Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-03-27
SATTERF|ELD DOOM
AGAIN PRONOUNCED;
MUST DIE APRIL 25

With the declaration on his lips
that he still had reason to believe"
he would again face a jury, j. 3. Sat
terrified was sentenced tuesday by
Judge John D. HUMPHREYS, in Fulton
superior court, to be hanged on April
25, 1924, in expiration of the murder
of his brother-in-law, r. H. Hart,
whom he shot to death on December
81, 1921.
Satterfield, under heavy guard and
securely handcuffed, was brought
into the courtroom, which vas pack
ed to capacity with d mixed crowd
of men and women, shortly after 3
o'clock.
He appeared uncomfortable in his
bonds and a heavy red sweater that
was muffled about his throat, and
when Judge HUMPHREYS, pursuant to
the usual formalities preceding the
passage of sentence, asked him If he
had anything to say, he replied:
"Yes, 1 have, but do L have to talk
tied up?'
Manacles Removed
Judge HUMPHREYS then stated that
he had not noticed Satterfield was
handcuffed and ordered that the
manacles be removed declaring:
Il have never yet sentenced a
prisoner while he stood before me
handcuffed.'
Satterfield then made what was
/. in many respects the most sensa-
tional statement ever made in the
courts of Fulton county under sim
. liar circumstances. 1t was largely
E incoherent, referring vaguely to the
hope that the prisoner had of evad-
ing the supreme penalty of the law
and to "a ghost that is constantly
walking" before him.
at the conclusion of his statement,
Judge HUMPHREYS completed the rec
ord in the case, fixing Sattertlelds
date of execution as April % and re-
minding the prisoner thar 1T is now
your solemn duty to make your peace
with your God" Satterfie1d was then
lied from the courtroom, under heavy
guard, as before, and with the hand
cuffs again on his wrists.
Your honor, friends and foes
/ alike, l don't believe there is any
l one in this courtroom who under
stands this situation more than L
do as to what the court has to do,
Sattrefield stated. II know this is
matter of form but l have reasons
to believe l yet have a chance to go
! before a jury.
Tells of Ghost
l1o,
five or six, 1 used to keep up with
murders in the daily newspapers in
every detail A question used to
: come into my mind as to how a man
could eat or sleep with the thoughts
of crime like this on his mind /
have lived to answer that question.
feel the cause that made me seek
a victim is sufficient, but am sorry
for his two little boys. l should like
to paint a picture to show the ghost
that is constantly walking before me
7 III my life.
II will picture myself as a bis
devil coming through a window into
\ a room where two little children
I are. I'd reach over with clawed fin
gers and tear them away.
mo one can see this situa ton I'M
, VA IAiCy nav ILlllul Gil anu DCIOLC
that time, can not ask these little
children to forgive me. | hope to
live to that day when L can ask for
their forgiveness.
Il may appear nervous, but the
law does not scare me. / am not a
bit uneasy; | have too much faith
in God, myself and humanity. L
have something else to rely on-be-
fore me l see two outstretched hands
and an agonizing face, my nostrils
smell burning flesh. L should be
three times the sufferer l am if l
should forget that little form that
lies before me. saying Daddy, |
would do anything for you If thai
is not power enough to make me
walk the highest gallows, then l
don't know of ally.
II can meet any situation with as
brave a heart as that little girl did.
/ thank you for the opportunity
given me to speak"
Governor Only Hope
Satterfield was resentenced exact
ly two weeks from the day that the
supreme court Of Georgia, on Tues
day, March H. handed down a de-
cision affirming the death penalty
imposed by the superior court, thus