The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1905-02-18
STAY FOR NRS.EDW ARDS
Pardon Board Grants Her COntinu-
ance and Greason a Rehearing.
DEATH WARRANTS WITHDRAWN

Applic alton viii Be Made to Supreme
Court to Open Greason's Case.
Woman Was HystercaI When Told
the News.
Harrisburg. Pa. Feb. l6.-On the
recommendation of the board OF par
IONS Governor Pennypacker withdrew
HE death warrants in the case OF MIS-
kate Edwards the white woman anu
Samuel Greason. the negro who were
under sentence to hang together III
the Berks county jail at Reading To-Day
for the murder OF Mrs. Edwards nus
band in 1901. The case Of Greasoh
will now be again taken to the rem
s,lvania supreme court, and II that
tribunal refuses to reopen the case
the attorneys for Mrs. Edwards ana
Greason will have to appear before
the board OF pardons next month
When the board. which is made mp
of w NJ. Brown, lieutenant governor
Frank NJ. Fuller. secretary OF the com
monwealth; Hampton l.. Carson, at
torney general and Isaac b. Brown.
secretary of internal affairs. went INTO
session they first took up some minor
eases and then called the Edwards
case. Elwood II. DeySier. OF counsel
for Mrs Edwards, made motion that
the case of Mrs. Edwards be taken up
and Immediately continued. lie made
this motion he said. because Mrs.
Edwards had confessed that she had
committed the crime and that Urea
son had no hand in IT, and because
counsel for Greason wanted to take
deDositions and also examine Mrs.
Edwards with regard to the authen-
ticity OF the confession. Counsel TOT
Greason he said. would not be able TO
do this If the case OF Mrs. Edwards
Was not continued John II. Rothermel
and William II. Sadler. attorneys for
Greason. supported Mr.. Deysher and
also pleaded for a rehearing in the
case OF their client. Mr. Sadler inform
ed the board that he had four wit
ueSSeS IN Dtudil VI NiVoS'h "AN $3.50
never been examined
The board retired to private room,
and after celebrating 20 minutes, re-
turned TO the bench and announced
that the board had decided to take
up both cases and Immediately con
tinue them. The reason for the board
action was read by the attorney gen
eral II 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 a new
trial in the court Of oyer and terminer
of Berks county. and in view of the
statement OF counsel for Greason that
they have four witnesses never before
examined. whose dispositions they de-
sire to take and present to the SUI
preme court for its consideration, the
application for a continuance in the
Edwards case is granted. and the ap-
plication for a re-hearing in the Grea-
son case is granted.
I'VE therefore respectfully recon-
mend that respites issue in both cases.
staying the execution for a period not
exceeding 10 days after the third We'd
nesday in March. 1905.
After the stir Occasioned by the
boards decision had subsidized. Lieu
tenant Governor Brown informed the
attorneys for Mrs Edwards and Grea-
son that both cases would be taken mp
next month together by the board I'M
less the supreme court in the mean.
time interfered He expressed the
opinion. privately that the matter
ought to be settled by jury in Berks
county
The lawyers for Greason will now
apply to the supreme court for an or
der opening his case in order to hear
the four new witnesses found by his
attorneys If the supreme court grants
the order the case will go back to
Berks county for retrial. In the mean
time Mrs. Edwards case will be con-
tinued nut if the supreme court re-
fuses the order then The board of par
dOns will have to decide the case at
its next meeting. which will be the
third Wednesday in March.