The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-01-30
WOLTER PAYS THE DEATH PENALTY Protests Innocence to the
 Last A STATEMENT Says He Was Victim of Circumstan- tial Evidence-Hopes for Jus
 tice in Heaven-History
 of the Crime
LEAVES A STATEMENT

Ossining, N. r., January 29.-Albert welter was put to death in the elec- tric chair at Sing Sing prison at 5:4i o'clock this morning for the murder of 15-year-o1d Ruth Wheeler nearly two years ago. The girl came to Wolter' s flat in New York in search of employ ment and he was convicted of having killed her after she had been assault ed Wolter left statement with War den Kennedy denying that he had com mitted the crime. The execution was without incident and Wolter was de- clared dead after the first shock. The state electrician said Wolter showed less resistance to the current than any other murderer put to death by elec- tricity at Sing Sing prison.
 The condemned man spent his last night quietly, resting only part of the time. At o'clock Wolter wrote his denial of the killing. It WAS on a single sheet and so even and clear were the characters formed that the writing had the appearance of copper plate. The statement reads
 Warden J. $. Kennedy:
 'To those giving me their kind assist %, ? a. m Now, that I am depart ing from this earth to go into the presence of God, I wish to make this last statement The world refused me justice, but our Father in heaven, who knows our innermost thoughts, will give me pure and undefiled justice. l wish to state I am innocent of the crime was convicted of.
 q have been the victim of circum- stantial evidence. l hope there may come time when the conscience of the perpetrator will overpower him and he will come to the fore and acknowl- edge his guilt. It is my honest hope to God that he may bring the person guilty of the crime to justice, that my name may be cleared of this stain and that the people may see the injustice done meg and that they killed an in- nocent boy.
 "oT those giving me their kind assist ances, and who have trusted in me, give my sincere thanks. To those who have maliciously persecuted and killed me, for them l pray Gods for giyeness."
 Although Wolter was convicted on circumstantial evidence the court of ap- peals reviewing the case after a series of legal delays, declared he was fair ly tried and justly convicted. Ruth Wheeler met her death March A, 1910 in Wolter's apartment on the fourth floor of a house in East Fifty-seventh street, New York, where she had gone to seek employment.
 The eharred body was later discov- cred. The evidence indicated the girl had come to death by strangulation and burning subsequently,. The body was thrust into fire place, where it 4sra 1x- i'm fo1 md aIa1 until it became convenient to remove it in bag to the fire escape, from which it was thrown to the ground. Wolter admitted that he wrote the postcard which led Ruth Wheeler to visit his apartment and in a book kept by him was found in her handwriting an entry of her name and address.
 A hatpin and ring the girl had worn on the morning of her disappearance were found in the fire place. In a house to which Wolter moved on the following day was found an umbrella the girl was known to have possessed when she left home.
 Wolter claimed he had never seen the Wheeler girl and that he was not at 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 his book by say
 
 of man named Frederick Amer. who was desirous of starting a school of shorthand and who told him he was going to engage Ruth Wheeler
 No one could be found to testify as to the existence of Ahner. Wolter was found guilty and was sentenced to be electrocuted on June 6, 1910. but the execution was stayed by an appeal Although the law allows but six months in which to argue such an ap- peal, the case did not reach the court of appeals until December I, 1911.
 The court affirmed the judgment of conviction within 10 days. Governor Dix refused to interfere.