The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1905-02-10
MRS EDWARDS
CONFESSES
Pennsylvania Murderess AID.
mits Her Crime
EXONERATES GLEASON
Case Will Come Up Before the
State Board OF Pardons
Feb. IS
EXONERATES GLEASON

READING, Pa, Feb. 10.--Mrs. Kate
Edwards, who Is under sentence to be
hanged with Samuel Greason on Thurs.
day next for the murder Of her hus-
band, made statement to her counsel
last night, in which, II is said, she ex-
onerates Greason from completely In
the murder. The statement will not be
given TO the public until it is presented
to the board OF pardons, but the infer
ence is left that she has admitted that
she alone committed the crime.
Mrs. Edwards and Greason. who is a
colored man, were convicted of the
murder of Edwards, and since the
death sentence has been pronounced
extraordinary efforts have been made
to save them from the gallows. The
board of pardons has heretofore re-
fused TO interfere, and the state SUI
preme court has affirmed the lower
courts verdict.
Mrs. Edwards confession. ii Is
thought. will place the case in an en-
tirely new aspect before the board of
pardons The board will meet at Har-
risburg Feb. IL, the day before the
date fixed for the double execution. If
the woman's statement Is accepted by
the board II may save the mans life.
If the woman Is spared ii will there
fore be entirely on sentimental grounds,
as strong pressure is being brought be-
fore the board to not permit the wom-
an to be hanged. In the trial much tes-
timony was presented to show that Ed
wards was a dissolute character. that
he drank heavily and that he treated
his wife In brutal manner. Ii was
shown that Edwards was killed while
he lay drunk at his home
1t is expected that the execution will
ut least be postponed in view of the
statement of Mrs. Edwards. 1t is said
Mrs. Edwards conscience has been
troubling her since she has been re-
ceiving the spiritual ministrations Of
her former pastor, Rev. Stephen
Schweitzer; that she could restrain her
self no longer and so sent for her law
yers and made the statement. That
she has not made statement before
Is, it is believed, due to the fact that
she desired to shield her daughter
Mary and that to spare the daughter
she shifted the blame to Greason.
Mary Edwards the daughter, was
tried for completely in the murder, but
was acquitted After her acquittal she
went TO St Louis to live.
Another development in the case was
the receipt from st. Louis of an afii-
davit signed by Mary Edwards, the
daughter This affidavit, which is now
in the hands of John Rothermel. coun-
sci for Greason. is as follows:
II wish to state that l was very
angry at Samuel Greason for what he
did to my mother. but he had nothing
to do with the killing of my father
that know of, and therefore he should
not be hanged for that crime. | GER
tainly wish they would not hang my
mother"
Mrs. Annie KutZ of this city also
made an affidavit, in which she states
that after Mary Edwards had been ac-
quilted she informed her (Mrs. Kutz)
that her mother had struck her father
on the head while he lay drunk, caus-
ing his death; that she Mary was
present at the time; that Greason was
not there, and that her story in court
about Greason was not true.