Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1916-08-25
INNOCENT Man IS
SAVED FROM CHAIR
Guilty Person at Last Con-
feSSaS 10 Authorities.
ALL HOPE HAD BEEN LOST.

Preparations Had Been Made For Elk.
ecution and the Final Goodby Had
Been Said to His Family-Convicted
Of Double kiIIins-Robbery the Mo-
tive.
The death house at Sing Sing prison
was filed with activity on the night
of July %, for there was to be al
electrocution the following morning
Charles Frederick Stielow had been
sentenced to pay the death penalty on
charge Of murder that morning. The
prison ministers were in his CELL the
chair had been prepared, his death suit
had been given him, with the Sits In
it for the electrodes. His hair had been
cut so as to make clear space for the
deadly instrument. The condemned
mans family had said their last good
by, and all hope had disappeared.
Outside the prison. however, friends
were at work on the case. convinced
that man was about to be sent to
the great beyond for crime he did
not commit. Stielow was popular. a
good natured. jolly German, he proved
himself to be one of the most likablc
men in the prison, and other prisoners
and guards were convinced that man
Of his disposition was not guilty of the
crime with which he was charged.
Justice Guy Of the New York SUI
preme court then sent stay Of execu
ton to the prison in order that the
evidence might be reviewed. This re.
prieve put new life and new hope into
Stielow and his friends. They went to
work with renewed vigor in their en-.
deavors to prove him innocent.
Now Irving King. junk dealer. has
come forward with II confession that
exonerates Stielow. King has admitted
that on the night Of March q, 1915.
he killed aged Charles Phelps and Miss
Margaret Wolcott. the object being rob-
berry. The confession is also said to
exonerate Nelson Green. who is serv-
ing sentence in Elmira prison for
completely In the crime.
King had been suspected of the
double murder for some time. His
arrest followed weeks Of investigation.
The story told by his confession is this:
On the Sunday of the murder he
went to the home of Mr. Phelps. He
arrived in the afternoon made himself
agreeable to Mr.. Phelps and Miss VOL
colt and got an invitation to take sup
per with them. He accepted this invi.
tation.
The meal over. King engaged them
in further conversation. and. the hour
having grown late, he got an invita-
ton to spend the night.
Meant 20 Rob His Host.
He accepted it. and some time before
II o'clock he was escorted to the guest
room, which Mr.. Phelps in his hospi-
tally put at his disposal. In the room
he waited until things grew quiet. He
had determined to rob his aged host.
Shortly after II o'clock King left his
room and stole out. His mission was
to rob Mr.. Phelps. He did so. but
aroused the aged man.
King confessed that he took his pis-
tol and shot and killed Mr.. Phelps.
that then he took the same pistol and
shot and killed Miss Wolcott.
The conviction of Stielow was orig
inally procured mainly through an al
legged confession obtained by private
detective. George W. Newton. Stielow
could not sign his name. but Newton
had him make his mark at the end of
the typewriter confession"
6ae1ered into "Confessing.'
Aflidavits were submitted in motions
for a retrial asserting that lawyer
for Stielow had trapped this detective
into description of the methods by
which he obtained the alleged confess
sion. Stielow has consistently told his
lawyers that he made his mark to the
confession without realizing what the
paper was and simply to avoid con
slant badgeriny by the detective.
Charles Phelps. wealthy farmer
seventy-one years Old. and his house
keeper. forty. were found shot to death
in West Shelby. Orleans county. n. T..
on the night Of March 81. 1915. The
man was in his own home. Miss Mar
garet WOcott was on the steps of the
cottage across the road. where StielOw.
uCWIt cIISaStu III ildIltt u'Vu WIN
his wife and children: Nelson Green.
his brOther-in-law and the latterS
wife. AS Phelps was known to have
had large sum Of money In the house.
and as this was missing robbery was
given as the motive.
Rewards aggregating $4,000 were Of
fered. and before the month ended
fnd
They got 1.-The third degree" from pri-
vate detectives. who later produced an
alleged confession. This was unsign
ed, but at the trial in July. 1915, they
swore it had been obtained from Site
low. He was sentenced to death. and
Green was sent to Elmra for life.
Four dates were set for Stielow's ex.
ecutjon and stay granted each time.