New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-09-03
Midnight Appeal to Gov
ernor to Reprieve Roach
Proved in Vain.
PLEA TO PRIEST
TRACED TO DEPUTY
Canaioharie People Believe Con-
demned Man Shielded Accom-
plice in Palatine Murder.
b, r.l.r.rh to ne rrihunel

Sheriff T. p. Van VIE, who arrested
Lewis Roach. who is to die in Sing
Sing Prison tomorrow. made trip TO
Albany to-day 10 unravel q mystery
which made the murder of John Bar
rctt. Of Pslstine. more mysterious than
ever.
A mysterious telephone call from this
village 10 Father Cashin, Sing Sing
chapla7n. urging him TO get Roach 20
make public confession. led 10 an in
ouirv that kept Governor Whitman's
ofice 81 Albany busy all day in the
attempt TO determine whether the exc
rption Of Roach should be delayed
few days.
William A. Orr. secretary 10 the Gov
error. succeeded after hard effort,
~ tracing the call and learning that
the attempt to get Roach 10 unbosom
himself wa made in good faith by Van
We. While the Governor, from Roches-
ter. again refused tonight to give
Roach stay. as result Of the new
DEVELOPMENT. Mr. Orr met him when
be reached Albany for his final de-
c'sior, The Governor refused to grant
o reprievc.
900 Asked Communication.
All Montgomery County was discuss
ing Roach's plight to-day, and among
-be 1000 persons who signed petit
lions asking for a commutation OF SEN
terce II was hoped that something
would induce Governor Whitman TO
issue a stay At the last hour.
About everybody in this village, from
Police Chief Z. W. Gauding down 10
The station agent, shares the opinion
hat Roach is shielding a man high
Father Cashin received the telephone
call AZ his home in Ossinlng late
Wednesday night. A man purporung
10 Be Father James Bloomer called the
prison chaplain on the long distance
telephone and put him IN communica-
ton with another man, who sald ne
was an official connected with the pros
ecution lie refused TO give his name,
but urged Father Cashin to work on
Roach 10 get him to reaffrm the al
leeed confession of guilt which the
prisoner repudiated on his trial.
When Father Cashin said that Roach
hsd refused 70 own up 20 anything,
the man at this end of the wire in
sisted that the chaplain go to the death
house and try 10 induce HIM TO con-
fess il would help Roach's case, he
said.
After the conversation ended Father
Cash n traced the call back to pay
station here and learned the man had
warned the operator not TO say VINO
he was The records of the call were
destroyed. 80 Father Cashin called up
M. Orr and told him what had hap
pened.
Mr. Orr got Father Bloomer to the
telephone and learned from him that
Van Vie was the man who had talked
70 the chaplain. Van Vie was lmme-
diately summoned TO Albany When
he reached there he was questioned
as 20 his motive in trying TO get at
Roach in such roundabout way. lie
explained he felt that Roach, If he was
shielding anybody, would confess all
before he died In any case, he thought
the condemned man should clear one OF
the prominent trial witnesses, who ls
suspected Of being an accomplice' OF all
suspicion.
Reward Still Unpaid.
Van Vie has more than a human
interest, anyway, in getting some sort
Of an admission from Roach. The
county supervisors have refused to pay
him a reward Of $4,000 because, II is
generally felt here, the authori-
ties have failed to establish If Roach
represented anybody in committing the
crime. Few Of his sympathizers be-
leve Roach innocent, but all OF them
believe he was the tool of moneyed
foe Of Barrett and that he should not
suffer the penalty alone.
Barrett was slain in his home De-
oember 60, 1913. Two men entered ms
home in Palatine, one telling ms
daughter. Katherine, with bludgeon
and the other shooting her father dead
as he went 10 her rescue. An unsuc-
cessful attempt was made TO hre the
house 10 cover up the crime II was
six months before Roach was arrested
and signed an alleged confession. ms
story now is that he was dazed ana
did not know what he was dong wheh
he put his signature to the statement
George Potter, for whom Roach WORKED
was taken TO the police station soon
afteward Later he was dlsmlsseu'
Potter's father-in-law, leading Al
bsny attorney, defended Roach on ms
trial
Governor Whitman, in again retus-
ing 70 give Roach a reprieve' TOOK tne IN.
position that so long as Roachs gum
seemed so apparent he should not IN
terfere, especially since he mas maoe
no offer 20 implioate anybody else'