New Britain herald., 1926-04-07

diverted from the crime for which he died. And this time Connecticut botched things all along the line, To have forbidden Chapman the right 10 appear heforo the pardon board at all might have been unfair, but it would have been a much wiser course than 10 let him come and then to shut him of when he under took 10 tell his grievances A lay man cannot fail 10 Do somewhat puzzled to know precisely what vas the purpose Of this last meeting of the board Of pardors. read: After Mir. Groehl had finished, Mir. Alcorn objected 10 the appearance of wit nAsses and the governor sustained him, saving that the board hnd not assembled 10 listen 70 the merits or dcmerits ot the case" Just why then. did it come together
 Tn his final plea Chapman said:
 We can't fight with phantoms. you know. and all these things are phantoms of Mir Alcorn's rich i'm agina'ion. There are things that are too rotten for me"---
 It was at this point that Reinhart L, Gideon. the prosecutors assistant, rose and objected, saying; He should confne himself to facts and not abuse Mir. Alcorn."
 Governor Trumbull sustained this objection. which was, I think, un- wise. If a man about to die is privi- laged 10 speak at all, it seems to me un1uly harsh that he should be compelled to maintain exquisite po- likeness toward his prosecutor, And since the trial itself Was q somewhat rough and tumble affair, Mr. Alcorn might have been hardy enough to endure d few reproaches from q condemned man. If there was no justice in the charges which Chap man was about 10 make. the lawyer for the people could well endure 10 hear and toss them off. While. If the prisoner was minded to deal in verities, I do believe there should never be a time limit on the truth. There is, of course, no doubt whatsoever that Gerald Chapman was guilty of many and heavy crimes, but the particular accusa- tion upon which he was condemned 10 death vas hardly proved up 10 the hit. Many q stronger casa has been lost. Connecticut from the be ginning seemed rather more intent upon conviction than precise ap- praisal of the evidence. Indeed il was the prosecutor himself who an nounced some little time after the arrest. "Alcorn always gets his man"
 But I am willing 10 assume for the sake Of argument that Chapman did commit the murder for which he vas executed. Even so, think t was q silly thing to hang and glorifv him.
 If the sallows Are constructed for any man, they are for him" 6oid Mfr, Alctrn in rounding of his speech before the pardon board. If the state is wrong in hanging him, then it has committed a crn" against every man it has ever hanged"
 And that's certainly worth ergu- ing. Why should there he gallows for any man? The crime of execu- ton does not necessarily lie against the man who is killed; it is rather an offense against the community. Brutality Is loosed into the air and clings close 70 inc earth like poison ras. Human t!eeue in communities far removed is scared by the bnSi- ness. I would net spring the trap and you would not. and what right have we to ask some other one th do it for uso Before they put the black hood on his hcad Gerald Chap man srinnrd. The sorry joke was not on him.
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