The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-11-25
He, WHO COMMITS
MURDER, OWES HIS
LIFE TO SOCIETY
Facing Death Verdict, Glib
son Declares Belief in
Capital Pun shment
KNOWS DIFFICULTY
CONVINCING JURY
Twelve Level Headed Men of
Average Keenness of Mind
Must Be Certain
of Guilt


iieve in capital punishment. Any man
who commits I premedl,ated, wilful
and deliberate murder owes his life
to the state"
Burton w. Gibson, with the verdict
of the jury inthe case against him
for strangling lirs, Rosa Menschik
Szabo but twenty-four hours away.
tonight solemnIy uttered this declara-
ton. As he spoke he leaned back in
a rocking chair In his cell in the coun-
ty jail. On his cot nearby was copy
OF the Scriptures. In his lap was an
other open yoIume--a popular novel.
He was neither smiling nor cynical.
Apparently the sentiment came
straish from the heart of this lawyer
accused Of one of the most remark
able crimes az the generation.
There had been a general discus
sion between the accused and a group
of newspaper correspondents. Half
-, a tdsEcn mrudars were referred to in
which verdicts of guilty had been
rendered. Gibson participated with
MAJ ked unconcern. Then finally the
infection OF the death penalty was re-
ferred 10. Gibsons face never changed
expression.
Since SAN that said the man
who was telling the story. Il have
never believed In capital punishment"
Beliesea In Jury System.
But do" cried the prisoner sharp
ly. His face became animated. the
group stared III him In silent amaze
ment. He VS. complimented on his
remarkable nerve
1T isn't that" he replied. as he
bent forwards II don't profess to be
any more tt1Ans m ordinary man.
am Ia wyer, and believe In Cur jury
system. i realize how difficult It Lis
to convince twelve ievel-headed men
OF average keenness of mind that a
man 10 guilty of murder unless he Ia
guilty: and when a man has commit
ted a premeditated and deliberate
murder he owes his life to the State"
II am absolutely unafraid." said
Gibson today.
He says he ia confident OF acouit-
tal-and he looks 1t.
The prosecution has absolutely
failed even to establish that a crime
was committed" he said tonight
Faces Other Charges.
He has made his plans ahead-has
anticipated other and certain prose-
cutions. He foresees that he may even
have to face another murder charge
in New York county-the case of Mrs.
Kinnan. for instance: the O'Neill case.
the Malcolm case. or, at the least. he
feels certain that he will be arrested
on an indictment which is believed to
have been found against him In the
szabo viii case for forgery. perjury
and conspiracy. He reviewed them
oil of he
evidence which has been presented
against him on the charge Of murder
ing Mrs. Sxabo.
Il shall go direct to District Atto--
ney Whitman he said, meaning when
he Is acquitted. .and put myself a,
his disposal to square thirss up.
think that will be the manly thing f..
me to do Judge Whitman Under
stands these things better than his
suboriinates, and is fair"
Mr.. whitman ii will understood. had
Gibson before him as judge In gen.
eral sessions. when the latter was
charged with the Kinnan murder.
Career 10 Ruined.
II realize that my career has Lren
ruined. shall never again resume
the practice OF law. That would lie
But want to clear every
thing up before begin anew as shall
have to. / have not only exhausted
all OF my means. but / am actually
In debt. At that. however, shall be
able to make my living. I have al
ready received several offers, though
l do not care at this time to disclose
their nature. The point is that know
that shall be able 10 make my living,
and as to my situation here, as / say,
! am not afraid am not nervous.
The thing that affects mo most deeply
is that have been disgraced. nu-
inflated. ..s;-
Explaining his reasons for believing
that he will be acquitted Gibson took
up the testimony OF the principal wit
nesses for the State.
He dismissed with wave Of his
hand. the experts--Schultze, King,
Of whom declare that
Mrs. Sxabo Was stranded to death.
Manufactnred Evidence.
t.Most OF the State's evidence was
he declared. Mrs.
Teischmann, for instance, who swore
| told her Mrs. Sxabo had gone to
Chicago. never saw her in my life
positively not. A. to Mrs. Mazet, who
gave similar testimony, I may have
eeen her but l never exchanged q
word with her. And there Is Min
turn-he il erratsc mot to say erotic--
and he has turned things about in his
head 10 long thai he probably be-
ff~or,t In ~ an xarruA YSn