Weekly journal-miner. [volume] (Prescott, Ariz.) 1908-1929, 1913-04-16
MURDERERS GET A
NEW LEASE FOR LIFE

News Bureau of the Journal-Miner, Room
20S, National Bank of Arizona Building
PHOENIX, April 12.-As a part
of his program, which seeks the
adjustment of capital punishment IN
the State and for other reasons
more fully stated in his Proclamation
OF Reprieve, Governor Hunt yester-
day reprieved William Campbell,
Eduardo Perez, n. B. Chavez and
Miguel Peralta, of Yavapai County,
and Francisco Rodriguez, OF Man.
copa County, until the 10th day OF
May.
To all to whom these presents
shall come, greetings:
WHEREAS, pursuant to indict..
ment for murder in the. County OF
Yavapai, Territory of Arizona, and
trial thereof and conviction thereof
in the District Court of the Fourth
Judicial District in and for said
County of Yavapai, William Camp
bell. Eduardo Perez and N. B. Cha
vez. were sentenced to be hanged
at the State Prison. Florence, Ari-
IONA. on the 18th day of October,
1912; and.
WHEREAS. pursuant to indict-
ment for murder in the County OF
Yavapai, in the State Of Arizona, and
trial therefor and conviction there
of, in the Superior Court in and for
said County of Yavapai, Miguel Per
alta was sentenced to be hanged at
the State Prison, Florence, Arizona,
on the 18th day of October, 1872;
and
WHEREAS, pursuant to indict-
ment for murder in the County OF
Maricopa, State of Arizona. and trial
thereof and conviction thereof in the
Superior Court of the County of
Maricopa, and pursuant, furthermore,
TO affirmation TO the judgment afore-
said by the Supreme Court of the
State OF Arizona, Francisco Rodri-
guez was sentenced to be hanged at
the State Prison. Florence, Arizona,
on the 10th day of January, 1918;
and
WHEREAS, by executive action
taken on the 9th day of October,
1912, and on the 9TH day of January,
/ 1913, proclamations were issued from
the office of the Governor of Ari-
IONA, granting reprieves to all OF the
men confined in the State Prison
under sentence of death as hereinbe-
fore mentioned, until the 18th day OF
April. 1913; and
WHEREAS, the purpose of the IS
suance of the reDrieves referred to
herein was to give the State Legs
lature and the people of Arizona an
opportunity to act upon the proposal
for the abolition of capital punish
ment. which purpose is as yet only
partially fulfilled; and
WHEREAS, there are on file with
the Secretary of State, initiative pc
titions bearing hundreds of sigma
lures and proposing that the issue in
volved in the death penalty shall be
voted upon by the people of Arizona
at the next general election with q
view to determining whether the
law providing for capital punishment
shall be retained in or excluded from
the legal code of this State; and
i WHEREAS, the circulation and
filing of the initiative petitions refer
red to above indicate very conclus-
lively that a large portion of the
people OF Arizona is opposed to CAPT
tai punishment, and gives rise to {
: legitimate doubt as to whether OF
not the execution of the prisoner:
confined under sentence of death al
the State prison would be in con-
5 flict with the will of the people Of
! Arizona, the supreme authority gov
t erning the duly elected servants o.
, the State, which authority would be
transgressed by the act of execut,
> ing the men now under sentence o.
, death at the Arizona State Prison
prior to a determination as to the
S outcome of the movement to initiate
e law abolishing capital punishment
NOW. THEREFORE, l, GEO