Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-08-31

the way before Friday. Frank is
like son to me, and l ann fighting
his battle for him in place Of his
dead mother"
Governor Hardwick's order refus-
ing to spare DuPre from the gal.
lows is one Of the most interesting
documents ever written by a COVER
nor in this state in a case of this
kind.
After reciting briefly the circum-
stances of the crimes committed by
DuPre on December Is, last, the
governor quoted in full the letter
written by DuPre from Detroit and
published in the Atlanta newspapers.
in which DuPre made fun of the
Atlanta police department and ex-
pressed the opinion that City Comp
troller Graham West would mind
his own business hereafter"
No Doubt of Guilt
"This letter. declared tie COVER
nor. ''breathes spirit of bravadC
and reckless disregard of human
life that is appalling and terrifying"
DuPre's whole conduct, he declar-
ed, showed him TO be "callous and
Indifferent" after he had iilled De-
tective Irby C. Walker, and desper-
rately wounded City Comptroller
West and almost killed j. Luther
Greene, one OF the men who pur.
sued DuPre, and who was saved, as
The governor pointed out, only by
accident.
The governor next made the point
that DuPre confessed fully and in
detail his crimes. his movements
after the crimes, and his Detroit
letter, and that his only defense was
the claim that he was drunk on the
day of his crimes. But this, the
governor pointed out, was disputed
by every witness who saw him on
the day Of the crimes, and "even if
true 1T would afford him no justifca-
ton or defense either in law or in
morals"
AS to the claim that DuPre is of
a low order mentally and morally,
Governor Hardwick declared that
DuPre knew right from wrong and
admitted his previous crimes.
"Of his guilt there is no doubt"
the governor said further on this
point IF his desperate determine
ton to steal and kill any or all who
attempted to interfere with his theft,
there is no doubt. Of his mental
and moral responsibility under the
law there is no question"
Here the governor called attention
to the fact that DuPre a few months
before his crimes was admitted to
enlistment in the United States
navy after successfully passing the
mental and physical tests of enlist
ment.
Murder Penalty Death
The governor said he appreciated
the motives of Christian charity
that prompted the women to urge
him to spare DuPre from the gal
lows, but he could not yield to SEN
timent without being absolutely
false to his duty, to society and to
| the public"
Sympathy, he declared, should not
conffne itself to DuPre alone IFS
there no sympathy for the ma. he
killed?' the governor asked. ''Is
there no sympathy for the man he
wounded? If there none for the
widow Of his victim? Is there none
for 1.-The seven-year-old girl of his vic.
tim?"
eff DuPre be a YOUTH the gov
ernor remarked, ''he at, least is old
er than the fatherless child of his
victim, and at least was old enough
and responsible enough to be &C.
cepted for 81 mans service in the
navy"
1t is not the principle of an eye
for an eye that governs this case,
| the governor declared, but the pro-
lection Of society from other crimi.
| mails. 1t IS necessary, he declared, to
give the most solemn warning
| which can possibly be given to deter
| other criminals and to impress upon
| other youths that the penalty for
murder is death. 1t is necessary
further, lie declared, that the stern
| est possible check be placed upon
| the wave of crime oVersweeping the
i state, the country and the world
In conclusion, the governor cited
the fact that the death penalty was
| passed upon DuPre by jury, that
it was upheld by tie trial Judge, that
| it was upheld by the supreme court,
and that it was upheld by the prison
commission hearing the case as a
board of pardors.
1t Is My Duty
Weight must be given to these
judgments which were rendered be-
fore the case came to him, the gov
| ernor declared, and more especially
in view of the complete absence OF
any new evidence, or any new ex
tenuating fact or circumstance.
my duty before God and man.
said the governor in closing, lis tC
allow the law to take it's course"
Governor Hardwick heard argu
ments for and against communication
in the senate chamber in the state
capitol last Thursday morning, from
10 to II o'clock.
Attorney Allen, chief counsel for
DuPre, urged the governor to spare
him from the gallows on the ground
OF his youth, the ground that liz
was driven to crime by unemploy
ment, and the ground that he is men
tally deficient.
Solicitor General John A. Boykin
representing the state, urged the
governor to let the sentence stand as
a warning to other criminals tina,
human life cannot be taken wit!
impunity.
Many at Hearing
| Numerous men and women sym
pathizers attended the hearing. Sew
eral of the women wanted to r'
heard, but the governor confined
the hearing to the speakers desig
mated by Attorney Allen and Solici
tor Boyl1in. This disappointed tbs
women who wished to be heard, ant
they made unsuccessful attempts Il
reach the governor after the hear
ing.
City Comptroller West, who wa:
almost killed by DuPre, appeared