San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-09-20

got him to reduce his price to SIS.
In justice to Mrs. Seldom 1t may
o be admitted that her conduct after
Miss Barrow's death was not at all
out of place. She seemed genuinely
upset, and bought wreath for her
departed friend. There was also
a dramatic story told of how she
kissed the dead woman as she lay
in her coffin.
In the final speeches of the
lawyers it was evident that the pro-
secution, while firm in demanding
a verdict against Seldom himself,
were quite willing to receive an
acquittal verdict on Mrs. Seddon's
behalf, and the judges summing
up was in the same direction. This
was reflected in the jury's find
ings, for after an hours delibera-
ton they declared Seldom guilty"
and the wife mot guilty." and
Seldom was sentenced to die.
l arrived at Pentonville Prison
the day before the execution, and
found the doomed man without the
slightest emotion. That same after
noon he sent for his solicitor, and
we all wondered what his purpose
was. Will 1t be believed that this
man, standing on the edge of GER
tain death, sent for his solicitor
with no other object than to learn
what certain articles of his furni-
ture had fetched at auction! What
a revelation of his sordid, money!
grasping nature that was!
He created quite scene in the
condemned cell over this business.
He was reused 10 a fury of in
dignation because the amount real
lied was smaller than he had hoped
for. Striking the table at which
he sat, he screamed his Indignation
at his lawyer. He behaved as if
the mere matter of those few extra
shillings were of more moment to
him than the imminent prospect of
an appearance before the Great
Judge with murder on his soul.
He was still greatly agitated over
this affair when / saw him at exer-
else. Ii order that | might have
the necessary. glimpse of the con-
demned man, Rev. Mr.. Swanston,
the chaplain, enticed Seldom into
the prison yard for a walk.
The governor took me to the re-
ception room, from the window of
which l could look out onto the
lawn at Seldom. / put on war
denis uniform cap, so that the con-
demned man should not know it
was the hangman who was looking
at him if he should happen to
catch sight of me.
Precautions of this kind are
always taken, to make sure th"t
men under sentence of death may
not be unduly harassed.
Seldom soon came into sight,
with the chaplain by his side.
Whether he was telling all about
that disappointing loss of a few
shillings at the auction / cannot
say, but he was certainly talking
in an extremely animated fashion.
It was obvious that the chaplain
could not get in word of the min
istrations of his office. Seldom
insisted on doing the talking.
I have seen men in all stages of
behavior on the day before execu-
ton, but Seldom set up a new rec
ord that has never since been
beaten. He walked and talked and
gesticulated and argued as if death
were the remotest contingency, and
did not concern him in any way.
But if Seldom was indifferent
even to the degree of humorous
remarks as his hour" of doom ap-
preached, then what frame of mind
shall we ascribe to Thomas Sey-
mour, the Liverpool murderer who
killed his wife by blows from some
heavy instrument and then cal
lousy threw a shovelful of hot
ashes over her head, presumably
to soak up the blood? Seymour
himself admitted the murder to his
neighbors and then went out and
surrendered to the police.
From that moment to the end of
the affair Seymour positively de-
clined to lift a finger to save him
self. He had done the murder and
was prepared to accept his punish
ment for it. He didn't want to de-
fend himself. That was his atti-
tude all through.
I venture to declare that never
in the history of st. Georges Hall
was man tried there who ex-
pressed more impotence with the
well-meant efforts of those who
would have had him put up a fight
for his\life. Seymour would have
none of it. He declined to be
overawed by the atmosphere of the
Assize Court, and refused to have
a lawyer to defend him.
Almost as soon as he entered
the dock he showed how little
patience or respect he had for it
all. When Sir Herbert Stephen,