New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1925-11-25
Lawyers For Condemn.
ed Man Have Long
Conference With Him
In Cell Today, Out
lining Plan Of Action.
Washington Expects That
Courts VIII Decide if
Prisoner Is Compelled
to Accept Presidential
Communication.

Hartford, Nov rs LoD -- The fed
eral sentence of Gerald Chapman
has been commuted by President
Coolidge.
The executive order terminating
the sentence of twenty-five years
imposed in the federal court at
New York for the robbery OF a
mail truck, was signed by the pres,-
dent at 6 o'clock Monday evening.
and was made public when the
document was delivered to Warden
H. X. w. Scott for service on Chan
man.
Alcorn Brings Papers
The official document which ter
minated federal interest in Gerald
Chapman and which cleared the
decks for the execution OF the ma
uonally known gunman, was
brought back TO Hartford by States
Attorney Hugh M. Alcorn, and was
delivered to Warden Scott this
morning for service on Chapman.
The warden Immediately prepared
TO do this, and the action marked
an important step in the efforts OF
the state of Connecticut to execute
chapman for the murder of police
man James Skelly of New Britain
on October -, 1924.
County Detective Edward
Hicky, Assistant United States A.
toTney George II. Cohen and At
torney Joseph NJ. Freedman, the
last named being coupsel for Chan
man, were present when the com
mutation paper was presented to
Chapman
Aicorn Made Request
Following the events at the state
prison, Attorney Hugh NJ. Alcorn
admitted the order of Communication
had been signed by President Coo
mage Monday evening, after a for
mai request for such action had
been made by him. The request
was in the nature of a communion
tion from the states attorney to
the president, in which the desires
of the state of Connecticut were
set forth, and the executive order
was Immediately signed. The re-
quest of Mr.. Alcorn had the ap-
proral Of Attorney General Sar-
gent who had given the case his
personal attention.
Mr. Alcorn today disclosed he
had filed brief early in the sum-
mer with the department of ius-
tlce in support of his views in the
matter of Communication, setting
forth that such action was desira-
bic in the public interest, and he
today maintained he had never en-.
tertained n doubt but his request
would be granted.
Text of Order
The official order Of commuta-
ton as made by President Coolidge.
is as follows:
Calvin Coolidge,
president Of the United States O,
America.
To all to whom these presents shall
come, greeting:
Whereas Gerald Chapman, was
convicted in the United States dis
trict court for the southern district
Of New York OF robbery of NAH
matter and placing the life OF the
mail carrier in jeopardy and was
sentenced August twenty-third, 1922,
to Imprisonment for twenty-five
years in the United States peniten-
tiary at Atlanta, Georgia; and
whereas the said Gerald Chap
man began his sentence in the At
laata pontontiary on August twen-
ty-ttfth, l922, and escaped there
from March twonty-seventh. 1928,
was rccaTturcd March twenty-eighth.
1928, and escaped from the Athens
lGcorsiD hospital on April fourth,
1928, and was rccaptured and re-
turned 10 the Atlanta pen.tentiary,
January twenty-second. 1925; and
Whereas the said Gerald Chap
man was transferred to the Connec-
ticut state prison at Wethersfield,
Connecticut, by an order dated jan
uar. twenty-loarth, 1925, duly signed
by The attorney general: and
Whereas it has been made TO
appear to me that the ends OF jus
ttce will he served by a communication
OF the sentence in this case,
Now therefore lie It known that
I Calvin Coolidge, president of the
United States of America. in consid-
Grafton OF the promises, divers other
good and sufficient reasons me
thcreunto moving, do hereby conf
mute the sentence OF the said Ger
aid Chairman to the term of impris-
onment already served.
In Testimony Whereof l have
hereunto signed my name and caused
the seal of the department Of justice
10 be affixed.
Done in the District OF Columbia
this twenty-third day OF November
in the year Of our Lord one thousand
nine hundred and twenty five, and
OF the Independence of the United
States the one hundred and fiftieth.
signature. CALVIN COOLIDGE
"JNO. G. SARGENT. Attorney
General"