The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1922-06-22
POTZ RETRIEVED
AT LAST MOMENT
Governor Grants so Day
Reprieve Few Hours
Before Hanging.
TRIAL WAS HURRIED"
New Lease on Life Granted on
Theory Slayer's Trial Was
Hurried to Clear Docket.

Ignatz Potz, confessed slayer of Will
liam Petersen, Winthrop Harbor motor
policeman, and sentenced to be hanged
for the crime at sunrise this morning.
did not dance on air" at the hour set
for the execution. Sheriff Elmer Green
had everything in readiness for carry
ing out the order of the court; the
gallows on which Carl Wanderer was
hanged in Chicago for the murder of
the ragged stranger" had beeen
brought to Waukegan and set up in
the attic of the Waukegan courthouse
for the hanging; the trap was all oiled
and ready to be sprung; the room had
been wired late Thursday with cleo
tricity that the spectators might be
able to see the hanging even if it
might be a dark day.
With all in readiness for the hang
ing, reprieve came almost at the
last moment when Governor Small just
after midnight issued stay of execu-
ton, granting the convicted man Sixty
days longer in which to carry his up
peal for a new trial. Attorney Lester
E. Williams, counsel for the convicted
slayer, hurried to the Office of the
sheriff with the reprieve and halted
the preparations for the execNtion.
Was His Last Chance.
Governor Small was appealed to b.
Potz' attorneys as the last chance to
save the slayer's life. Earlier on
Thursday an appeal to the supreme
court for a stay Of sentence had been
denied. There, Chief Justice Thomp-
son, who announced the decision, de-
clared the court had heard the entire
record of the case, had discussed it
and had come to unanimous decision
that no reasonable cause was present
ed for writ of error and no doubt
existed in the minds of the court that
the defendant was guilty.
IN feverish haste the attorneys hur-
ried back to Waukegan where they
gained a conference with Governor
Small and finally secured from him
sixty-day reprieve. Judge Robert v
Baker of Kenosha was one of the at
torneys who is conducting Potz' fight
for a new trial.
fastened Trial Is Claim.
In signing the reprieve, Governor
Small gave out. the statement thai it
was issued because he believed that
the trial of Potz mad been hurried in
order to clear the docket of the court
for other business awaiting him. His
reprieve means that the attorneys will
have more time to prepare writs in
another fight to secure another trial
for the convicted man.
Least nervous of all those who were
awaiting the outcome of the confer
ence with the governor, appeared to BIZ
Potz himself. In the death cell where
he had been taken early Thursday, he
calmly waited to hear hiss fate. He
declared he was confident that stay
would be secured despite the fact that
there were only few hours remaining
until the time set for his execution.
Michael Radich, one of the men tried
with him for the staying, was visitor
at the death cell Thursday. Potz'
mother and sister also came to the
prison to bid him farewell.
Crowd Gathers Anyway.
The reprieve did not prevent the
guests" from gathering for "the neck
tie party" The reprieve came so late
that the news of it had not spread
until late this morning and crowd
of spectators, filled with morbid curl
osity, gathered at the Waukegan Jail
this morning only 20 be informed that
the hanging had been postponed sixty
days. Kenoshans who had planned to
attend were notified Of the securing
of the reprieve and did not go to Wau-
kegan this morning.
Meanwhile the gallows will be kept
standing in the courthouse at Wauke-
gan pending the outcome of the ap-
pealS Potz smiled this morning as he
returned to his incessant card playing
to await the outcome Of his new fight
for life and freedom.