The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1912-02-07
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We!te1 Dies VowlDg Hs gsd Not Killed
Ii. Young iirl, Rub Wheeler,
BELIEVED HIM GUILTY

The Young Man Was Put to Death
Legally for I,clble Crime on a
Young Girl Who Was Lured to His
Rooms, alistreatec, Stransled and
Burned.
Albert Wolter was put to death in
the electric chair at Sing Sing prison
at Sal o'clock Monday morning, for
the murder OF l5-year-old Ruth
Wheeler, nearly two years ago.
The girl came to Wolter's fat in
New York in search Of employment
and he was convicted Of having killed
her after she had been mistreated
Wolter left statement with Warden
Kennedy, denying that he had COM
mitted the crime.
The execution Eas without feature
and Wolter was declared dead after
one contact Of 1850 volts. Tie State
electrician said that Wolter showed
less resistance to the electric current
than any other murderer put to death
by electricity at S:ng Sing prison.
Wolter spent Sunday night quietly.
resting only part OF the time. At ,
o'clock Monday morning he wrote his
denial of the killing. 1t was on a
single sheet and 50 even and clear
were the letters formed that the writ
ing had the appearance OF copper
plate. The statement reads:
Warden ]. S. Kennedy:
To be given to the public. January
90, 2 a. n. Now that I am depart
ing from this earta to 90 into the
presence of God, l wish to make this
last statement. The world refused
me justice, but oui Father in HeaV-
en-, who knows our innermost
thoughts, He will give me pure and
undefled justice. ] wish to state
that I am innocent Of the crime ]
was convicted Of. I have been a
victim Of circunstantial evidence.
hope there may come q time when
the conscience OF the perpetrator will
overpower him and he will come to
the front and acknowledge his guilt
It is my honest prayer to God that
he may bring the person guilty OF
the crime to justice. that my name
NAV be cleared Of this stain and that
the people may see the injustice done
me and that they killed an innocent
boy.
To those who have given ne theiI
kind assistance AMI have trusted IN
me give my sincere thanks. Tc
those who have raliciously perse,
cuted and killed rae. for them pray
Gods forgiveness
Albert ". Wolter.
Although Wolter was convicted or
circumstant;al evidence, the court ot
appeals reviewing the case after g
series of legal delays, declared thai
he was fairly tried and justly con
ricted.
Ruth Wheeler Cet her death or
March -, 1910, In VOTERS apart
nent on the fourth floor Of a house
on East Seventy-ffth street, New
York city, where she had gone tc
seek employment as stenographer
Her charred body was discovered
later.
The evidence indicated that the
girl had come to her death by stran
gulation and burning after havins
been 7avished. The body had beer
thrust into fireplace. where it wa:
partly burned and concealed until i
became convenient to remove it IN
bag to the fire escape from which i
was thrown to the ground below.
Wolte- admitted that he wrote the
postal card which led Ruth Wheeler
70 visit his apartment and in a ooos
kept by kim-was found in her hand
writing an entry Of her name and ad'
dress.
A hatpin and a ring which the gir
had worn on the morning OF her dis
appearance were found in the Are
place and in house to which Woltel
had moved on the following day wa:
discovered an umbrella which the
girl was known to have had with hel
when she left homo.
Wolter claimed he had never seer
the Wheeler girl and that he was moi
ct home until late in the afternoon
on the day the crime was committed
He sought to account for the entry
OF the girls name in mis- book BY
saying he wrote it there at the dc
tatior OF man named Fred Ahner
who was desirous OF starting schoo
OF shorthand and told him he was
going to engage Ruth Wheeler. NJ
one could be found to testify as to the
existence Of AhDeT.
Wolter was found guilty and wa:
sentenced to be electrocuted on June
6, 1910. but the exception wa:
STAYED by an appeal. Although the
law allows but six months IN which
to argue such an appeal, the case die
not reach the court OF appeals unit
December 4, 1911 The court al
srned the judgment Of conviction
within ten days. Governor Dix re-
fused to interfere.