New-York tribune., 1918-06-09
Jurors Who Convicted Paul Chapman, for
Murder of Regensburgs Sign Petition Urging
Clemency-His Own Story of Crime
Frank and Unshaken

he knew. He was visibly frightened,
but his answers were quick and specific
To this day the detectives who ques-
toned him express no doubt that he
was telling not only the general truth,
but straight fact in every detail
At least three times during the day
Paul told his story to the police and
to District Attorney Lewis, on the
scene Of the crime, in Captain Cough
Inns Office at the Sixth Branch Detec-
tive Bureau and in Lewis's office He
told it undeviatingly. On obscure
points he was IS certain and un-
changeable as on major points. Wher-
ever 1T was possible the police checked
up on him, even while he was still un-
der examination. Wherever they
checked up they found confederation.
The story stands. 1t was on the case
closed that the prosecution was based,
and those same statements were taken
as a bulwark of the defence
Paul didn't attempt to Justify him
self. He was beyond quibbling. He
had gone with Hughes Davis and
Leonidas Davis, he said, to rob the Re-
gensburgs. 1t wasn't his plan, nor did
he expect any larger return from the
adventure than the price Of suit of
clothes. But he needed new clothes
! and he had gone along.
Two automatic pistols had been
found on the roof of 636 Park Place.
Although there was nothing to prove
Paul carried one Of them he unhesi-
tatingly admitted it. The pistol wasn't
his, and it wasn't even to have been
carried by him, he said. But the plans
had been changed and he had taken
the gun. He said he hadn't intended
to use it, wouldn't have known how to
use it, anyhow, and hadn't used it.
Paul Not Shaken
By Examination .
AS concerned his own part in the
tragedy Paul was not to be shaken
under the most rigorous cross-exam-
ination
Hughes Davis, he said, had been a
school friend. He was three years
older than Paul, but the two had had
the same playmates. Hughes had gone
to work while Paul was still founder
ing along with his elementary studies
and for years thereafter they had seen
little or nothing Of each other.
Then Paul. back from sortie into the
world on his own hook-in the course
OF which he had penetrated as far into
the Wild West as Akron. Ohio-had run
across his former chum Hughes had
changed In school, despite the dis
parity in their ages, Paul had been
the leader. He was "big for his age"
even then, and chunkily built. He ex-
celled in athletics. Hughes had been
frail youngster Untitled to COM
pete with his fellows in their games.
he had abandoned himself to the CAV
life. When he wasn't smoking a cigar
cite there was usually the ghost of
one pendant from the corner of his
mouth; and if there had been school
prize for picturesque swearing it would
have been his without opposition.
Hughes had learned to play poker.
and he passed on his knowledge to the
gang. Self-taught, he had become an
expert picker Of locks. He found solid
satisfaction in demonstrating his skill
on any old lock that came to hand
with. "a set of mysterious, home made
tools. In his field he was supreme
and much admired. Elsewhere Paul
was his protector
This new Hughes Davis that Paul
Chapman met when he returned from
his travels was a man of the world
he wore rubberrimmed spectacles and
was rather fussy in regard to cigar
cite brands. Upon him the glamour
OF gasolene reflected. He worked in a
garage-not as a mechanic, you may
De sure, but as stenographer and
typlst and general Office man. He
seemed to have plenty of money and
he hlnted to Paul he knew where to
get plenty more