The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-09-14
CHICAGO BOY, E,
 CITES LOEB CASE
 IN MERCY PLEA
Bernard Grant, Awaiting
 Doom, Denies Guilt
 And Asks Life
(By Leased Wire To The Age-Herald.)

~~eO
 CHICAGO, Sept. 13.-Within "A hours after. Nathan Leopold, Jr., and Richard Loeb had been saved from the gallows by merciful judge, newspapers and jurists throughout the country were declaring that Illinois could never, with any pretense of justice, hang another murderer.
 Hardly had the slayers of Robert Franks arrived at the Joliet peniten- tiary before 19-year-old boy and his lawyer were pointing to their escape from the moose and demanding that justice be not allowed to take the life of a youth of the same age, who had been convicted on evidence character ized as "flimsy."
 Now, Governor Small will be asked to determine the fate of Bernard Grant, the young graduate from down back of the yards" who was sentenced to hang October 19, for the murder of a policeman. This sentence was recon mended by a jury which made no at tempt to temper its decision, was meted out by Judge Hebel and was confirmed by the state supreme court.
 Up To Governor
 Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb, sons of millionaires, were sentenced to life imprisonment because they are un- der 21," declares Attorney Thomas E. Swanson, counsel for Grant. Grant is under q. The governors answer will determine whether there is one law for the rich and one for the poor" Gee I didn't have anything to dc with the killing, but I betcha if had some of the money Leopold and Loeb have I wouldn't be here," declares Grant, who is awaiting his doom in the death row. of the Cook county, jail, There were. no $150-a-day alienists to tell the fury that Grant was a victim of such mental weaknesses as to make him irresponsible for his crime. There were no millions to back his fight to escape the gallows by employing great criminal lawyers.
 Parents Penniless
 Grants parents are practically penni less. The father was deprived of both legs in an accident and five years age the son was forced to abandon school after finishing the seventh grade to hell support the family. There is decidedly nothing intellectual about the young convicted slayer. He worked as mes senger boy and as laborer until his ar rest in December, 1922, for the murder
 Thus far Governor Small has re fused to comment on the case, but has promised it due consideration" when it is brought formally to his attention
 Others, however, are rallying to the cause of the poverty-stricken boy. Ac cording to Swanson, messages of en couragement are pouring in from all sections of the country. It is also un- derstood that a member of either the Loeb or Leopold family is taking g keen interest in the case and may con tribute to the defense fund.
 Sees Duty As Plain
 "I don't see how the governor can help commute the sentence with the precedent of the Leopold-Loeb cast staring him in the face" Swanson de clared Saturday. Ut seems to me that his duty is plain. i... Public opinion is being aroused tC high pitch by the plight of the boy He hasn't the education, the breeding and all the other things that Leopold and Loeb had to make them respectable law-abiding members of the community
 Grant says he is innocent and l am inclined to believe him, but that is not the real issue of the case.
 'The issue is whether rich murderers are to escape the gallows while the poor man hangs"
 At the time of the murder of the policeman there was plenty of indigna- tion and the police seemed to have a pretty clear case against Grant. Since then there has been no new evidence in the case and no attempt is being made to prove that the youth was wrongfully convicted.
 But Grants clai moi innocence has helped to attract the sympathy of fair minded Chicagoans who believe as Swanson does-that the moose is moi reserved for any particular class.
 I'm poor and they give me the neck tie," says Grant. Leopold and Loeb were rich and they get life"