Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-07-14
PAPPAS PAYS
DEATH PENALTY
IN ELECTRIC CHAIR

NV 666O ttIV VIInI1t
Boston, July 14.-Paul Daskalakis
alias Pappas, was executed in the
electric chair in the state prison at
1920 A. M. today.
Just before entering the death cham
Der Pappas reiterated to Rev. William
Bradley Whitney, prison chaplain, that
he was innocent of the murder of Alice
Asenault, of which he was convicted.
He said nothing after entering the
death chamber. He did not falter as
he walked to the chair.
At 1902 A. NJ. the legal witnesses
and Warden Hendry entered the death
chamber. The physicians present were
DR.. Frank Il. Williams, surgeon general
of the Massachusetts National Guard !;
DR.. James l. Mclaughlin, prison ply
stefan; and DR.. William J. Brickley,
associate medical examiner of Suffolk
county. Deputy Sheriff John ]. Hor-
gan represented the sheriff of Suffolk
county.
A representative of the Associated
Press was present on behalf of the
press.
At 1904 the door to Pappas' cell was
opened, Pappas arose from a chair and
followed Rev. William Bradley Whit
ney, private chaplain at the prison, into
| the death chamber. The chaplin re-
| cited the 200 psalm. Pappas was sup
ported by Deputy Warden James T..
Hogsett, but walked firmly.
Behind him came Rev. Nestor Sou
| lides of Lowell, Greek Orthodox
priest, chanting. There was a faint
smile on Pappas' face. He was seated
in the electric chair, and as the straps
| and headgear were being adjusted he
| kissed a cross which the Greek priest
held out to him. The priest then with
! drew.
! At 1910 current of 1000 volts of 10
ampcres was applied and passed
| through Pappas' body for one minute
and 10 seconds. The doctors made a
careful examination and then another
current of the same strength was APP
piled for five seconds. After the sec
ond application the physicians made
| another examination and agreed that
| life was extinct and Warden Hendry
| officially pronounced Pappas dead at
| 1920 O'Clock.
This was the cath electrocution at
the state prison. The first was on De-
cember II, 1901, and the last previous
| to this morning was that of Francisco
Feel on August 16, 1920.
| The crime for which Paul Daskala-
ks. alias, Paul Pappas, was SEN
| fenced to die in the electric chair at
| the state prison was the murder of
Mrs. Alice Arsenault, whose body
| was found buried under 4 pile of
ashes in the cellar of a lodging house
| in the South End of Boston on May
| IL, 1920. Pappas, who had bought
| the lodging house from the woman
had disappeared late jim the previous
day and it was charged that he had
murdered her on or about Christmas
day, 1919. Before the body was dis
covered, neighbors had believed that
| Fappas and Mrs. Arsenault had gone
away together.
Pappas was arrested in Montreal,
in September, 1921, and convicted OF
{, murder in the first degree in June,
1923. His counsel offered no evidence
in defense. contending that the state
had failed to establish Pappas
guilty.
Then began the long and unsuc-
cessful fight for his life. The first
| motion for SnCW trial was denied
and in January of this year. Judge
Braley of the Supreme Court denied
| writ OF error.
In March, Governor Cox refused a
petition by large delegation OF
Greek residents of this state fol
communication of the sentence to life
Imprisonment. Later in March the
execution to permit the investiga-
ton of alleged new evidence and on
March p the Supreme Court denied
another motion for a new trial. The
next day Judge Braley announced
that the full bench of the Superior
Court might hear the writ of error
petition which he had denied and the
Governor hastily summoned his coun-
Gil, which granted reprieve until
May /.
In April, the Supreme Court over
ruled the petition for writ Of error
and the Superior Court denied a final
motion for a new trial, made on the
ground that Pappas was Improperly
defended at his trial and that new
evidence showed perjury on the part
of state witnesses. In this connection
it was brought out that District At
orney Thomas c. O'Brien had eX-
pressed willingness nolle pros tho
first degree part of the charge
against Pappas and permit him to be
sentenced to life imprisonment. The
court ruled that the district attorney
had no power to take such action
afer sentence. Early in May. Pappas
was again reprieved until July IL. tc
permit the Supreme Court to hear
exceptions to the Superior Courts
decision. The Supreme Court later
over-ruled the exceptions and Gov
elnor Cox refused to intervene fur
Their in the case. Pappas, maintaining
! inn showed n
obtain a new trial but refused to pay
any personal request for commuta-
ton of his sentence to life imprison-
ment.