Evening star., 1925-06-08
PERRYGO ESCAPES
DEATH SENTENCE
Youthful Murderer Allowed to
Plead in Second Degree.
Confession Thrown Out.

The four-yesr fight for the life OF
Edgar r: Perrygo. now only 81 years
old. who was sentenced on May 20,
1921, to hang for the murder of Mrs.
Emily Faithful. more than 20 years of
age. was won today when the prisoner
was allowed TO plead guilty 10 a charge
or second-degree murder. which def
nltely wipes out the electric chairs
shadowy portent
Chief Justice Mccoy allowed the
change OF plea and gave him the
minimum sentence OF 20 years. with
consideration for the years ALREADY
spent in Jail.
The first step in The legal hattie for
the life Of young Perrygo. who al the
time of the murder was hut l. wears
old. was an appeal by his attorney.
James F. O'Shea, on the ground that 9
confession by the defendant. intro
duced into the evidence. was not vol
untsrS
The appellate court recently ha nded
down an opinion which took judicial
notice OF the fact that the introduc-
ton into room In police headquarters
OF the girl-one year younger than
Perryso-to whom he was engaged
worked on his mind so that the con
fession was not valid evidence. The
court ordered a new trial
Accepts Guilty Plea.
District Attorney Peyton Gordon :
attention was directed bv AttorneE'
. Shea 10 points considered by the
Appellate Court in arriving al its de.
c1s1on 10 reverse the criminal court
and he finally consented. in view Of ,
the status of the aSe since the COM
fession OF Pefrvgo was invalid. 10 &C
cept plea OF guilty to murder in
the second degree and not to press
the nrst degree murder charge a
second time
1t was thus that the fight came
into court today. Ii marked the close
OF one OF the most strenuous and
Ora matte criminal ca ses in the history
Of the local courts.
The elements OF romance and ad-
venture were injected into the case
from the outset. by the presence Of
the then i6-year-old fis ncee OF Perry
go. Mable Hill
While Washington was shocked Al
the cruelty of the crime. the youth
Of the defendan nj created svnpst nv fo,
MN against death. and MANY op-
ponentS OF capital punishment con
tributed their moral support 10 tho
tight for his life
The recoS fact in the case
showed that The I7-year.old bov. earIv
In January. 1921. was about 10 marry
Mahfe Hill. Is years old He had no
! FUNDS. He knew that Mrs Faithful
kept large sum OF money on her
person in her Congress Heights home
he went Ia that home. struck Mrs
talthfui with an iron bar and fatal lIv
injured her. taking the money and
escaping. That took place about
clock in the afternoon.
Arrested Within 3 Hours.
Within three hours the boy was un-
der arrest. He was searched at the
9TH precinct. where $50 was found
on MS person. At the time he de-
MED striking Mrs. Faithful and was
taken 10 Police Headquarters where
ne was questioned by Inspector Grant
and other. detectives He adhered 10
MS original statement that he had
worked for the money and had not
struck Mrs. Faithful After 30 minutes
OF grilling, Mable Hill was sent for
and Brought in. After she Went ont
he said: Il am going to ell the truth
about this thing" according to Gov
ernment witness in his trial and
Then he started 10 relate just what
had occurred
IL developed that Perrygo had com
planned of a headache and before the
introduction OF Mable Hill into the
room he had been told she was present
and advised that it would proba bly, he
best for him to tell about it in the
end. although whatever he said would
be offered as evidence in court
1t was on this state of affairs. sur
rounding the confession of Perrygo.
that Attorney O'Shea. already armed
with weapon against forced con
fessions by the Wan case. which had
been reversed short time pre- viouslS.
proceeded TO the Court of Appeals.
Believed Coercion Existed
And the Court of Appeals decided
that the mental condition of the ac-
cused at the time. combined with the
introduction OF the girl, to Induce
him TO make an incriminatory stale
ment, took the confession from the
class Of voluntary statements.
placed as he was" said the appellate
court. ''harassed in body and mind as
he must have been, he well NAV have
thought either that the girl had i'm.
plicated him or that unless he made
a statement she would be held as an
accessory.
The measure OF coercion was far
greater. in our view. than in the Bran
case. where the defendant was the
first mate of the vessel, hardy sea
man of mature years. There Bra m
had not been subjected. as was this
defendant, to gruelinS examination
by several police officers. but. as the
court found, he was placed in a DO
sition where II he failed to- speak his
silence might indicate gtfilt''.
With victory for the defense in this
view of the case by the appellate court.
the second victory today definitely
placed young Perrygo outside the
shadow of the electric chair forever.