Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-06-20
PRESIDENT COMMUTES
GONZALES SENTENCE
Wife Slayer Spared Death
Penalty on Grounds of
Insanity.

Andrew Gonzales, eolored. convicted Of
staying his wife, Madeline Gonzales, July
II, 1911, WIS not executed at the District
jail this morning, as had been planned.
President Wilson came to his rescue last
night and ordered that his sentence be
committed to life imprisonment. Con.
zales probably will be sent to the prison
at Saltwater, MIMI, with the next batch
Of prisoners sent away, jail officials hav-
ing been informed of the clemency ex-
tended too late to send him with prison
ers who were started for the prison yes
terday afternoon.
1t Is thought the Presidents act was
due lagely to the results of the efforts OF
Rev. John Roberts, colored missionary.
who seems thoroughly convinced that
Gonzales was insane, although alienists
and jury had declared he was sane
President Wilson commuted the SEN
tence on the ground of insanity It was
represented that the prisoner was suffer-
ored minister set up the plea that he was
insane at the time the murder was COM
mitted at the home Of Alfred Smith,
father-in-law Of the condemned man,
Howard avenue, Hilbdale.
Demanded Speedy Punishment.
When Gonzales vas placed under arrest
he demanded speedy punishment for his
crime. declaring 1t was necessary that he
be hanged Immediately, and since the
day Of his arrest, it is stated, he has
continued to display signs Of mental dis
turbance He utterly disregarded prison
rules. but punishment did him no good.
protesting that he was Christ and that
earthly things did not disturb him.
The prisoner was apparently the least
interested man in prison last night when
news of executive clemency reached
there. He had always been ready and
anxious to die, he stated, and only two
days ago he said he would give one mil
lion dollars if the authorities would send
him to heaven.
Gonzales had willingly entered plea of
guilty when arraigned in court and was
ready to submit to the imposition of the
extreme penalty. The court declined to
accept the plea, however, and assigned
counsel to defend him. A plea Of insan-
ity did not prevent the prompt conviction
and sentence of the slayer, and his exc
cution had been put off several times
since September of last year
Claiming he was a native OF Cuba, the
Cuban representatives here became inter
ested in his case, made an investigat ton
and learned that Gonzales was a native
of South Carolina.
Married Life Inharmonious.
Gonzales and wife did not live harmo-
niously together, and the night before
he almost severed her head from her
body with a razor he concluded to shoot
her.
The husband was armed with a pistol
when he met his wife in the city, al
though he made no effort to shoot. He
went to Hllsdale the next day, and was
near his father-in-law's house when his
wife returned from a buggy ride, arous-
ing his jealousy and, it is thought,
prompting the use Of the razor, although
the husband stated that he killed his
wife because she refused to give him a
car ticket. Gonzales had just returned
from the races in New York and stated
to his wife that he wanted to return
there.
Give me car ticket that I can
return to the city," he said to her, land
| can get to New York.
His wife refused him the ticket. Her
refusal, he stated, made him angry and
he went to room on the second floor of
his father-in-law's house and procured a
razor. Following his wife a short dis
lance down the road, he grabbed her
from behind and cut her throat.