Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1905-02-18
RESPITE FOR
MRS. EDWARDS
Pardon Board Grants Her a COntinu.
ance and Greason Rehearing.
DEATH WARRANTS WITHDRAWN

Harrisburg, Pa, Feb. 16.-On the
recommendation of the board of par
dons. Governor 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 in
the Berks county Jail at Reading today
for the murder of Mrs. Edwards hus-
band in 1901. The case of Greason
will now be again taken to the Penn
sylvania supreme court, and if that
tribunal refuses to reopen the case
the attorneys for Mrs. Edwards and
Greason will have to appear before
the board OF pardons next month.
When the board, which is made up
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
cases and then called the Edwards
case Elwood H. Deysher, of counsel
for Mrs. Edwards, made a motion that
the case of Mrs. Edwards be taken up
and Immediately continued. He made
this motion. he said. because Mrs.
Edwards had confessed that she had
committed the crime and that Grea-
son had no hand In 1t, and because
counsel for Greason wanted to take
dispositions and also examine Mrs.
Edwards with regard to the authen-
ticity of the confession. Counsel for
Greason. he said, would not be able to
do this If the case of Mrs. Edwards
was not continued. John II. Rothermel
and William Fl. 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
nesses in behalf of Greason who had
never been examined.
The board retired to a private room.
and after deliberating 90 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 8
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 su-
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 up
next month together by the board un-
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. But il 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.
CONDEMNED HEAR OF RESPITE