Evening journal., 1905-02-15
HAVE MADE THEIR
FINAL APPEAL
Pardon Board Urged tc
Commute Mrs. Edwards
and Greason
MONSTER PETITION PRESENTED

Reading, Pa, Feb Is. 49, Mrs. Kate
Edwards, who, with Samuel Greason.
the negro. is to be hanged here to-
morrow for the murder OF her hus-
band. unless the board Of pardons in
tervenes, is in a state Of collapse. Mrs.
Edwards appears to have given up all
hope She eats nothing and spends her
time moaning and sobbing and asking
TO be left to herself
Greason's deposition was taken. II
reviews his case, protests his inno-
cence, and asks for a full pardon. The
application is based on Mrs. Edwards
confession generating Greason from
completely in the murder. 1t will be
presented by the negro's counsel.
District Attorney Kutz issued
statement, announcing that he believes
Greason innocent and will advocate his
pardon.
When Rev. Stephen SchweitzeT, Mrs.
Edwards spiritual adviser, called on
the condemned woman, she confessed
to him that she murdered her husband,
and that Greason was in no way i'm
plicated in the crime. She went over
the entire story of the night Of the
murder in practically the same man
ner as it is told in her published con-
fession. Rev. Mr.. Schweitzer con-
firmed her and married her to John
Edwards.
A monster petition urging the COM
mutation of the womans sentence to
life Imprisonment was presented to
Governor Pennypacker at Harrisburg
by f. l.. Boalt, Miss Catherine Pant
land, Mrs. Anna Finch and Mrs. Ru-
dolph Kneipfer, of Cleveland. The pc
tition contains the signatures of 275,-
600 men and women of Ohio. The gov
ernor promised to refer the petition to
the board of pardons. The petition is
two miles long and weighs 30 pounds.
Carl Mueller and H. II. Anderson,
Cleveland attorneys, have obtained
permission from the board Of pardons
to appear before that body at today's
hearing in behalf of Mrs. Edwards.
The petition contains the signatures
of lawyers, ministers, public mep and
thousands of women. The movement
for the presentation of this paper was
started by Mrs. Keipfer.
Sheriff Sassaman will begin the erec-
tion of the scaffold this evening If the
board of pardons refuses to interfere.
It will be located in the southern Jail
yard, and Mrs. Edwards and Greason,
who are to be executed at the same
time, will walk directly out Of the
prison door onto the scaffold.
The Berks county jail has every ap-
pearance Of being the central scene of
the fateful drama which may be en-
acted tomorrow. There are already
signs OF preparation to carry out the
laws DEGREES, which can only be halted
by the action of the board Of pardons.
Sheriff Sassaman returned with the
rope with which to hang Mrs. Kate
Edwards and Samuel Greason, and the
gallows is ready to be put up if the
action of the board is unfavorable to
the condemned.
The attorneys for Mrs. Edwards will
ask for life imprisonment for her
Their petition contains a recital Of the
entire facts as published in the peti.
tion to the supreme court. They will
ask for life Imprisonment for Mrs. Ed,
wards on the grounds that the act wai
justihable, because she struck the
blows in self-defense of her own life
A full and complete pardon for theii
client is wanted by Greason's lawyers
The contrast between the actions o
the two prisoners under sentence o
death is striking in the extreme. Grea
son. cool, cOmplacent and his counte
nance at times wreathed with a smile
suggests to one that he is simpl.
awaiting a complete pardon. Mrs. Ed
wards is in a constant state of hyster
, les. She eats nothing. and can only b
Quieted by strong stimulants Her at
. torneys can scarcely obtain any coher
ent sentences from their client, an
r she has not slept since Sunday whe
: she was in possession Of her child. Al
= tendants are in constant charge, an
!. fear the worst They realize that shoul
), the officials be called upon to carr
j; out the execution of the death sentenc
=, they will be compelled to carry tn
woman to the gallows.