New-York tribune., 1918-11-23
Double Appeal Planned to
Save Chapman F rom Death
"mtan Fails 70 Exercise Executive Clemencv Mother
OF condemned Boy Will Make Plea to Smith
After His Inauguration

ALBANY Nov. 22.-Tbc +;no for +ho
execution of Paul Chapman, the youth
'ui brooklyn choir boy under sentence
oi oeath for murder, was fixed by the
court OF Appeals to-day for the week
teginning January S.
AS executions at Sing Sing prison.
uhder recent order of the State
rrison Department, take place on
thursday Of the week fixed by the
oouIt' Chapman probably will be ex-
eeu.eu January 8, unless the Governor
o"erclses executive clemency.
ha, many petltions for clemency already
nave reached the Governors office.
Bad News Withheld
oSSlNlNG. N. Y, Nov. %. - The
pllson custom which forbids bad news
80, a. .oplc OF OF compensation in the death
nouse at Sing Sing prevented Paul
chapman from learning to-day that the
date OF his death had been fixed.
house knew it, and what the death
hcuse knows all the prison knows.
Keepers as we'll as prisoners knew that
the day Of his death had been set. Yet
10 ~, one revealed the fact to Chapman,
because it is ar unwritten law of the
PRISON that such information shall not
De given to a prisoner until the head
keeper has received the papcrs from
the court of sentence,
Chapman will learn his fate for the
llrst time tomorrow morning, when
the papers come to the death house
With the day shift of keepers Later
Martin Deely, principal keeper, will
notify him officially. Thenceforwa
Chapman will find new kindness
evinced toward him by his fellow
prisoners and by the keepers.
Friends of Chapman are much en-
ccuraged by the fact that the date
set for the execution makes it ros-
sible to appeal both to Governor Whit
man before the expiration of his term,
and, In case he does not extend elem
ency, to Governor-elect Smith after his
inauguration January /.
Governor Whitman already has in
terested himself in the case of the
youthful prisoner. He assured the
Boys Brotherhood, of Chicago, dele
gates of which made a pilgrimage all
the way to Albany in Paul's behalf,
that when the case came before him
ne would consider it carefully. He
also, it is said, expressed surprise
when he was told that the Court of
Appeals had failed to grant new trial.
Owing to his absence in the West
the appeal cannot be put before him
how, but it is expected that Paul's
mother, Mrs. Louise Bahrenberg, will
see him Immediately upon his return,
If an appointment can be made. Mat
thew W. Wood, his counsel. is at work
upon the papers to be presented when
the appeal is made.
When Mr.. Smith was asked what his
attitude would be if the case were laid
before him after his inauguration he
said he was not familiar with the facts.
He said he would give the matter his
closest attention early next week.
Boy Still Has Hope
On her return from Sing Sing, where
she mad seen her son for the first time
since the verdict against him was af-
lirmed, Chapman's mother, Mrs. Louise
Bahrenberg, said she had found him in
the most cheerful spirits.
"He talked to me as he always does"
said Mrs. Bahrenberg yesterday; "told
me | mustn't worry, and said he had
felt all along that the Court of Appeals
you'd decide against him. He had read
the interview in The Tribune saying
that, now that l have a home for them,
both my boys are gone, and he said: