Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-03-24
DECISION SAVES MAN
FROM DEATH CHAIR
Supreme Court Gives Murder
Convict Another Chance for
Life-Other Opinions

Charles NJ. Shrope, who was found
guilty of murder Of the first degree IN
the Court of oyer and Terminer OF
Northampton County and sentenced to
death by electrocution, was given
another chance for his life today.
The Supreme Court, in an opinion OF
Justice Stewart, reversed the convic-
ton and sentence of Shrope and re-
mitted the record to the lower court,
with direction that the prisoner had
leave to withdraw his plea Of non vult
contendere and plead anew to the in
dictment, as thought no plea had ever
been entered.
The plea of non vult contendere
entered by Shrope was accepted by the
court below as equivalent to a plea OIL
guilty, and after the judge had heard
witnesses to determine the degree of
guilt he adjudged the defendant guilty
"by his own confession" of murder Oh
the first degree. Exceptions to this md
| ing were subsequently dismissed ana
the defendant vas sentenced to death py
! electrocution. The present appeal then
| followed.
Justice Stewart says, in his OPINION
tina while there are several assignments
of error, we may contine the dlscussloii
! to the single point raised by the aPpeai
namely. was error committed by the
court below in accepting the plea OF non
whit contendere as a plea of guilty and
proceeding hereunder to determine os
examination and witnesses the degree OF
crime and pronpuncing sentence ac,
cordingly? If this were error, 1t was OF
such serious import that a reversal OF
the judgment must follow inevitably
Other decisions were:
PER CURIAM: ~. :,
PhiiadeIghhiaJS ; 5aasnent :, rsSsrsed rSss and .
&c. 70 70 La Tacks~annq.j Appeal dsmIssssedi
Mcc1rrin ys Hudson hnns} 4 dsmisseS GHa CO. &C. p
Il In > re Contested ELECTION for office Of Coun
Th Wq5S Xpps. P9T 9f Dpn'0re a. st
Kaeirs, Estate. 20. c.. schuylkili') Ap
RwH Coo ,G e p pAsSsReif seSS5o an" Appeal ds
misssa sssaks sHd EsSIts sEasd a. e wyomE) De
gFss 81 cHfEF fEP'3 3JsrfeE 8 faRsBsRR4tws sH'''
de !phia) aGa. Judsment. affirmed. c,r,noo, ~
P. la Lackawannaj ac x VAN Judgment reversed with
By pJTsTICR Won MosCHz1sKER
Walton VS.. Amercan surety C9; ~; +
, No ). PHILADELPHIA judgment atirmed
| Simpson, ct al vs. I.ackawanna Coal Co
&C, p lie ckawanna.) Decree affirmed d
cost Of appeilaBnts:, ants, form va American
suFstS PaSussos co e. to"4 f. c2sBB cI2ssBBAnoH 1uds%s"
BY JUSTICE FRAZER:
Thomas vs., Connell. &C. p. Lackawanna.
Samuel ct al VS.. Delaware River Stee
Co. (superior G0ur5o judgment snned rsntss S1 SH u
10 Court OF Common Pleas for a new trial
By JUSTICE wALLING:
Stoffregen. &C. p. Schuylkill) Judgment
affirmed. ys, ,,o.
BeSTkrJ' b Decree rec tastftrmed at costs Of Of ap
Be- gJpuFsT1cE SIMPSON:
BLACK ct V Amf5lSGsdd sbSs delbha rgatSas JSas
mept reversed without prejEdiGs. ..osa.s etc. ~,
&C. e'ftnb r. nbesSer at Measl HSHs and e
yrnlrs, fsSl&s ds ne 49yo !, awarded
Whitcomb VS.. CITY OF Philadelphia lC
p Nc philsdelghiHo Judgmentc affirms6 Sd
Phifa deiphiaD Judgment reversed an
record remitted with direction to enter judg
meHb5 esHbifterstein n si ct al VS. sitter ct al. &c. r
SchuylkillJ Judgment modified etc.