Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1922-09-13

' ~ ~ e5' 'a' II IL IL i. j. y. .I' .3'
! Shortly before the execution of
Frank DuPre in Atlanta few days
ago, Governor Thos. w. Hardwick
Of Georgia, who had been appealed
to to intervene and commute a death
sentence to that Of life imprison-
ment, made tho following statement
as to why his conscience would not
permit sontimentality to override his
convictions in the matter:
Why Hartlwick Iscfused.
"Of course, ] am not without SYM
pathy and respect for the views Of
many tender-hearted ersons--
largely women-who have urged ex-
ecutive clemency for the applicant
! Crank DuPre). I understand and
appreciate the human sympathy and
the deep and true Christian charity
which animates chem in this matter.
My own heart is touched by their
appeal, but, because Of my honest
Judgment and conscience, I cannst
| y
out being absolutely false to my
duty, to society and to the public.
The sympathy in this case should not
be aroused entirely in behalf of the
youthful bandit, who gloated over
his deeds Of theft and murder until
he was actually to face the penalty,
whose repentance came when he was
in the clutches Of the law, and not
before he was apprehended. What
OF the faithful, law-abiding man, Mr.,
| Walker, who sleeps in an untimety
grave, sent there by DuPre's' act? Is
there no sympathy for him? What
OF the little woman who is widowed
by his act? Is there no sympathy tor
| her? What Of the Seven-year-old or
phan, made SO by him? Is there no
sympathy for her? Is there no SYM
pathy for the fatherless girl who has
been deprived OF the support and Of
the protecting care Of her father
through all her life? If DuPre was
moiherless, he had made this little
child fathcrless. If DuPre was young
| he was at least man old enough
to enlist in the navy Of his country
and to meet all Of it's mental and
physical tests in doing SO, and is at
least considerably older than the
child whom he made fatherlcss.
But my action in this case does
not rest on the law Of IAN eye for an
eye, tooth for TOOTH It rests on
a broader, deeper, truer principle
than that. Unless our boys, who may
cvcn now have embarked on SINH
lar path TO that pursued by this ap-
pficant, who may be filling them
selves with cheap and poisonous
liquor, who may be associating with
gamblers and prostitutes, are check
cd in their mad courses Of crime,
who can tell how many orphans will
be made in Georgia by their conduct?
| Who can tell how many innocent
men-even innocent by-standers--
may lose their precious lives before
the time appointed by Providence?
It is to protect society, to save these
other women from being made wild
ows, these other men from being
slain, these other children from be-
ing made orphans, that it is neces-
sary-and absolutely necessary
that the supreme penalty Of the law
be executed upon this applicant. It
is to give to them and to all Of them
In this State and throughout this
country the most solemn and i'm
pressive warning that can be given
in the name Of the law and in the
name Of civilized society, and in the
name Of organized government. An
appalling and increasing number OF
violent crimes, OF every sort are oc-
curing in our midst-a crime wave,
worldwide in its sweep, has not
spared or missed our State. While
the situation is not worse in Georgia
than in other States, nor in this coun-
try than in other countries. it Is ap-
palling, everywhere, and The sternest
measures arc necessary to check it.
"The supreme penalty of the law
has been passed upon this man by
IN impartial jury Of twelve honest
mon Of Fulton county. 1t has been
% held by an abie, upright and i'm
pa. ial Judge. 1t has been upheld by
he upreme Court Of Georgia, and
: la ny tho unanimous rccommen-