Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1908-10-23
BILL|CK Doomed;
LAST HOPE GONE
UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT
DIsMlssEs ALLEGED sLAY-
Frs FINAL APPEAL.
GOVERNORS PARDON
ONLY CAN SAVE HIM
chIcasoan Accused of Killing Sew
eral Persons Has Small Chance Of
Escaping Gallows-New Execution
Date Asked.

Chicago, Oct. 20.-The supreme
court Of the United States Monday,
according to press dispatch from
Washington, dismissed for want Of
Jurisdiction the appeal of Herman
Btllick from the decision of Judge
Lands, and as soon as States Attor-
ney Healy was Informed of the ruling
he said it meant that the man con-
victed Of killing Mary Vrzal must
hang unless Gov Deneen interfered.
The petition was based on the plea
that Billick had been denied a consti-
tutional right by the failure of the
trial court to ask him If he had any
/ thing to say why the sentence Of
death should not be passed upon him.
Gets Long Delay.
BY taking the case into the United
States courts on petition for a writ
Of habeas corpus and appealing to the
supreme court from Judge Lands de-
NAL Of the writ, he obtained long
delay; but 1t Is thought probable that
he will not get another stay of pro-
ceedings and therefore that the SEN
tence of the trial court will soon be
, executed.
Il have heard nothing Of 1t as yet, -
said States Attorney Healy, but 1t
| was all that could be DONE BY a
statute passed last March, which at
the time neither nor the other side
knew of, an appeal of habeas corpus
T, cannot be granted by the supreme
court unless the Judge before whom
| the appeal is made certifies that the
!. Importance of the case warrants it
and that there is probable cause why
!, the appeal should be granted. We will
simply go ahead in the usual way and
ask the court for new date for the
/ execution. The only thing now that
! could save Billick would be pardon
/ from the governor"
Found Guilty Of Killing Girl.
Billick was indicted for having
poisoned five members OF the Vrzal
family. He was put on trial June 28
| 1907, for the murder of Mary Vrzal
i the eldest daughter of the family, and
!, was found guilty on July IS, 1907, and
sentenced to die October 8, 1907
Friends raised the money to take the
case to the supreme court, and on the
day set for his execution he was re-
prieved until November z, 1907. On
that day he was granted a respite un-
til January 20, 1908, and again on a
later date execution was delayed until
April "a. February 20, 1908. the SUI
preme court affirmed Billick's SEN
tence. Two days later Jerry Vrzal
told Father P. j. O'Callaghan that he
had perjured himself at the trial. On
/, this ground Attorney Francis q.
Hinckley March 16 petitioned the gu
! preme court for rehearing. This
was denied April 9. April 10 Gov. De-
neen and the state board Of pardons
heard an appeal for a reprieye and it
was granted until June IL.
o'cajlaehan Hard at Work.
Meantime Father O'ghllaghan had
arranged mass meetings and in other
ways had sought public sentiment-in
behalf of Billick Before June IL he
sought pardon from Gov. Deneen on
the ground that Billick could be then
| placed on trial on one of the other
indictments. Gov. Deneen was con-
sidering the appeal when Judge Lam
dis, who had previously denied writ
of habeas corpus to Billick, granted
him an appeal to the United States
| supreme court