Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-07-28
PRYOR REVIEWS PETITION
FOR EXECUTIVE PARDON
Writes Governor Stuart That He
Did Not Get Fair
Trial.
NO ACTION IN CANTER CASE
Chief Executive Will Await Final
Disposition OF Appeal by Supreme
Court-Eli Johnson Is Paroled on
Petition of Trial Judge.

/ heerd YOU was back" was the
greeting sent Governor Stuart yester-
DAY morning in letter from Ed Pryor.
the Surry County negro sentenced TO
die in the electric chair on September
~ following his conviction on n charge
oi highway robbery. Pryor is in tho
CITY Jail for safe keeping, pending his
,e'ho'ai 10 the penitentiary, and he has
- ahkiousiF awaiting the return OF
the Governor from San Francisco so
.hat he could lay before the executive
ms pea FOR clcmcncy. No one was
,oIe nehShtcd Mt the Governors re.
.urn IMAM this negro, who feels that he
~ aiready in the shadow OF death
mnen ne read In tho papers Sunday
morning that the Governor had reached
the city safely. Pryor expressed great
.et.i, loE ne was worrying for fear
Ihat MS time would come before the
Governor could give his case due CON
siuerhtion. He has been dclugine Sec.
e.aIS Forward with special delivery
messages, communications sent by mes
scheer. and verbal pleas transmitted
through friends. but when he learned
the Governor was back he at once adj
dressed him communication marked
personal"
GOVERNOR WILL CONSULT
JUDGE WHO TRIED CASE
mat awful day is fast approachine."
Pryor Informed the Governor, and YOU
must DO something to save me- was
convicted on .secenstanum' evidence or
tirely and that illegal, as YOU proba bIv
know. j don't see how YOU can re,ist
my plea in view OF the much interest
IN this community about my case. is
an innocent man and didn't get a fair
trial"
Pryor has indicated in his letters thar
he will be satisfied If the Governor sees
mt to do no more than commute his
sentence TO life Imprisonment. ANY
thing but that thar chair" he says
Inc Governor will look into the
merits or Pryor's plea and communicate
with Judge Jesse F. West who pre-
sided at the nsgros trial in the Circuit
Court or Surry County. Pryor was first
convicted several months ago, and the
jury hXed the punishment at death in
the electric chair. Judge West granted
him a new trial and the verdict wa,
the same. A motion for a third trial
was overruled.
NO FURTHER ACTION
IN CASE OF JAMES CANTER
No action will be taken by the Gov.
ernor in the case of James Canter SEN
fenced to die in the electric chair for
completely in the murder Of Mrs Will
son In Washington County last spring.
pending the decision of the Supreme
Noui n IepFieFe OF Sixty days was
granted Canter some time ago. His
brother Luther Cantcr, was executed
following his conviction of the Wilson
murder, and five minutes before going
TO the chair he made statement in
which he exonerated his brother Of any
completely in the crime.
Ell Johnson. serving a term Of twelve
months IN the Elizabeth City County
jail following his conviction in Octo-
Der, 1914, of assault and battery. was
Yesterday parolcd by order of Governor
stuart in the custody of the manager
OF the street railway system at Hamp-
ton Judge Clarence Robinson and
commemorative Attorney Montague
Endorsed the application for parole.