The daily sentinel., 1914-07-08
LAST WEEK IN
OCTOBER SET
FOR HANGING
Brown Palace Murder Sensation
Ends When Hopes for Slay-
er'S Reprieves are Blasted
DESPERATE FIGHT FOR LIFE

N ENvER. July Shy Associat-
ed Press. THE state supreme
- court today confirmed the
sentence of death of Harold Il. Hen
wood who was convicted in the lower
court ON first degree murder in con-
nection with the killing of George E.
Copeland. The court ordered the
sentence carried out during the week
beginning October %, 1914.
Henwood's application to the su-
preme court of Colorado for a third
trial followed his conviction on June
is, 1913, of murder in the first de-
gree for the killing OF George f.
Copeland. He was sentenced to
death. On June 20. 1911. Henwood
had been convicted of second degree
murder and later had been sentenced
to the penitentiary for life. The su-
preme court reversed this verdict and
ordered a new trial,
Harold F. Henwood shot Sylvester
l.. Won Phul, a st. Louis aeronaut
and wine salesman, in the bar room
OF a fashionable Denver hotel on the
night OF May "a, 1911. Stray bullets
struck George f. Copeland of Cripple
Creek, Colo, and James w. Atkinson
VI NOlOl tihO OPP ihtao- NpAl iAhl anu
Copeland died. Henwood opened
fire with a revolver after he had
been knocked down by Won Phul
The two had Quarreled over letters
written to Won Phul by Mrs. Isabelle
Patterson Springer. then the wife OF
John w Springer, Denver stockman
and banker.
The tragedy created tremendous
sensation in Denver. Henwood and
Won Publ both were well known men
about town. and the Springers were
prominent in financial and exclusive
society circles. Less than two weeks
after the shooting Springer was
granted divorce.
With public interest still high on
account OF past and expected reyela-
tions. Henwood was placed on trial.
Over the defendants protest, the dis
trict attorney elected to try him not
for the killing of Won Phul, but for
that of Copeland. Mrs. Springer her
self took the stand for the defense.
Henwood was convicted OF murder in
the second degree, and on July a.,
1911, Judge Greeley W. Whitford
sentenced him to life Imprisonment.
Just before sentence was pronounced
Henwood stood before the judge and
in an impassioned speech accused him
of prejudice and unfairness.
Appeal was taken to the supreme
court, which on Feb. 3, 1913, granted
new trial, on the main ground that
Judge Whitford erred in refusing to
include a manslaughter verdict in
his instructions to the jury.
A feature of the second trial was
the appearance of John w. Springer
as a witness for the defense. Mrs.
Springer did not testify in the trial.
Henwood was found guilty of murder
in the first degree and the ivy fixed
the penalty at hanging. A fresh ap-
peal was taken TO the supreme court,
I in an attempt to save the life of the
defendant and secure a new trial.
After Henwood's first conviction
the case charging him with the muir
der of Won Phul was dismissed by
the district court on the ground
that three terms of court had passed
without trial. The district attor-
ney secured supersedeas from the
state supreme court staying the or
der to dismiss. A subsequent at
tempt to secure the dismissal of the
Copeland case, on that ground that
the Won Phul case has removed the
question Of malice, failed.