New Britain herald., 1927-08-02
MORE GUARDS FOR
JUDGES OF SACC0
Worcester Homes Protected on
Eve Of Decision
FINAL WITNESSES HEARD

precautionary measure in anticipa-
ton of the announcement tomorrow
by Governor Fuller of his finding in
his investigation of the information
ally celebrated sacco-Vanzetti muir
der case, Chief Hill has placed an
extra police guard at the homes of
Justice Webster Thayer, who pre-
sided at the trial in superior court
and Chief Justice Arthur P. Rugg of
the Massachusetts, supreme court.
Boston, Aug. 2 R>-Gov. Alvan T.
| Fuller came early to the state house
today to interview few last wit
nesses and to work on his decision
in the case of Nicola Sacco and Bar
tolomeo Vanzetti. radicals who are
now under sentence of death In
the week of August 10 for muir
der committed seven years ago.
The condemned men have now not
much more than "a hours to wait
for the word which means their life
or death and which the governor has
promised to deliver some time on
Wednesday.
Vanzetti. for. the third successive
day at his breakfast and even asked
and obtained an extra glass of milk.
His strength was said to be rapidly
returning to him after his two weeks
Of fasting.
Sacco Weakening
Sacco, however, has not yet brok-
en- his hunger strike begun July II.
He was described as showing signs
| of weakness but the prison physician
has seen no signs of danger in his
condition. 1t was recalled that in
1923 he went without food for a
month without showing any serious
effects. One forcible feeding at
that time ended the strike.
The investigation which has in
cluded two visits to the prisoners in
the state prison where they are
awaiting execution, scheduled for
| the week of August TO- was virtual
ly climaxed last night by a confer
| ence which lasted nearly three hours
with Judge Webster Thayer, who
| presided at the trial.
Thayer was summoned from
I Maine by the governor and made
the trip through a heavy rainstorm.
At the conclusion of the meeting the
superior court jurist withheld com
ment and departed declining to be
! interviewed. Judge Thagsr twice re-
fused pleas for a retrial and has
himself been sharply assailed for
his conduct Of the case and alleged
prejudice toward the prisoners.
Not In Death House
Sacco and Vanzetti are still in
cells in a section of the prison apart
from the death house to which it
has been the custom to remove con-
demned men 10 days prior to their
execution. It was pointed out, how
ever. that the transfer was optional
with the warden.
Sacco is entering his seventeenth
day without food and has grown
perceptibly weaker as result of his
hunger strike. Vanzetti ate yester-
day for the third time since he and
his fellow prisoner started their pro-
test fast but, as in the past, there
was no indication what his future
course would be.
! Assistant District Attorney Dudley
P. Ranney spent more than an hour
with the governor today and after
ward said that he had outlined in
formally the governments case at
the request of the governor. Counsel
for the defense had devoted several
hours to final arguments before both
the governor and his advisory COM
mittee, which has completed its
work Mr.. Ranney had said that he
would make no argument before the
governor unless he was requested to
and the conference today was I'M
derstood to have taken more the
form of question and answer than a
formal plea.
Another witness with whom the
governor talked was William II.
Daily of Randolph.