Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1909-01-14
Governor Refuses to Interfere With
Sentence Of Death.
EXECUTIVE GIVES HIS REASONS
Law Must Take Its Course In Tn s
Case, or No Further Executions
Would be Permiss bic for the Crime
of Murder

RICHMOND. VA. Jan. Eft this
! prisoners sentence should N"' com
! ,uut.i for nfr. | wouIu not feet juS'l
! ii, Il in permitting another "l"clrocu'
! ton while | am governor 't VIRGINIA.
| and hence shall refuse 10 !nt"r1'r"
in This case and viii permit IN" IA"
10 take its course.
| Wru these words Governor swan
! sen today At noon Sealed tn" TAT" o!
| H,n Gilbert. the "ight""ny"ar-oln
white youth now at thu penit'nti2ry
awaiting death In III" electric char
Tor TIN murder OF Miss Amanda
Morse.
The date of the execution has been
fixed at January 10th. and the only
ray of hope now offered Gilbert is the
possibility of a writ of errnr from IN"
| Virginia Court Of Appeals. His case
is now pending in that tribunal! but
| II would seem that he has nut poor
chance OF getting even a br'"t stay
/ of execution.
! Governor Swanson. Il will b" OBJ
served di:. not fee! justified in "N
| t.rding the slighies; mercy 10 the
/ Drivonrr-in fact. his conscience
, wcrld not permit him. When he pc
ru,,d the record OF tn" crime ii" WAS
| almost Fortified.
Always there came before him th'
| girl vino f"l! Vic;im 10 me jealous
| malice of Ben Gilbert.
Despite his feelings of r"vulsioll'
| ga fht, 90
| the most careful ana thoughtful
| study.
He even dill his utmost TO conVinc"
! his own mind thai Gilb"r, may nave
been mentally irresponsible when he
committed the crime. but tn" facts
all lead him to contrary belief.
His &C ion is fully cxplainsd by III"
| following statement:
! Governors, Statement
| have considered the case OF Ben,
iamin Gilbert most carefully, read al
OF the evidence ard seen persohai'E
!thn officials who have had charge OF
him since his Incarceration. Inc pc
tition for mercy addressed TO me tA
ecvtivr and endorsed by ma1crlN
of the jury. has been most consclcn
,iously and carefully considered.
While it is ever a pleasure 10 gram
merry when it can be properly eN
-.ntird vet il is rot the duty Of the
executive to be timid or fOollshly N
tiurntal where the demands OF la"
and the facts in tn" case drmard a
stern exercise of the penalty CT the
law.
/ TIL. prisoner in his case is glii'H
| of most brutal and unprovHked
murder. The facts disclose that ear
Wv in The. morning. he borrowed ps'
ltnl. which he kept during the DAY
ard followed III" youEs lady qu'e
awhile. finally shooting her down
| WithoT; excuse CT warning.
| The brutal murder was occaSioned
! bv Jealousy and anger because the
lvOuny lady did not see proper 10 con,
tiruc to receive his attentions and
itecause he thought she was Receiving
the attentions Of another
The cnlv possible ground on which
this cruel and rremeditatsd murder
/ could be excused is en- the plea oil
INSANITY. Some evidence was intro
lduccd by the defense tending in tins
| direction bur no one could read the
evidence without Icing convinced
that the prisoner is responsible for
1.-THE results OF his act. and knew fully
the wrong h" was perpctrating.
Is Not Insane.
The officers and PHYSICIANS. both IL
| iaiI and in The state penitcntiary
who have lad charge of him and oh
| servation of him since his impriSoh
menf last summer. are convinced o.
his absolute sanity. and feel that NJ
is entitled TO no mercy on this &C
count. they have hal full op?ortu
ni,v 10 detect any tendency on ms
part in this direction.
The party who employed him mos
Of the time for years fore the mnr
der occurred was satisfied a. % his
SANITY and 7esponsihiii'.
| The facts surrounding his casa
are sufficient To ConvinC" me that me
iris; ncr is in every respect sum
cient,v san. to b" Responsible for hi:
vicious decd. and should receive nc
mercy on thai account.
| His crime is so rPp!ch"nsthle and
linexCuSahI" that il pr"Ciudcs from
this standpoint exercise of clcm'ncy
\ II this prisoner should h. Commuted
| fcr life | would not feel justified in
perni,ting another Tlectrocutior
| whiic am governor Of Virginia