Evening journal., 1920-11-26
READY TOGO,
THOMAS SAYS
ON SCAFFOLD
continued From First Page.l

Continued From First Page.)
ed and read the 23rd Psalm, which
Thomas repeated.
Lemuel Price, the Negro murderer
/ OF Patrolman Thomas l.. Zebley, who
was recently recaptured after being
at liberty for nearly a year and who Is
/ to be hanged on December 3, occupied
the cell next TO Thomas. When lne
prayer was being conducted IN
! Thomas cell before the march TO the
scaffOld. Price got on his knees ana
also took part in that part OF the
services.
Thomas told some OF those who
were with him shortly before ths
/ execution that had IL not been Tor tue
sugg stions and teachings Of Warden
/ and Mfc piummer since he has been
! III the WOrkhOuse he would have
gone to his death a sinner"
/ Thomas lef. his cell shortly after 10
o'clock and in the walk through the
tunacl 10 the stockade he was in
charge OF Guards Gramer and Park
hill lie walked with steady step but
seemed a little nervous.
When the work Of adjusting the cap
was started Thomas said, God be
with me-" and a few seconds later
made the remark, Tell the world /
am ready TO go"
Warden Plummer was vislbly ar
fected The last request made by
Thomas was for flowers, and Mrs.
Pmmmer furm shed American beauty
rOs which were placed on the body
when It was placed in the colin.
The jurors who witnessed the exc
cution were Harry A. Bickta, John ;.
Lattomus, William r. Warren, Fred
] ~ i DnNNanrHnnr WI
liam r.. MilnOr. Ralph r. Wh te
James r. Hoey, II. r. Bartenslager
Walter H. Hartlove, Thomas B. Haugl
and William Lyons, Jr.
The Witnesses were the Rev Dr
James NJ. Grant, Captain J. p. Rose
, man, Harry Gregg. Dr. A. J. Bertram
COroner Isaac s. Bullock, Deputy Cor
oner Harvey +. Nichols. the Rev. II
Y. ArnNt, Charles Gross james
Creutter. and Captain William Pal
mer and Lieutenant William Biggins
OF the Pennsylvania Railroad police.
The crime for which Thomas paiC
the death penalty today was commit
ted In July OF this year. We was con
victed by a jury in Court OF oyer anl
b Tarminer at the October term anl
sentenced 10 be hanged on October %
, After sentence had been pronounce,
2 an appeal was made o. GOverno
Townsend for a stay OF execution un
b on the mental condition OF the con
4 demncd man could be investigated
n Governor Townsend first reprieve'
N Thomas until November i2 and again
\ until today.
i on Wednesday the Board Of Par
: I d0ns heard the application o. Judg
. Daniel %. Hastings on behalf o
o. Thomas for q commutation Of the sen
e tance 10 life Imprisonment. on No.
r ground that he was ~ unsOund mine
o The board refused the application
! Owing 10 the vacancy existing o
u the board. due TO the death Of Liet
tenant-GovernOr EliasOn. there ar
l. four members OF the board, and a vol
A on the question Of cOmmutin
q Thomas sentence resulted in a q
: Physicians testified Thomas was mel
= tally defective, but refused 90 say
was insane. All OF the doctors "a
l. mitted the youth knew the diferenl
'e between r SHIT and wrong.
: The members OF the Board Of Pa
dons are Chancellor Charles NJ Gu
q It's. Secretary OF state Everett G. JOIN
II / son, Stale Treasurer George VI. Flshl
" and state Auditor Daniel ThOmpso
'e 70 was not announced which OF q
= two members favored committing z
sentence.
Judge Hastings produced four wi
= nesses from kennett Square, Pa. WI
Il knew Thomas for about a year befOl
he came 10 this State. Magisira
g Monaghan, Of kennett Square, was or
IN Of ihe witnesses. He testified
IL Thomas being before him on a minl
!, charge last April He said at that tin
% he considered Thomas feeble-mlndl
M and had there been an institution Il
!, feeble-minded where he could ha'
q committed him, he would have dOi
so. on the ground that at some 4
ture time he might become a mena
nc 20 the public. AS 10 was, the ca
j, against Thomas was dropped. the wi
n ness said. 10 was explained tn
% Thomas was given a suit Of clothes
"a his employer in kennett Square,
~, / take 10 a cleaner. Instead OF TAXI
" the clothes TO the cleaner, he we
back TO. the barn and put them on al
went about the neighhorhOOd bOas
ing about the new suit Of clothes Oh
he had. The owner OF the cloth
had Thomas arrested and Magistra
Monaghan heard the case.
,s Constable Pratt and Mr.. McDOwl
,,, and Mr.. Easiburn. two business m
ar OF kennett Square. were other W
u neS-c cs who testified fore On Boa
Sy- OF Pardons. They an considered mi
~ silly" bus could not say that he W
u- insane.
DR.. Theodore II. Weisenberg. OF [
IT University OF Pennsylvania, an expe
~ on nervous and mental disorders. 4
~ clared, under a lengthy examinati
H. by Judge Hastings and Attorney-Ge
IN, eral David J. Reinhardt that Thorn
hd showed mental weakness. but was h
or, insane.
on, Mrs. Emma Tarey. the VIII
ur woman who was the victim OF I
nd assault also testified before
I'D, board.
.on Late last night Thomas addressi
10y Warden plummer said: Good MIG
warden. you've been a friend TO n
. ] did wrong but never had a chanc
He also bid Lem" Price, in the
joining cell good night, remarkil
3 well, Lem l am going TO leave y