Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-04-06

that / received Communication from
Atlanta first. / had nothing to fear
in Connecticut.
There had been too many other
accusations before, that had killed
policemen, and none of the others
amounted to anything. I put this In
the same category as the others.
They had prison sense of numor.
l don't think you know what that is"
he drawled. ITS inconcefvable that
you should. I was rushed to Comes
ticut. was given no word of it:
was told to make ready and fifteen
minutes later was on my way to
Connecticut. =
You appreciate the reason I have
not dwelled on my innocence. My
voice cannot be heard outside the
cell. received no papers and no
mail here, except from Judge Groehl.
Why, if I was half the actor Mr.. AL
corn Is I might address with abuse
and with reference to past perforin-
ances. And Alcorn has his prophesies
of the future. Well, suppose he
considers them ethical they may be
legal, but humanity they're pretty
light. s
During the trial, one of the BUSH
est men in the courtroom was that
fellow back there Chapman said,
| turning to point at John J. kelleher,
now federal prohibition agent but who
| was at that ime attached to Alcorn's
Office. "He sat one day with one wit
ness and the next day with another.
| He sat with the lady from Steuben-
vile, and talked to her first. Shean
then got between the two and both
talked to her, while she kept gaping
and gaping and taking it all in. That
was kept up, first on one witness and
then on another.
| "This fellow" he said. pointing at
Kelleher, sis employed by some one
1t is strange that a man can walk
upright and speak splendidly OF
things governmental and patriotic,
yet be working-well, there is no such
thing as a constituencies existence.
do anything to gain ends.
Il don't think that Mr.. Alcorn
thought me guilty when he first heard
lof the murder. But when the Lincoln
car was discovered as belonging to
me, here was an opportunity. Well,
something that you might call an OPP
portunity distorted or something dis
torted into an opportunity to advance
ones self-Well, l don't need to GO
into details.
/ There was >clamor. Here's no
torious character that deserves to be
killed, anyhow. The most contemp-
tible thing I know Of is this case OF
Hance being pinned on to me. The
charge left me speeches."
The board of pardons room was
absolutely silent. Chapman paused
| for a moment.
II realize I'm not speaking order
| ~, because my mind is not in an Or
derby state: you can probably. un-
derstand why it isn't" he said, glanc-
| ing at the huge clock on the side OF
utes of his third and last reprieve
II heard of the confession OF
| guilt of another in the Muncie crime;
| If ever there was a confession which
| lay bare a mans mind, that was II
| That should settle the Muncie MUIR
| der. The warden will tell you how
| we'll ! was able to communicate
| with the outside world. I was in
this cell here" indicating the direc-
| ton of the death cell. by jerking
his thumb over his shoulder. Il was
kept SO close that ! was not even
bothered by mosquitoes" And 8
ghost of grin softened his fact
for a moment. Here am charged
with moral guilt for that crime by
Mr.. Alcorn. I have never done any.
thing in my life I'd be SO ashamed
of as that. And yet suppose that's
legal.
for me to go over the case or tc
introduce things already introduced
but they were not introduced from
my viewpoint.
ION that Saturday-let's see, was
it?-on that Saturday had this car
washed in Springfield. Mr.. Alcorr
said it was strange that 1 didn't &c
to Holyoke. 1t wasn't strange fol
Shean had the car. He kept 1t .r
his garage for his use and another's
1t Is not my purpose to introduce
names here. ] was with a Holyoke
furniture dealer at 3 o'clock thai
afternoon and A1corn did not ques'
ton that man at all.
zone of Alcorn's witnesses was
| man who attends to cars for the
sheans. He concealed half and re-
vealed half of the truth. But re-
putable citizen and Shean have testi-
fed as to who was in possession OF
that car that afternoon. Which are
you going to believe?
II know that anything that.
would say as to my innocence would
be fruitless, knowing the character
that has been given me. I dom
blame the press for that" he added
quickly. glancing toward the press
table. II blame the officials who
give out these statements to the
press. This Hance case serves te
keep me in character'-you under
stand that Any man that would be
capable of that would be capable OF
anything; I agree to that. l know
1 wasn't there; you'll agree to that
I was up here" again indicating the
direction of the death cell.
"All the argument against me has
been built up on passion and prejudice
and such is unanswerable. / cannot
grasp anything which is non-existent
1 cannot grasp the phantoms- of Mr.. Al
corn's rich Imagination. am not con
structed so that 1 would argue pas
| sion for passion.
There are things that are even toe
rotten for me-"
Here the assistant states attorne,
interposed an objection against thi:
abuse" 1t was sustained by the gov
| ernor.
Il have been called murderer and
| other similar things so many times
that perhaps it doesn't matter I ap
peared here because thought that yol
might perhaps go down deeper into
the issues and leave aside all passion
and prejudice. My only purpose. my
only hope, was that / might achieve
justice. I think that is all l have t.
say" And the slender little OUTLAW
| slouched back into his seat, assumed
the characteristic pose SO familiar Il
those who attended the trial. A kind
of slouching forward and resting hi:
chin in his palm, two fingers spread
across his cheek
Governor Trumbull promptly ad
journed the board of pardons meeting