New Britain herald., 1924-07-11
MUIR FACES DEATH
 WITHOUT PUNCHING
American Put 10 Death Today in
 Montreal Tor Murder
LOST LONG, HARD FIGHT
Had Killed Man Who Reai His Grip pled Friend Rut Claimed He In. tfnded Only To Brighten Victim, Mother Says Goodbye To son

Montreal, July il,- Walter Muir oi
 New York, was hanged al yalleyheld
 Quebec. early today for the murder oi
 Henri Layiale'ts last September,
 Muir shot l.ariolelts after quar-
 rel m q Valleyheld harroon. Latiol,
 cite according 10 court testimony.
 had struck Muir's erony a crippled man named Joseph Plant. during an argument over the merits Of a hunt ing dog,
 Not until the moose was slipped was it certain that the sentence would be placed into effect. so unremitting and widespread had been the efforts Of the Countess Of Richelicu, Mrs. Wal ter Muir. the boys mother, and oth- CTS to obtain new trial.
 Muir. who was 2i years old, went to his death without tears He bore himself stiffly. an odd smile on his face which twitchcd about unqulet lips and eyes reddened from lack of sleep. His head he carried high as though 10 compensate for his bchav- for the day before when beholding tho staring crowd on the railway platform he dropped his head and hurried into a waiting automobile.
 Says Farewell To Mother
 The evening before he had been in the arms of his mother, n courageous flame of woman who had battled unceasingly for her son. She had ar- rived in Valleyfield to bid her son the last adieu. She stayed with him, wept with him. smiled with him and cheer ed him for the last time. Then she left for Huntington.
 Muir claimed that when he drew his pistol during the quarrel with Laviolette in the barroom he only meant to scare the man. He fired two bullets into the floor, one of them glancing and striking Laviolette in the breast.
 A jury found Muir guilty and he | was sentenced to hang last April A | reprieve was granted to permit an ap- peal. The appeal was dismissed,
 Countess Fights For Youth
 It was then that Countess Richelieu, formerly Miss Elinor Douglas Wise of Baltimore, opened her long unavailing struggle to free the youth. She can- celled all social engagements and en- listed in her fight men and women Of in Canada. In New York a committee under Miss Juliet Thomp- son has worked for Muir.
 These efforts extended to Washing ton where through Howard C. Dick inson, nephew of the secretary of state, the department of state sent a plea for executive clemency to the British embassy. The counsel at Ot- tawa was further requested to rein force this plea by personal represen- .ations.
 Workers on behalf of Muir based heir appeal on his youth and the lack of criminal intent.
 Last Letter To Mother.
 Before he walked to the gallows. Muir wrote this letter to his mother:
 ITO my heartbroken mother, my poor mother; how you must be suf- r 'ering since my death; but you must .. ,e brave and remember l died good ' Christian and in a state of grace. Al ' ways think of me, as l will be watch ;. ng and praying over you until you 0 oin me in Heaven. It was the will of sod that I should leave this earth at his time. am dying happy death. love you with all my heart and will " ,ray to God always for you. Good ,ye, mother dear. May God bless you. |. your loving son, Walter" ,' Muir was pronounced dead 14 min '' ties after the springing of the trap. liter the inquest the body was laimed on behalf of relatives in New -ork, where burial will take place.