The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1907-03-28
: ~~~~ 80

ray of hope has broken into the
death cell of John Lapidat at the
Michigan City prison where he is un-
der sentence to hang tomorrow night.
His friends at Indiana Harbor are cir
culating a petition which was forward
ed to Governor Hanly today, asking
the latter to commute the death SEN
tence to life imprisonment The petit
tion found ready signers among the
people of Indiana Harbor, the sigma
lures being given just as readily by
the business men as by his own coun-
trymen Lapidat shot and killed AL
exander Urdia Of Indiana Harbor last
fall and his conviction and sentence
followed a speedy trial. A Roumanian
priest arrived from Cleveland yester-
day and went from Indiana Harbor to
Michigan City where he is trying to
awaken a religious feeling in the
doomed prisoner
Greeks Friends Busy, Toe.
While these things have been in
progress the friends of Constantine
stathocopolus, who killed fellow
countrynaar named Kaeklemanus at
the Gibson yards and was convicted
of murder and sentenced to hang, last
September. are bending every effort to-
ward obtaining clemency for the Greek.
The question of greatest interest
among the doomed mans fellow coun-
trymen at Gibson and Indiana Harbor
is, "Will Stathocopolus' sentence be
commuted?"
Since his imprisonment Lapidat has
apparently taken no interest whatso-
ever in his surroundings. His behav
ior at the prison, however. has been
good and his guards are we'll satisfied
with him.
Tendency Toward Clemency.
1t is a matter of speculation what
the governor will do in the matter. His
tendency is toward committing hang
ing sentences to life Imprisonment.
When William A Spores was re-
prieved on Feb 25. Lapidat gained a
little more hope and the renewed eff
forts of his friends at Indiana Harbor
seemingly have transformed him, until
now, he is wide awake and hoping and
praying that his sentence too, may be
commuted.
Stathocopolus was convicted of muir
der September last and sentenced to
hang at the Michigan City prison to-
morrow night Recently the Greek
consuls over the country have taken
the matter to their home government
and the latter has asked the consuls
to do all in their power to urge the
governor to commute the sentence to
life Imprisonment With this fact in
view a petition was circulated among
the employees of the Indiana Harbor
road. which was forwarded to the gov
erner with over threo hundred sigma
lures attached. The names of some of
the officials of the Indiana Harbor road
were included in this petition which
was sent to the governor the first of
the week.
Mayor Becker Takes An Interest.
Mayor Becker has also sent a COM
munication to the governor, asking that
Stathocopolus' sentence be committed
TO life Imprisonment. Governor Hanly
wrote Attorney NJ NJ. Bruce q letter
some time ago asking that trans
cript of the evidence be sent him that
he might see just what the evidence
in tho case was. According to dis
patches from Indianapolis Mr.. Hanly
spent yesterday in listening to the
reading of the transcript in this case
and that of Lapidat, which he also had
sent him.
d. Jannopoulo. the Greek consul at
St. Louis. has forwarded the governor
a letter from the Greek government
asking the governor to commute the
will have some weight with Mr.. Hanly