El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-01-08
kERNEEN HAD
BUT 5 MINUTES
Reprieve to March 10 Came
Just Before Arizona
Execution.

Phoenix, Ariz-. Jan. 5.-<iad the state
board of pardons delayed five minutes
longer in recommending reprieve to
March 10, for Walter Kermeen, charged
with killing J. P HarriIl, of Los An
geles, he would have been executed.
Information received from the state
prison about noon Friday was to the eff
feet that Kermeen WAS 10 hang at ,
o'clock. At 2.30 the board of pardons
telephOned TO Gov. Hunt that it had
adopted a resolution recommending a
reprieve for Kermeen- Two minutes
later Hunt had oscar Cole, secretary Of
the prison, on the long distance phone.
Cole said that Kermeen was to have
hanged five minutes from that time. as
all hope of the board interfering had
been abandoned
Frank P. Trott. chairman of the
board OF pardons. became convinced two
sound mind. The fact that a jury in
the superior court of Pinal county pro-
nOunced Kermeen sane did not change
his conviction. He has fought Jonsis-
tently for a stay Of execution OF for a,
communication of sentence
Powerful influence was brought to
bear upon the board from outside
sources. Superior judge A. c. Lock
wood and county attorney ". G. Gil
more. OF Cochise- county, wrote to the
board that they believed Kermeen
sane, but sheriff Harry Wheeler ex-
pressed the belief that the prisoner
was positively deranged and wholly
abnormal" 'Diamondfield jack Da-
Wis. well nown mining man now re-
siding in Oatman. who knew kermeen
IN Nevada, wired the board a long mes
sage, giving the names of various per-
sons in the sagebrush state who had
told him Kermeen was queer" or IN
balanced.
Nevada Governor Wires.
Friday morning Gov. Emmett B.
Boyle and Lieut. Gov. Maurice J. Sui
Ivan OF Nevada, telegraphed the board
that kermeen came of a respected fam
lily IN that state and had always been
regarded as unbalanced With this
strong evidence at hand. chairman
Trott was able to convince his fellow
members Of the board that a reprieve
was justified and the resolution was
ADOPTED by unanimous vote.
Hunt Gratified-
Gov. Hunt lost no time in signing a
formal order granting a stay OF execu-
ton TO March 10. he expressed graft
fication over the action Of the board.
kermeen brutally shot a man with
whom he went out hunting. as his COM
panion lay resting under a tree" said
the governor. 7 can hardly believe
that any man who commits such a deed
Is normal
William Faltin. who was found in
sane BY jury at Florence December
IS, was cOnvited Of killing his partner,
digging hole and interring the body
therein That crime was also one OF
a man not right in his mind
II had may way. however neither OF
these men would ever be permitted to go
free They should be confined where
they can commit no more such brutal
crimes"
The governor was asked regarding
plans for the care OF Faltin. An order
requiring r B. Sims. warden Of the
prison. to deliver Faltin to the super
intendent OF the ASYLUM for the insane.
was issued out OF the Pinal county
court December Is. That order has
not been carried out
Faltin is to be brought to the asv-
lum in a few days" said Gov. Hunt.
DR.. A. c. Kingsley. the superintendent.
says that he can employ guards and
insure against FRltin escaning. which
so many people seem to think he will
40 But my idea IS that the superior
court at Florence should be requested
70 modify its original order or issue
q new order authorizing the removal of
faitin TO the prison for safe keeping
Attorney general Wiley Jones saws
that there is no authority Of law Tor
the detention OF any insane person
elsewhere than in the asylum. He saws.
however, that there is grave question
regarding the legality Of the order FOR
faltin's removal to that institution.