The Detroit times., 1911-06-20
SHERIFF SAYS HE'LL
QUIT BEFORE HE'LL
HANG WOMAN
But Another Not So Tender Hearted
Will Be Found Unless Womanhood
and Manhood Save Angelina Ma
politano With Appeals.
Condemned Woman Bitterly Laments
Fate Which She Fears Will Take
Her to Gallows.
BY HONOR TANNING.

SAULT STE. MARK. Ont, June
20.-The women OF the entire prov
ince OF Ontario are up In arms against
the hanging of woman. The people
of Sauh Ste. Marie, where Mrs. An
gelino Napolitano, sentenced to death
for the murder of her husband, lies
in jail, manifest great sympathy for
the wretched, friendless mother.
Two prominent women, Mrs. Hen
ry Dennison and Mrs. Richard Smith,
have sent this pleading cable TO Sir
Wilfrid Laurier, premier OF Canada,
who is attending the coronation cere'
monies In London:
Women Of North America petl-
tion you to lntercede with the
governor-general Of Canada, or
with King George, TO pardon or
commute the death sentence I'M
posed upon Angelina Napolitano
for the murder Of her husband.
The provocatlon was great, and
the woman Iabored under great
mental stress. Spare her for her
four children and for the child
which ls soon to be born to her.
The official hangman died year
ago, and the office was then abolish
ed. No man wanted 1t. Sheriff VIII.
liam Carney, more than 80 years old,
will be the Official upon whom the
duty will devolve OF placing the black
cap, adjusting the moose and then CIV
ing the signal to drop the fatal scaf-
fold trap.
The sheriff, whose father and
grandfather held that position before
him, says that he will resign before
he hangs a woman. But somebody
will--if the petitions do not stay the
hand
There are good grounds for a new
trial, but new trials are not as easily
obtained In Canada as they arc IN the
United States. The woman has no
money, and SO far no one has advanc.
ed any for her defense. Her friends
are poor like herself. Her children
are permitted to visit the condemned
woman In her cell, but each Of their
visits render her more miserable af
ter they have left her TO the silence
of the prison. Rocking to and fro she
bitterly laments the fate that seems
to carry her swiftly and surely onto
the gallows, where awaits the awful
hangman.
At first she worried over what
would be the future of her living chill
dren, but now she dwells moro con-
tinually upon the expected baby. She
fears that IL will be taken from her
as soon as II Is born and she herself
will be rudely dragged to the scat
fold at once to pay the penalty OF
the law for killing the brute OF a
man who sought to live In idleness
by the shame Of his wife.
She is ignorant of the language and
customs of this new country and out.
side of her children, hasn't reln-
tive this side OF Italy, where, peas,
ant girl she was wooed and won by
the man she sent into eternity last
Easter Sunday. Mrs. Napolitano has
written what she believes will be the
last letter to her poor, old mother
in Italy. Its contents she would not
divulge, except that she has told her
aged parent OF the crime, and beg
ged her to help the children when
the hangman makes them orpnans,
Friends of the despairing woman
have written the Italian consul at
Montreal, asking him to use his in
fiuence with the Canadian govern
ment. Also their plea has gone
across the ocean to Rome to the king
and queen, to whom Angelina paid
homage in her girlhood days.
The office of Attorney McFadden.
counsel for Mrs. Napolitano, IL filled
with petitions-thousands and thous-
ands of them. They will be forward
ed to the goYernor-generalis offiee,
but Mr.. McFadden believes that more
will be accomplished II the petitions
are sent directly to Governor General
Earl Grey, Ottawa, Ont, instead OF
mailing them To him