San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-03-20
Thinks Those Far Away
With Sentimental Interest
Only Should Not Be AL
lowed to Overthrow Jury's
Verdict.
BY j. n. HANNA

Copyright, by The San Antonio Light.
Atlanta, Ca, March 2O.--Blind SEN
timent, originating in distant states
and manifest:ng itself here through
propaganda and appeals 20 tne gov
ernor, threatens 10 overthrow the work
of Georgia juries and cheat justice
of its stern toll.
The situation has been brought
sharply TO the attention of the state
by j.. W.. Harmon, sheriff of Walker
county, who propOunds the query,
shall Georgia juries, of twelve good
men and true, sworn to try impartial
ly criminals presented TO them, have
their work undone by women's or
carnations, Boy Scouts and other
bodies in far distant statesT
1t was in the home county Of Sheriff
Harmon that George and Ralph Baker,
brothers, shot down an aged deputy
sheriff in what was proved TO be cold
blooded murder. They were convicted
and sentenced TO hang on March is.
The case was appealed 10 every court
in the state, but the verdict of the jury
was upheld. After these efforts had
been exhausted the prison commission
was appealed to to set aside the YER
dict. Women's clubs, Boy Scout
troops and individuals in practically
every state in the Union, ignorant of
the facts, Sheriff Harmon claims, but
moved by sentiment alone joined in
the effort TO save the boys.
Boy Claimed % Be 10.
Sentiment was particularly aroused
in behalf of Ralph, on the basis that
he claimed to be only IL peas of age,
yet the Walker county sheriff, the
solicitorge who prosecuted the
case and other officials Of the county
presented affidavits to show that he
was 10; that the family Bible con-
tanning the record of birth had been
tempered with and that the shooting
was without provocation.
In response to the appeals, the
prison commission recommended that
the sentence of Ralph be tommuted
to life Imprisonment. Governor Harf!-
wick has granted the two boys a
respite until April Is and has set
April o as a date for a public hear
ing on their cases. He will deter
mine then VIII, Their :he two boys shall
be hanged. The governors policy in
the past hal been to uphold jury YER
diets.
II commend the father and mother
of these two boys for trying to save
their lives" Sheriff Harmon said in
his criticism Of outside influences.
1T is reiterating what every man and
woman knows when I say this fight
is what David would have done for
Absalom. or any other father and
mother would do for erring children.
Resents Sentimental Interference.
But a review of the evidence which
showed without doubt that the boys
slew the aged deputy. widowed and
orphaned a Georgia home. certainly
should not be tempered with By wo-
mems organizations in New York. Tex
as and other parts Of the country.
I'VE in Walker county cannot try
cases in New York, Chicago or in
any other state: we cannot weigh the
evidence presented there impartially
and We certainly should not attempt 10
interfere in any manner with the YER
dict Of twelve coed mon and true.
People who love law and order
who stand M for right, regardless of
Sympathy or affection. realize what
terrible thing it is for jury's work
to be undone. simply because women's
organizations. weak-hcarted individu-
ais and Boy Scout troops imrlorc the
authorities to stay executions of muir
derers."