The sun., 1910-05-14
MURDERER FREED.
GOV. Hughrs COmmutes Llfe sentenee Of
William J. kOerneF.

ALBANT. May ls-0ov. Hughes to-day
commuted the sentence Of William J.
KOsrner, a prisoner now serving a lie
sentence at Auburn Prison on conviction
of murder in the second degree. kOsrner.
who killed his sweetheart. Rose Alice
Redgate. in New York. on september q.
lsos. will no released from prison to-
/ morrow
The Governor made the following
I memorandum:
The prisoner was convicted Of murder
in the second degree in March. is0s. and
has been IN confinement about twelve
years Il b unnecessary 10 review the
I facts Of the crime OF the course OF the
long prOtracted legal proceedings.
1t sufficiently appears that this is one
| OF the exceptional cases In which the
interests Of justice will be served by
granting clemency. The prisoner has
fairly earned his RELEASE by has service
tO the State In connection with the inn
pOrtant duties TO which he has been as
signed in the prison and the fidelity
which he has conspicuO,isly shown. For
many years he has served a. the con-
tidential clerk Ol the deputy warden
IN addition 10 his work as editor of the
otaT OF HOpC. His assistance In the main
tenanoe of discipline has been of great
value. and the application for this CON-
mutation finds abundant support in the
reports made tome by the prison authon-
ties
Koerner was engaged in iS0e 10 Rose
Alice Redgate of 2S Prospect street,
Brooklyn. but the engagement was broken
|faH - ka saFa.a.aaaHts.n - Ia
girls parents n the match On Septsn-
ber q Of that year a man who Rfterward
proved % be kOerner was seen by several
witnesses on Seventh avenue 10 chase
Miss Redgata, from the stoop Of a house
just south of Fourteenth street and shoot
her three times
The result Of KOernaEis first triai
which ended March l. 1897. was a verdict
OF murder in tho first degree, and he was
sent 10 the death house at Sing Sing.
The Court of Appeals reversed this YER
dict the following November, and second
jury returned a second degree verdict.
March. yes. and a life sentence was inn
posed.
Mrs. McAlpin. who was associated with
Mrs. Balhngton BOoth in prison work.
learned Of koeruer's defence for his act
and gave active assistance In bringing
about a further appeal tie said that be
had taken a quantity % phenacetin for
a headache and drunk a pint pf whiskey
just prior 20 tho commission ~ the crime
ana that he was not responsible. He pro-
fesaed 20 have no recollection of the act,
claiming that HE mind was blank as a
result Of the action Of the stimulant.
koerner was a former newspaper artist
in New York. and while IN the Marden's
once at Sing Sing had been one of the
founders Of the SfaF Of Hope. these facts
also excited Mrs. AIcAlpin's sympathy.
and through her financial hacking the
appeal was carried 10 the Appellate d.
vision. which affirmed the sentence and
conviction on January II. 1877.
koerner was then transferred 10 Auburn,
where he was employed in the Wardens
ofiice. Here Thomas NJ Osborne. Mayor
Of Auburn. also hecame interested in him,
and the case was carried 90 the Court %
Appeals a. result The { curt Of Appeals
affirmed the conviction on the same day
that Mrs McAlpin died az the 81 Regis.
No further attempts we're made IN the
mans behalf until those that az last
reached Gov. Hughes