Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1905-02-15
GOV. PENNYPACKER SAVES THEM
lie Acted on the Recommendation OF
The Pennsylvania Board Of
Pardons.
SUPREME COURT ROOM CROWDED.
Many Members Of Legislature Present
Also Ohio Delegation OF Women
Who Presented Monster Petitisn.

Harrisburg, Pa, Feb 15.--On recom-
mendation Of the board OF pardons to-
day Gov. Pennypacker withdrew the
death warrants in the case Of Mrs.
Kate Edwards, the white woman, and
Samuel Greason, the negro, who were
under sentence TO hang together az
Reading tomorrow for the murder Of
Mrs, Edwards husband in 1901. The
case Of Greason will now be again taxi
en- to the Pennsylvania supreme court,
and II that tribunal refuses to reopen
the case the attorneys for Mrs. Ed
wards and Greason win have 90 appear
before the board of pardons next
month.
The supreme court was crowded with
spectators when the board OF pardons
convened to take up the cases. In the
crowd were many members OF the legis-
lature, and also the Ohio delegation
Of women who presented the monster
petition to the governor yesterday in
behalf OF the condemned woman.
When the pardon board, which Is
made up of w. NJ. Brown lieutenant
governor; Frank NJ. Fuller, secretary OF
the commonwealth; Hampton l.. Car
son. attorney general and Isaac B.
Brown, secretary OF internal affairs,
met today, Elwood II. Doysher OF
counsel for Mrs Edwards. made a mo-
ton that her case be continued He
made this motion, he said. because Mrs.
Edwards had confessed that she had
committed the crime, and that Greason
had no hand I'm It, and because counsel
for Greason wanted to take dispositions
/ and also examine Mrs. EDWARDS with
regard to the authenticity Of the con-
! fesson. Counsel for Greason, he said
! would not be able TO do this II the case
| Of Mrs. Edwards was not continued
/ because they were both under sentence
TO hang tomorrow. John III. Rother-
| mel and William II. Sadler, attorneys
for Greason, supported Mr., Doysher and
also pleaded for rehearing in the case
Of their client Mr. Sadler Informed
the board that he had four witnesses
I'm behalf Of Greason who had never
been examined.
utes announced that the board had de-
cided to take up both cases and i'm.
medlately continue them,
After the announcement of the
boards decision Lieut.-Gov. Brown in
formed the attorneys for Mrs. Ed
wards and Greason that both cases
would be taken up next month togeth
er by the board unless the supreme
court IN the meantime interfered. He
expressed the opinion privately that
the matter ought TO be settled by q
jury IN Berks county.
The lawyers for Greason will now
apply TO the supreme court for an or
der re-opening his case in order to hear
the four new witnesses found by his at
tCrneyS II the supreme court grants
the order the case viii go back TO
Berks county for retrial In the mean
time Mrs Edwards case win be con-
tinued Rut ic the supreme court re-
fuses the order then the board Of par
dons win have to decide the case at
IT'S next meeting, which viii be tho
third Wednesday In March,
CreasOn's case has been IN the SUI
preme court six times and twice before
the board OF pardons. The death war
rant has been read TO him 10 Zines.
Mrs Edwards case has never been In
the supreme court, but the board ot
pardons has twice refused to commute
her sentence
After the governor was officially in.
formed OF the action OF the pardon
board a messenger was sent to the
sheriff of Berks county Withdrawing
the death warrants and Immediately
continued them. The reason for the
boards action was read by the at
! torney- general 1t is as follows
In view OF the dissent on the part
| Of the three Justices of the supreme
court from the opinion OF the court in
refusing the petition Of Samuel Grea-
son for an order authorizing new
trial aud I'M view Of the statement Of
counsel for Greason that there are four
witnesses never before examined whose
| dispositions they desire 10 take and
present 10 the supreme court for It's
consideration. the application for
| continuance in the Edwards case Is
granted and the application for re-
hearing In the Greason case is granted,
MRS EDWARDS GETS THE NEWS,
Reading, Pa, Feb. l5,--When the
news Of the ro.hoaring IN the Greason
| case and a continuance for Mrs. Ed
wards was sent to the jail Mrs. Ed
wards was lying ON her cot, moaning
and sobbing and giving full sweep to
| her feelings.
II was explained 10 her that she had
at least been granted new lease of
| life II was hard TO make her under
stand and her replies were incoherent,
|
made to realize that she would not
| have 20 hang tomorrow She said that
| Il appeared TO her as II her life was
only spared To prolong her misery. She
| apparently realizes that she was only
saved from the galloWs to enable her
| TO testify I'm favor of Grcason.
The latter when told OF the boards
| decision said.
u knew It could not be otherwise
After she had become more com-
posed Mrs Edwards said:
! Thank God, you could not have
| brought me better news, / know that
I've done q great wrong, but I'm not
such q bad woman al heart I thank
God again and ! thank all my friends
WITHDRAWAL ORDER SIGNED.
Harrisburg. Pa, Feb. l5,--Gov. PEN
| nypacker today signed an order with
drawing the death warrant Of Mrs
Kate Edwards and Samuel Greason \
clerk left for Reading on an afternoon
train to deliver the order to the sheriff
! OF Berks county.