving iron or steel bars.
 When asked about these saws last night Mrs. Duncan said that she knew nothing of them Duncan said the same thing q couldn't do anything with saws if had barrel of them" he said There Is no chance to get out of here In thai way. The saving business is very slow when some one is looking at you all thu time. as is the case here. In fact. there is no chance for a man to get out of this cell"
 Heavy Blasting.
 At an early hour last night two or thre, l heavy explosions were made by person: blasting on Fifth avenue and within fiv' minutes at least 200 people rushed to thu jail to know if Duncan had blown up th' building. MT. Evans, the night warden said 1t was a very amusing sight to SC, these people running Up the alley expect ing to- see the old jail in ruins. Duncan heard nothlng of the incident until tolt by newspaper man. He laughed hearth. at the joke.
 Slice Duncan has consulted a lawye considerable interest has been manifeste' in what steps could be taken to save tn prisoners life or prolong the time befor the execution.
 , Speculatlng on Legal Tactics.
 It is probable that the lawyers may dc mand that a jury be drawn and that tn court be asked to have the prisoner full identified. In case of refusal on the par of the court this might bring the matte before the supreme court.
 Another step would be to have an at } torney appear before the supreme cour and ask for rehearing. This would yer likely be refused. The last step thel would be to appeal to the governor for
 communication of sentence. When the mat , ter is brought before the governor th' l statement of Frank Miller while on th'
 gallows that Duncan had nothing what ever to do with the killing might ngur'
 prominently. It will be remembered thai a Miller said that New York Harry. a well t known crook, was with him at the timt
 the two men were shot. He said that Dun
 can was not there. Duncan says that he . was in a room over Gelder's restaurant at the time of the shooting and that ht
 promptly left. town
 3 Sense of Humor. l While in a conversational mood lasi n,ebt Duncan regalned his sense oi
 bumor. T was Just figuring" he said , "how much time I would have to serve if the governor should commute my sent ence to life imprisonment Figuring llf' sentence at 10o years, I believe that ii usually the time, would have 100 year.