The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-08-14
WOMAN LAWYER EXPRESSED FEAR
 OF BEING SHOT
StielOw Attorney Believes She Was In Danger From
 ASSaSSin'S Bullet.

ly instrumental in saving Charles F. Stielow from the death chair several times and finally obtained a confes- sion from Erwin King, a peddler, at Little Valley, N. Y., which completely exonerated Stielow, declared early yes- terday morning at Ossining, where she. had gone to see Stielow in the death house, that her activities in his be- half had brought her into possible danger of her own life.
 She was about to leave the prison when she was asked where she was going. She declined to say, remark ing she didn't wish her destination to become generally known until she had reached it.
 When asked why this was, Mrs Humiston replied:
 Well. because at one place vis- ited recently I have pretty good req son to believe I came near to being shot"
 All queries as to where the place was, and when the incident occurred, and who she thought might wish to shoot her. she declined to answer. .
 Hint Where Danger Lies
 Certain friends of hers intimated, however, that some persons who, it now seems, framed up" Stielow, the stupid German farmland, and forced him by a third degree session to make a false confession, might be eager to see Mrs. Humiston out of the ease lest their doings be exposed.
 It was pretty certain, however, that the woman lawyer went to Auburn after leaving Sing Sing. Her talk with Stielow lasted about three hours. She went to the death house accompanied by Spencer Miller, IT,, Deputy Warden, who likewise has be- friended the condemned man,
 She has gone to Auburn to see Clar- ence O'Connelf, prisoner who is im- plicated by the confession of Erwin King, the real murderers, in having slain Charles Phelps and Margaret Wolcott, for whose deaths Stielow was convicted and sentenced.
 Identified King In Picture.
 A photograph of Erwin King. with two other men. was received at Sing Sing prison Saturday by Deputy War den Miller. and was taken down to the death house and shown to stielow. He was not told who the men were.
 "Do you recognize any one in that group?" he was asked.
 "Yes, that's King, in the middle" {" he replied. He was correct. The two other men were detectives.
 Legal moves leading toward Stie- lows freedom will begin today.
 Describing the trial of Stielow at Albion in July. 1915. Stuart Kohn. now chief counsel for the prisoner, said yesterday that the opening ad- dress of District Attorney John C.. Knickerbocher was the longest of that character he could recollect in the criminal annals of this state.
 "Act Based on Testimony"
 By constantly using the clause We will prove to you,' said MT. Kohha "the District Attorney got before that jury picture of this mans guilt that was not based on any. testimony of witnessestestimony given before these statements or afterward. The opening address was so unfair that David White. who had been assigned to de- fend Stielow, moved for a mistrial on that account"
 Tn the affidavits which were pre- sented to Justice Guy, which obtain ed last-minute stay for the con- demned man, MT. White swears that Stielow was of such low mentality that he was unable to communicate to him the circumstances in which he found himself at that time. White asked Stielow if he had made a con fession. Stielow's answer convinced his counsel that he didn't know what a confession was.
 The chief witnesses at the trial were the detective, Newton, and Stie- low himself. Stielow appeared even more stolid than usual The prosecu- tion made no progress with him, and at the conclusion of the trial Justice Pound declared that he would have instructed. the jury to acquit had it not been for the introduction of the alleged confession obtained by De- tective Newton, which Stielow re- fused to sign.
 MT. White took the, case rp on ap- peal and it was decided by the Court of Appeals on Feb. g, 1916, the judg- ment of tue trial court being affirmed. When MT. kohn was asked yesterday what Sticlow's friends intend to do with respect to the detective, New ton, he said that that was one of the chief matters to be discussed at the conference of attorneys today. s KING REPUDIATES CONFESSION
 Albion, N. Y., Aug. 14-District At torney Knickerbocker. of Orleans county. announced today that Erwin King had repudiated completely the confession he made at Little Valley New Y., on August 10 that he was guilty of the murder of Charles Phelps and his housekeeper, Mary Wollcott at West Shelby, on March 22, 1915. Charles Stielow now is in Sing Sine prison under sentence of death fol these murders but was repriewed re- gently on the day set for his execution Stielow's friends believed Kings con- fession would save the life of the con- demned man.
 It is considered that King gave the reasons that actuated him when he made his confession at Little Valley but that the district attorney did not make public that portion of the state ment.