The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1922-06-11
.FEAREDF0RHER.
LIFE. TEN YEARS,
| WIFE EXPLAINS
Cora Lou Wnton. Worked Out
I and unIovely., Tells
Drab Story.
EVEN JAILER PlTlEs HER

Wos the Vinson case cold-btood-
% Hurdsrf There q good reason
% doubt thok, Yet q sO0nsGn q 70
Be, hanged foS the deed-0 crisns
tkHt sCas the outcome of ton ysars'
s0edded nightsn0re--ssnlsss thsre q
q ssssC trial or the govern0r OF
Georgia interfsres, rhich ssems
HnIiEely. Ada Pqttsrson, noted
Criter, has imvestiqatsd the case
Tor The Washington Timss and
herewith ,tnfolds the true storm OF
che tragedy OF a ,oonsan,s life. The
second instGltDse1st will Gppsar
later.
BY ADA PATTERSON.
tcepyrisht. 1891. BY Cosmopolitan News
ssrvics.) q
ATLANTA, Ca, June 10.-on
a:hard. narrrw bed In q small gray
eel b woman lies thinking, think
lng. She thinks. Of her past, as
bard and narrow as that bed. Her
lace ID a. gray rs the walls Of her
cell. It IL like those walls, with
ont expression, save that It il
utterly, illimitably sad. *
Sentenced to Death.
Cora Lou vinson 10 the woman.
"A Georgia Jury on May 3 found her
guilty OF murder In the first de-
gree for killing DR.. W.. q. vinson,
her husband. No choice for the
judge WAS left by that verdict. He
did what the law demanded, of him
u suchi y case. The sentence was
DEATH She must hang by the neck
20 b afforded to civilization July ~.
The. woman Of the gray, Infinitely
sad face listened dumbly to the
verdict. She walked as one who II
very tired out Of the courthouse.
back to the small gray cell In the
Fulton county Jail. She sank back
upon the hard bed and closed her
eyes N one who Ia sinking into q
deep sleep. Those who looked now
and then through the prison bars at
the still face said: She'll look
Ike that I'm her coffin. Just IKE
Only once has she stirred vors,n.
tarily from that stupor Of heart
deep WEAKNESS. That was when
she was taken from her cell to the
bureau Of Identification.
What do you think Of the YER
dict, Mrs. Vinsonf" one Of the
guards asked. because he said he
She. turned upon him faded eyes
that were like petals Of dim old
irises and answered, in q nat, life
less voice: ''They don't hang wom-
en-. They won't hang me-"
She Never Denied Il.
: The guard swore inwardly at the
wave Of pity that rose to his eyes.
Weepf Certainly not. He was q
man and to him tears wore pro-.
limited. But he wondered why the
jury brought that verdict.
Cora Lou Vinson had killed her
husband. There was not the slight
est attempt to deny that. She had
shot him first when he had threat
ensd to kill her. He had flung
back his coat to let her see the pistol
IN bis pocket. She has followed the
rule Of fight to death. She had
got the Drop on him first
Mrs. vinson 10 OF the type OF
humanity termed in the South q
s'cracl<er." She 10 lean and prenna~y
turely old. At forty-four she looks
sixty.nve. Her face 10 palely gray.
Lines run from the corners OF her
heavy folds, the lines and folds that
and sleepless. Burrows, stretching
from her nostrils to the corners OF
her lips. are plowed deep by grief.
She n thin and tall Her hair IL
thin and dark. She makes no at.
tempt at the coquetry Of arranging
n In q loose frame about her face to
soften her rugged features. She
draws Il tightly back a. though she
would offer no distraction from the
hard and few essentials Of living.
The dress she wore to court she
wears IN her cell. Il IL of cheap.
rough cotton, of q dull brown. G
= "A bony, badly dressed woman, she
mt IN court. her work-enlarged and
hardened brown hands crossed In her
lap, and told her story to the Jury.
STARK. like herself. the story was one
about which no sariands OF fancy
were festooned. M
II went to the drug store and
begEed my husband NOT TO divorce
me. didn't want the shame Of IL.
He wouldn't listen to me. He told
mo 20 90 away. He said things that
would drive women crazy. He said:
III newer live with you again. Look
at you. You're an old woman. I'm
sfck Of you. want Q younger worn-
m. Who could love your"
She Fired First.
She staggered back at those cruel
blows. Every sentence was 40 fist
s,opn her face. But az she drew hack
she saw what she had feared, the
ugly sight OF q revolver butt. He,
flung at her foul. bitter words. .I'n
Hi YOU" he Kissed.
The voice. with no pulse Of vitality
m Il, the fiat, weary voice, went OF,
its unschooled, hesitating way.
"It was either kill or get killed,
and I shot first. A man has q right
to defend himself. 30 has = WON
a sob sounded through the court
room. The tall thin woman IN the
badly fitting dress turned her drab,
hstiess face toward Q young woman
who eat near the counsel table.
.Don't Ethel" The slow voice had
not finished its appeal before b small
form pitched to the floor. Mrs.
Ethel Robertson, the daughter Of the
Wnsons, had heard more OF the tale
s[sn nha cotiId bear She had faint