Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1909-04-22
MURDERER's LIFE SAVED.
Wilkie Reynolds Escapes the GaIlovs
through Curious Legal Loophole.

wilkie Reynolds Escapes the Garow,
through Curious Legal Loophole.
Christmas Recess OF the Legislature
Likely to Open the Door for His Abso.
lutte Freedom.-An Existing Statute
Forhids His Execution According to
the sentence.-was It the Result OF Ac-
eident or Design7-Interssting Legal
Questions Raised.
Soon there was q sensation OF the lare.
est order. Members eagerly dove int
the story to learn what had happened. n
Was as follows:--
Montpelier, Dec. 20.-WKen both
houses OF the Vermont legislature adopt-
ed the resolution providing for a recess
from tomorrow until January 4 next
probably not single member Of either
body realized that the action meant an as.
surance Of life, certainly, and liberty.
probably, to a man condemned to die on
the scafiold the second Friday of next
month.
"If any member did know il and re.
Trained from making his knowledge pub-
lie, 1t is safe to say It must have been
someone vitality interested in the mans
fate.
"The resolution passed readily enough,
but 1t is absolutely certain that the Senate
would never have concurred il the
senators had known that it's passage
meant the notification OF the courts
death sentence for Wilkie Reynolds. con.
victed OF the murder of John Edwards.
If the reader will take a copy OF the
Public Statutes and turn tn Section 1866,
he will find it reads as follows:-
No person sentenced 10 suffer tie
punishment of death shall be executed
previous to the first day OF January after
the close Of the session OF the general as
sembly following such sentence. -
"Wilkie Reynolds was sentenced to be
executed the second Friday in January
next, by order of the court last October.
Had the legislature adjourned finally
prior to the first day of January next, he
could have been legally executed then.
Now he cannot be.
"The session having gone over into
January, the prohibition of the statute
quoted above becomes operative and his
ultimate fate is left an open question.
Ahl nAnt hul III SAnuaEl lOAlOMluk The
close of the session will be the first day
Of the next year, not the first day of next
MONTH"
There followed q long discussion of the
whole matter and a canvass OF the proba.
bilities, which, the Citizen said, indicat.
ed a speedy release of Reynolds without
further punishment.
Raymond Gray was not in his seat
when the storm broke, but came in soon
after the session had opened. When be
saw the Citizen article, his face flushed
deeply. He read il, as the others had,
but without comment.
| Many Of the House members joined in
a demonstration OF delight at the pros
pect, but the Senate took it differently.
The dignity of that body had been
offended and il it were possible the mad.
vertence would be remedied. Before the
close OF the morning session, the Senate
had reported and passed a bill providing
that the Christmas recess should moi
serve as a bar to the legally authorized
execution OF Wilkie Reynolds on thessec
ond Tuesday in January. 1t came to the
House for action early in the afternoon
/ The temper Of that body under the stress
[ OF the moment was too uncertain to bs
\ put to the test. Raymond Gray, quick to
take advantage OF the situation, did not
dare allow the bill to come to vote.
/ Adjournment had been set for O'Clock.
/ He got the floor, and by the simple expe
dent Of continuing his remarks gave nc
/ opportunity for the vote to be taken. Al
4 the speakers gavel fell, Mr.. Gray took
\ his seat, adjournment came, and Wilkis
| Reynolds had further lease Of life. The
court sentence could not be imposed.
The greatest excitement prevailed wher
the fact appeared. His enthusiastic fol
lowers rushed to Gray, caught him up or
their shoulders and carried him il
triumph forth from the hall. The hand
some face OF the Westmont schoolmastei
| flushed with a joy he could not repress
Not only had he won his fight for hu
man life, but he had reason to expect thu
hand OF a woman whom he loved.
In the days Of the recess following, b.
learned his hope had been we'll founded
and ere his return he placed the ring tina
means so much on the willing finger tina
waited for 1t. He heard, too, the "Got
bless you" OF Mrs. Reynolds, who haS
risen with renewed strength from beC
Of illness, and with Rollin Spencer he Wis
tied the prisoner and received his word
Of gratitude.
The session reeonvened the Tuesday o
the very week in which Reynolds execu
ton was to have taken place.
The first ballot showed the long