Evening star., 1925-07-24
Scott "TickIed to Death. i"

Scott, who had been surly and de-
fiant throughout the night, and who
apparently was completely resigned
to his fate, received the news that
his life was spared, at least tempo
rarily, with considerable surprise. He
had known nothing about the last
minute appeal to the courts.
I'm tickled to DEATH were his
first words.
Then. upon learning that the stay
had geen granted to find out whether
he were sane, Scott added:
Il am no more crazy than the
judge who granted me a stay on that
account. 1 am not asking for any
sympathy from any one, either. /
am innocent"
In his cell. later today, however, he
told reporters that Il was about 10
per cent guilty and 80 per cent inno-
cent" The worst 1 did was to help
my brother escape"
In the later interview he said, too.
IT do know that no man can spend
l9 months such as l have spent in
Jail and still be normal"
He said he had given up all hope
of living last night, but expressed be
lief now that he would be saved. He
said he did not believe his brother,
Robert, had heard of his trial and
sentence. else he would have ap-
peared but showed no interest in
rumors that his brother was on the
way here.
Escape Was Dramatic.
Scott's sudden and unexpected es-
cape from the gallows was as dra-
matte in it's way as the desperate
last-minute efforts in his behalf
few hours previous that had proven
so unsuccessful.
New counsel, hastily summoned
yesterday by Scott's friends. hurried
to Springfield, where they met the
governor and Board of Pardons and
presented a plea for a reprieve, at
tacking some of the States witnesses
and maintaining that they had un
covered new leads which they had
not had time to develop. The board.
however, refused further clemency
and Gov Small concurred in the &C
ton, pointing out that Scott already
had received two reprieves.
Shepherd Lawyer Retained.
Upon receipt of this news, which
apparently sealed Scott's fate, Mrs.
William McGraw and Mrs. Isobel
Hurst, both of Detroit, representing
Detroit clubwomen who raised $4,000
for Scott's defense, hastily retained
William Scott Stewart, noted Grim
inal lawyer, who recently successful
ly defended William Darling Shep-
herd, accused of the murder of Billy
McClintock.
Stewart 1t was who conceived the
idea of asking for stay of execution,
an action similar to that taken three
years ago to save from the gallows
Gene Geary, notorious gunman, whose
execution was stayed while his sanity
was tested Later he was sent to an
asylum.
At midnight, their last desperate
step decided on, Scott's friends and
Stewart started their hunt for judge
to issue the stay. Judge David,
called from his bed, agreed to call
session of court if his bailiff and clerk
could be found. Then, with the min
utes ticking away, clerk and bailiff
were rushed to the county building.
where, in dimly lighted courtroom
on the tenth floor, the hearing was
held.
INSANE" Father Says.
A little group of newspaper men.
the Judge, the attorneys, Scott's
friends and his aged father made up
the gathering. The petition, signed
by Scott's father, recited that the
condemned man had become insane
since his incarceration Is months ago
in the county Jail.
After asking a few perfunctory
questions, Judge David Immediately
announced that he would sign the
order, and within 90 minutes from the
time court had been convened the stay
of execution had been granted.
Robert E. Grove. States attorney,
Continued on Page 5. Column ~