Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1919-02-24

and taken so the depot where BE was
told 70 lsaye 1t once.
Attorney A. i. Brady, chief counsel
Tor Sn0wden III the trial, was the firsf
speaker Re presented petition
signed ~ scores al prominent ANNA
polItang both in business ana private
life. Brady declared that II was al |
most the unanimous desire OF AnnapO- /
lis that the sentence be committed be-.
cause II was believed generally thas
snowden was innocent II wouldn't
ask this % be done II did not believe
him 70 be innocent, ne said
Brady was followed By Juror B0s-
ley who asked for communication Of
the sentence.
Attorney MuRroe Presents Petition
Attorney James II. Munroe then
presented petition setting up sew
|erai causes why reprieve should be
granted
He explained that be was represent
ing the petitioners In the case and
said ne would submit conclusive evil
dence aa to why the governor should,
commute the death sentence
Whoever II guilty should hang, I he
said, but let's not hang the wrong
man III our haste to get the right
one
applause which lasted but mOrnentari-
ly. however
Mr. Munroe read the following pea-
tion:
Annapolis, Md,
February "a. 1918
TO His Excellency,
Emerson e. Harrington.
Governor of Maryland
Lii addition to the petition which
has been presented to your Excellency
asking d communication OF sentence of
John SnoWden from sentence 10 death
to imprisonment for life, the following
considerations are respectfully sag
gesfed to your Excellency
First. not only II II the prerogative
.of the governor. under the Constitn-
stion OF Maryland, to grant commu-
tation OF sentence, but BY recent en-
actment the jury, Ia ali capital cases.
is expressly authorized to find a YER
dict of guilty os murder III the first
degree without capital punishment
Second. eleven Of the jurors who
tried and convicted John Snowden 90
now present to your Excellency pes
titfon asking d commutation 0G aen
tence from sentence 70 death to I'M
prisonment for life. and this We re-
specially submit To your ExceIlency
rs equivalent to their having found q
verdict In the Arst instance. as pro-
vided by statute, of guilty Of murder
Iii the first degree without capital pun
ishnent
Third, such petition from the jlir-
ors who tried and convicted John
Sn0wden shows al least that there
must be til their minds serious doubt
az To the correctness Of their verdict, /
and 1t Ii respectfully submitted that
the governor must give attention to
such 3 recommendation from such
source.
Fourth, there could not exist such
d widespread doubt of the guilt Of the
accused SIS exists III this case, and
auch an interest In his fate as has
been manifested BY people not only IN
the city Of Annapolis and Anne Arun-
del county, but II various parts OF the
state os Maryland, III the District of
Columbia and especially In Baltimore
city, unless there was an honest be-
lief Id the minds of these people who
have no interest whatever In sn0wdsn,
and 10 whom Snowden is personally
unknown. that there was room for
doubt of his guilt
Tile conflicting theories which wercl
advanced as to the perpetrator of
such horrible murder Of Mrs Bran
don, have not by any means been re-
conclled ~ the verdict Of the jury,
and the very least that could be grant
ed under the circumstances Of the |
case, il 4 reprieve 81 ninety l9OJ days
of time to enable the collection and |
presentation 10 your excellency In /
proper form Of new evidence which It
Is confidently expected can be pro-
cured to satisfy your exceilency OF |
the 5natice OF the petition for the COM
mutation Oa Snowden's sentence, IL in
deed new trial may not Be obtained
for him
Firth, statement of certain new
evidence which has never been pre-
sentsd 10 any court will be presented
III the form o9 agadavita subscribed by
the persons who are prepared 70 fur
nish the same
sixth. Ii Is further respectfully aab-
Ynitssa to your ExcslleEcy. 81 yiev Of
the growing sentiment all Oyer the |
world against capital punishment, as
evidenced By the enactment Of the
statute aboves referred ID authorizing |
the 1ury 10 md 4 verdict o1 murder In |
the flrst degree without capital pun
ishment and iii yieR of the fufther
fact that many persons would rather
sslfger capital punishment than iIn
prtsonmeut for life. that the safety Of |
society is as well protected. the ms /
= - s.6NS 1t saiaee6 Il