Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-03-15
LOWDEN RULES
CARTER SUFFER
PENALTY CRIME
Governor Denies Petition for Sec
ond Reprieye at 4:30 Yes
terday Afternoon.
on RECOMMENDATION BOARD
Negroes Attorney Informed That
lie Waited Too Long TO Take
Action in Matter.

The first intimation that Gov
ernor Lowden had denied the sec
ond petition filed for a reprieve for
Will Carter, slayer of Peter Jelvek,
was received by The Argus at 4:3O
yesterday afternoon from The
Argus special correspondent at
Springfield.
A previous bulletin was received
by The Argus at O'Clock that Gov
ernor Lowden had intimated that
he would deny the reprieve. He
took action on his decision at 4:30,
upon recommendation Of the divis-
ion of pardons and paroles.
George S. Woodson, Negro attor-
ney of Abba, Iowa, appeared before
the governor shortly before noon
with the request that Carter be
granted d. second reprieve of 30
days in order that he be enabled to
file with the governor and the d.
vision of pardons and paroles a
transcript of the evidence at Car
ter's trial. After a brief hearing
the governor took the matter under
consideration. Later in the after
noon the governor referred the
Carter case, by long distance tele-
phone. to the division of pardons
and paroles, then in session at
Joliet The board in turn recon-
mended that Carter be granted no
further reprieve, and upon this rec
Ommendation Governor Lowden
made his decision
Attorney Woodson was told that
he had waited too long with his ac-
ton, coming as he did at the last
minute with a request for a re-
prieve in order that the transcript
in the case might be given to the
state executive for consideration.
It was pointed out to Woodson that
Carriers clients had had % days in
which to act, and that it was too
much to expect that eleventh hour
petitions should be given consid
Grafton.
Woodson had previously ex-
plained that he had been employed
only a few days ago by the Garter
clemency committee" composed of
Negroes of Rock Island. Moline and
Davenport, of which Rev It. r.
Waters, pastor of the Bethel Afri-
can Methodist church of Davenport
was foreman.
The first intimation that Wood
son would intercede for Carter
came Monday afternoon, when local
court officials were questioned
about the case Woodson stated at
that time that he would request a
hearing for another reprieve. Prior
to that time not one thing had been
done in the case.
Old Tactics Fail.
The same tactics were followed
at the time Carter was granted his
first reprieve on Feb. IA, c. J.
Searle and Rev. Guy E. Sanders of
this city making the request on the
day prior to the day set for the exc
cution Rev. Sanders was obliged
tn make a flying trip to Rock Island
from Springfield at that time to de-
liver in person to Sheriff George H.
Richmond, arriving at the sheriff's
office but a few hours before the
time set for the hanging.
Earlier in the month of February.
Carter and a woman purporting to
be his wife, each sent letters to the
SbfCi hOi 1ohlA6 AOl IL
ton OF sentence. At that time the
gbvernor referred the matter to the
division of pardons and paroles,
with the result that a representa-
tive was sent here to investigate the
case. which he did in a very thor
ough manner. questioning both
sides involved. It is evident that
this body was satisfied with the
findings OF that investigation.
1t might be added that IT was not
unusual that Carter was granted
one reprieve. Records show that
there has not been man hanged
In the state at any time who did not
receive at least one reprieve. Some
have received as high as seven and
eight reprieves before they were
finally executed.