The Harrison times., 1914-06-06
STATE NEWS LETTER

change has come over the people re-
. siding north Of the Mason and Dix
e on's line Less than that number of
. years ago nine tcnths of the daily
: papers of the North were contribut.
ing unlimited space TO advertising
the alleged fact that Arkansas was
to legally murder a negro boy To.
day, with four white boys in the
shadow OF the electric chair at the
Arkansas penitentiary, not a word
; is said by our Northern friends in
!, their behalf,
Earl GiIchrist, an overgrown ne
gro youth, in a spirit of revenge and
with the wantonness of a savage,
murdered a playmate, He was con-
victed and sentenced to hang. The
Northern papers took up the fight,
and thousands of letters daily pour
ed in on Governor 6, W Donaghey,
Thcresult was that the sentence Of
GiIchrist was commuted, and he
was sent to the penitentiary for life,
where he has since gained an unen-
viable reputation as an unruly con-
vict.
None of the sentiment layshed on
a negro is to be found or expressed
for the four bright faced white boys,
who are soon TO be executed unless
executive clemency is shown -Four
handsome but unfortunate boys, all
sons of good mothers, look through
the barred windows Of the death
cells at the Arkansas penitentiary
receiving but few words Of cheer at
a time of life when they should be
prepared for life work
Arthur Deweiu, q runaway youth
from St Louis occupies a death cell
with Arthur Tllman twice coveted
Of the murder of his sweetheart
Amanda Stephens, Both boys are
frank OF countenance, and have
piercing black eyes aud coal black
hair. No one would look at these
beardless youths and suspect that
they had committed murder or that
it would bepossible for them to dose
Dewein has confessed that he took
part in the murder of an aged mer.
chant at Benton. A boy not used
to the hardships Of the world,
thrown on his own resources, CON
sentcd to rob the merchant, and in
the act the old man was struck on
the head and killed,
Tllman is accused of numbering
his sweetheart by shooting her in
the head and then weighting the
body and casting it in well, The
most damaging evidence against
him was that Of n neighbor who
testified to seeing Tillman go e., the
well at night and look over It's
brink. TiIlmon claims that the crime
was committed by a married man in
the vicinity TO cover another crime
of which he was guilty, The jury
evidently believed the witness and
not the Youth yet it does seem as
though there is sufficient element
of doubt to spare the life of the boy
aud leave It 60 later years 60 unroy'
el the mystery it would be a sad
affair for Tilman If in later years a
death bed confession should remove
from him the stain Of guilt, after Till
man had been executed for the crime,
Arthur Hodgins, red.headed, lreck'
| led faced, and possessing all the en-
crgy Of the country youth is dcsery'
ing Of possibly more sympathy,
than any of the other convicted
youths, Ilodgins lust grew up
like Topsy He lacked the guiding
hand ola mother, He never knew
what mother love Is, and from early
childhood he was forced to shit for
himself 1t is claimed he suffered
from mental affection, and this did
not add to his chances of success
About a year ago he got into trou'
bic for some trivial ollense, against
the peace and dignity Of the Clarke
county vicinity in which he resided,
lie was arrested and on the way to
jail jerked a revolver from the poek'
ct Of the officer and killed him It
would be u burning disgrace for Ar
, kansas 20 execute this afflicted
youth, Yet no one has petitioned
from the far north or from the state
either, for the Communication ol
llodgius' sentence.
Joe Strong the sworthy little cell
mate of llodgms, was convicted ol
the murder at Renton for which De-
vein was also sentenced GO death,
He is all boy, eferveseeht, cheerful
! and bosterous. Even the close
3 proximity of the electric chair docs
r not get upon his nerves es it does
! upon the other three of the quar-