Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-01-15
Woman In Case.
JOHN HARPER FACES
DEATH ONCE MORE

John Harper, of Fannin county, con-
victed OF one murder committed while
under indictment for another. sentenced
to hang. reprieved half a dozen times
almost on the eve of hts execution.
escaped once, recaptured under thrilling
circumstances back up in his native
mountains, and probably entitled TO the
distinction of having prepared himself to
die more times than any other man alive,
is again under shadow OF the gallows, and
unless heroic effort by his determined
counsel results IN some interference by
the governor, will hang at last before
very many more days have elapsed.
wednesday, morning the supreme court
of Georgia handed down its decision on
the extraordinary motion filed by Harp
er's attorneys some months ago, for a
new trial Before that the appeal OF an
ordinary motion for new trial had been
heard by the supreme justices. and re-
fused. ,......,.
Held. That the court below in refusing
a new, trial on the ground Of newly dis
covered evidence. viii not be disturbed, :"
was the verdict OF the last court Of the
state, THE. decision of the lower court
80 Harper Must Hang :, %
g Wherefore unless something 'interferes
with the course of human events. John
Harper will hang, before long, for the
murder of Sheriff Ben Keith, of Fannin
county, when that officer. armed with an
Indictment for q previous murder, had
pursued him into Murray county and was
about 30 arrest him. ,;.l.is 80 -l
Harper. is now confined in murderers
row on the top floor OF the Fulton county
jail. He has been there for. months and
months, past ever since his. conviction
81 fhpa a
Keith. ~ ,sy., ,.- tf,aas1., -.
Once, last February on the Monday
morning when the well remembered sleet
storm broke over Atlanta, Harper was
found to be missing from MS cen on one
Of the lower floors Of the Jail. Bars had
been sawed off one OF the windows during
the night. Harper trnisty, had used his
privilege TO escape with another prisoner
When their escape was discovered the
two men were well on their way toward
north Georgia. through the storm. The
companion of Harper was soon recap
tured. but Harper himself was at large
for several months; tin he was finally To-
Gated IN his ewn. cabin; up inithe naonp-
tains of FiapRin county, Theirs he bad ar
ranged, for himself a complete hiding
place where he might have eluded the
sight Of all save his own family for years.
And there, too, he was captured by men
who knew him and whom. Harper, cover
ing them with his guns would not XIII
because they acted square" with him.
To them he surrendered. and without
irons he was brought back 10 the Fulton
county. jail and re-incarcerated-put IN
murderers' row, whence escapejis hard
|-f.n. :, Stoicism of Indian -1r
How Harper win hear the news of this
collapse of his hopes-and to all appear
ances II Is the final. eoIlapse-remains to
be seen. Wednesday he will hear It, He
has hoped before, and has seen. his
dreams of life and liberty shattered,
with the stoicism of an Indian he has
played the game" thus far with never
show of weakness. So 1T may be sup
posed that he will not be overly excited
when he hears that the last court and the
last appeal have failed him, and that
mayhap, unless the governor interferes,
he wiz swing to eternity on some day yet
20 be,set by the court that sentenced him.