New-York tribune., 1918-06-28
$50 Women Members Peti-
ton Governor on Behalf
of Boy in Death House
Want Law Changed
Will Urge That Age Limit for
Children's Courts Be Raised
to Eighteen

Paul Chapman, the sixteen -year-old
the last Legislature a bill restricting
a technicality Of the law into the death
house at Sing Sing, found a new ally
yesterday in tn Legislative League of
New York. After they had heard the
story of Paul's life, his temptations,
his share in an uncomprehended crime
and his subsequent conviction of first
degree murder, $50 women members OF
the league, who met at the Hotel Astor
yesterday, signed q petition asking TOR
executive clemency.
The league asks Governor Whitman
not only to commute the death SEN
sence in Paul's case, but to extend
his clemency to the point of full
pardon.
Urges Mobilization of Law
In addition to the formulation of the
petition, which is to be circulated
through other womens clubs and po-
iitical organizations. the league passed
resolutions urging modification OF the
law which made young Chapman.s con-
yiction possible This is how the league
went on record:
Whereas, the laws OF New York State
governing the chidren's courts make the
age limit sixteen years at which children
may be tried in these courts, and,
Whereas, the age limit in many states
q eighteen-and in California twenty-one.
Whereas, New York State and Georgia,
are the only two states which do not allow
children accused of murder to be tried
IN childrens courts,
whereas. under this exception a child
Of years might be legally electro
Resolved. that this assembly places it.
self on record being in favor of
changes in this law, and
Resolved, that the Legislative League
introduce Il bill in the State legislature
through our proper representatives, rails
ing the age limit at which cases may be
tried in the chidren's court to eighteen
and including the murder charges.
Before the petition and the resolu-
ton were drafted the league members
had been addressed by Matthew W.
Wood, the lawyer who figured most
prominently in Paul's defence: Marie
de Montalvo. Of The Tribune Institute,
who has been presep ting the boys case
from "The New Citizens Point of
View" and Assemblyman Morgan Don
nelly, of Brooklyn, who introduced in
the infliction of capital punishment to
offenders past the age of twenty-one
Might Execute Child of Seven
Miss de Montalvo pointed out to the
women that, under existing laws, in
spired by conditions as they existed
hundreds of years ago in England, q
child of seven might be tried for first
degree murder, convicted and executed
we're the state able to prove under
standing of "the nature and quality of
the act" Mr.. Wood explained that the
understanding" might be established
were the state able to prove the child
had heard the Ten Commandments read
by its mother.
The Rev. c. H. Little, of the Second
Unitarian Church, BROOKLYN, who at
tended the meeting as a guest. said
that only two of his congregation had
declined to sign a petition presented in
the Chapman boys behalf.
"One man who wouldn't sign was a
lawyer" he said, "and the other was a
court reporter. They didn't know any
thing about this particular case, but
they stuck hard and fast by the law.
I believe that nothing short of full
pardon should be asked for Paul"