Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-03-15
YDUTHFU Ill SLAYER'S
CASE To De AIRED
BY PRISON BOARD

A statement by Governor Hard.
wick that he is getting hard:boiled
about such things" presentation OF
the Baker family Bible to the state
prison commission for inspection,
and announcement that the commits.
sion would begin review of the
case Wednesday, were the features
Tuesday in the fight being waged to
save George and Ralph Baker from
the gallows. The boys are sentenced
to be hanged en- Friday in Walker
county for the murder Of seventy
year-old Deputy Sheriff Morton.
Georgia has too many homicides,"
said the governor, "and the laXity
with which they are regarded is a
black spot on the states reputation"
The governor stated that under the
law fourteen-year old boy is respon-
sible for his actions, and added that
he would give the case every con,
sideration, weighing carefully every
angle. The question Of age has been
raised in the interest Of Ralph Ba'
ker, it being contended that he was
| but fourteen raarS old at the time of
the homicide.
The newspapers are responsible
| for this sentiment which has been
aroused in favor of these boys the
| governor said.
But l am getting hard boiled
about such things"
Erasure in Bible
! On N. Chambers, attorney for the
| Baker boys, appeared before mem
| bers of the prison commission Tues
| day morning and presented the fam
| lily Bible. The Bible, as previously
! stated in press reports, shows unmis-
| taxable evidence Of having been
tempered with, the date of Ralph
| Bakers birth having been rubbed
out with an eraser and then re-writ'
| ten with pencil. The Bible now
shows he was born on NovemheE
20, 1867.
The Bible record, according to Mr.
Chambers, was made about six years
ago.
Mr.. Chambers stated that during
the day he contemplated calling upon
Governor Hardwick and asking the
chief executive to arrange to give a
personal hearing into the case in
| event the prison commission refuses
to commute the sentence.
! Mr.. Chambers also laid several
voluminous documents dealing will
the case before the commission
which will be taken into considera-
ton Wednesday when the commits
sion begins it's review of the case.
Hundreds of appeals for clemency
were being received Tuesday by the
governor and the prison commission
Among those addressed to the gov
ernor was one from Mrs. Mary
Baker mother of the boys, in whicl
she urged the executive to give hel
"dears life" Mrs. Hassell Baker
wife of George Baker, also wrote the
governor urging communication, say
ing that execution of the boys woulC
kill their aged parents"
Appeals Pour In
Two petitions from Georgia cit
les, one from Sandersville, the gov
errors home city, and the othe
from LAGRANGE, also were received
The LAGRANGE petition was signet
by 200 citizens and the Gainesvill
petition by 500, Judge w. B. Sloan
Of the city court, heading the list
The letters and kilograms wer
dated from practically all states il
the south, and one from New Yorl
signed by the president of the exec
utive board of Boys Work associa
ton, purported to express the wishe
of the million boys who make u
the units Of the association.
Parent-Teacher associations wer
| also listed among the MANY appeals