The Wahpeton times., 1904-01-01

sRAEHGTyc TIL loToMY o
sS 8 S.sSssl lg IAt.AaAs seik1 1ks lss
a.orn in Jail 1t Reading, Pa. q
I. the Pet o. All WE kans
Her Mother and Rsputsds 4
Under Sentences Of Death. 4;

Under Sentences Of Death.
Alma Greason of Reading, P Is 4
child with a strange history. she has
never been outside Of priso9 walls.
She is two and half years Alld, and
her mother and her reputed father are
In now the same jail under sentence
of death.
Alma is dark skinned, bright and ut.
tractiye and she speaks two languages
English to the prison visitors and
the Pennsylvania German dialect tc
her mother.
Being pet Of the jail. the child is'
daintily dressed and has the run Of
the prison. She spends an hour down
stairs with the warden's family and
the next hour up on the second tier OF
cells with the death watch in charge
of her convicted mother.
In all her Jail liberty she is never
permitted to see Samuel Greason, her
reputcd father, in another, part Of the
Jail. Greason is neg1e. Almas
mother is white. The Wmurder Of
which the two we're convicted was
that Of the woman's husband.
The story of this prison child's life
is unusual, even in criminal history.
Her complexion at birth was to deter.
mine the life or death OF her mother.
John Edwards, the husband of the
woman, was q white laborer in eha
quarries of stouchburg. Being out Of
work and shiftless, no failed to sup
port his wife,. Kate, and their ch1l-
dren. Greason. also Iaborer. md
money. When he saw Mrs. Edwards
children going barefoot in winter he
provided. money for their needs. In
this way their mother came 10 havs
Kindly feelings toward him. i i
Edwards suspicions4 ware 4 finally
aroused. He accused his wife of hav.
Ing been unfaithful anAieclared that 4.
the child soon to be BORN was black bel
would murder her.
Now Mrs. Edwards is a dark skinned
woman. It was evident, therefore.
that whether her husbands sutpicions
were we'll founded or not. tie com
plexion of the child might cost her
ter life. i H.;
Some time before the child vi
horn. in July. 1901. there fWas par(
1t the Edwards home. Edwards drank
4 great deal Of beer. The next day
his body was found in the ciGtefn
hear the house. He had betn aVtuclts
,n the head with some blunt instrlt
ment while sleeping on the porch after
the party. :, g
Mrs. Edwards told a vi pL
tories about Ills death and finally size
accused Greasbn of being concerned In
Il. Both were convicted of murder in
the FIRST degree. ;sss
The child was born in ,pAsOs -eAs,
has. been said. she has DIRK kin.
aad they chrfstened her Aima Grte
Ter reputed father has never see7Aer.
Thrice GEcason has been repriSved.
Churches, Sunday schools and cake.
walks have raised money! th pay his
lawyers to save him from - gaIlOws-
He declares that he was lot at the
Edwards home en The ntsht Of Ed
wards murder Il d; &
He says he does not KNOW WhO
si,Ied him, but the theory efihfs fl4ds
is that the wife and her eldest dsdsh.
ter alone know the true story of the
death of Edwards It is gene{effy be.
Heved thst Edwards was mtlrd red be.
cause # was feared that thes ehnfj
would be black and othat& &Ae wodEl
carry out his threat y kirTl n wffAf
And while Greasan and Mrs. d
wards are growing 81 in theishatlow
Of the scanoFd .thcs Hltle ehifdefs joy
.ridors BY day and sleeplk in ne,
bosom of hef smothel by night in y
cell. somo.say.s .sthe shifd viii q
up insahe jail and meyer leays il.
the love that is shown for na co
tinues developing, II will be very hak5
to part with the child in the years tb
ccme, when her parents hsl patd III
penalty Of their crime.