The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-06-22
ARMSTRONG SEEKS
To SAVE HAMILTON
Witness Says Condemned
Man Did Not Stay Mrs.
Hicks Intentionally
DECLARES MISTAKE
WILL BE MADE
Affiant Unable to Sleep Because of
Thought of Innocent Man
Going to Chair-Governor
May Act.

"a great injustice will be done an
innocent man II Angelo Hamilton
goes to the electric chair Friday. He
Is innocent OF murder He shot Mrs.
Hicks accidentally while he was
drunk"
This was tho statement of John
Armstrong. witness TO the killing
of Mrs. Saliie Hicks In Lynchburg
last summer, when he called at the
governors Office Wednesday to see the
chief executive and ask him to spare
Hamilton's life.
Armstrong made an affidavit to the
same effect several weeks ago. The
governor talked with Armstrong ten
days ago and said afterward that the
atlantis verbal statements did not
correspond to his written story OF
the shooting. After talking with
Armstrong. Governor Mann said he
did not see how he could interfere
with the Law, and Hamilton would go
TO his doom Friday unless something
turns up to change my mind"
Armstrong; Version.
Armstrong read the governors
statement In the papers and called at
the executive once Wednesday to
make hts story plain.
Il don't know whether or not the
governor understood me sunday.
week ago. when i had q hurried talk
with him. but meant to tell him the
facts. which were that Hamilton was
drunk and shooting In the air when
Mrs. Hicks was shot. and did not In
tend killing any one" said Armstrong.
II saw Hamilton at the picnic. Ike
was Intoxicated and waving mis- re-
yolver In the air. He drew the weap-
on and fred one shot in the air l
rushed TO him, seized his arm and
tried 10 take the revolver from him.
During the scufiie the weapon was
brought down level with my shout
der Hamilton was crAxed with drink
and continued pulling the trigger.
Two shots were discharged while the
gun WAC level They struck Mrs.
Hicks and killed her. After these
shots were fred, knocked Hamtlton's
arm up in the air, He fsred two more
shots. The drunken man fred I'VE
shots. Had he wanted to Kill Mrs.
Hicks, there would have been no ne
cessity In firing the first shot In the
air or the other two after she zen to
the ground mortally wounded
Asked what he knew about Hamll-
ton having made threats 10 kill Mrs.
Hicks and himself. Armstrong said:
Those threats were simply the raw
ines OF drink crazed man. Hamii-
ton did make the threats but he did
not mean them. as he had nothing
arainst Mrs. Hicks. and could not
have hit her with bullet IL he had
aimed at her. because his hand was
so unsteady. IL had not grappled
with him to take the revolver from
him. probably he would have fired
the Ave shots into the air and injured
no one. / believed the drunken man
with the revolver was likely TO shoot
himself, me or anyone else, so i tried
70 disarm him.
II know Hamilton did not intend
killing Mrs Hicks, because he had
made arrangements with a man nam
ed Crawford to sell him the revolver
the day following the picnic, at which
Mrs. Hicks was killed. Hamilton told
Crawfor dhe would deliver il to him
the day after the picnic. but wanted
to take 1t out TO the woods that day
and practice target shooting with II.
Unable to sheep.
"Since reading that the Governor
does not believe my story and VIII not
interfere, I have been unable to sleep,
because l see that innocent man be-
fore me going to the chair for murder
which he never intended to commit
II sincerely hope the Governor will
10 talk to the Governor again, for
feel confident that can satisfy him
that the killing was purely accidental.
Hamilton probably does deserve some
punishment for getting drunk and dis
Charging his revolver five times at
picnic and killing Mrs. Hicks. but
do not thin khe should be required to
give his life for his folly"
Governor Mann was at Lexington
Wednesday and Armstrong talked to
Secretary Ben Owen and newspaper
reporters. He appeared to be an hon
est, truthful. hard working man. and
his story was convincing.
Secretary Owen also received teie-
gram for the Governor from Attorney
Drysdaie, who has been fighting so
valiantl yto save Angelo from awful
doom in the penitentiary Friday. Mr..
owen sent Attorney Drysdaie's tele-
gfram, asking for further respite,
ana Armstrong's request for a second
hearing. to the chief executive at Lex
ington Wednesday at noon.
Governor Mann II expected back in
Richmond Thursday. and may talk
with Armstrong again or grant Ham,
tS<cr . fstrfhar rOansfa