New Britain herald., 1927-08-23
Prison Scene Changes

!
 ly contrasting scene to that of few
 hours before the execution. wher I more than 500 men, armed witt
 pistols, rifles, bayonets and fir,
 hoses. virtually cut 1t of from tn,
 outside world.
 Policemen from miles around hat
 come with their pistols and nigh 1 clubs. The curious crowds on tho
 outskirts of the quarantined area
 had been awed. Men mounted or
 horses. others on motorcycles, pa ! trolled the vicinity.
 Back of the death house, f1remer
 had stood with high pressure hose ready to quench any flame that might start from the overload, high. tension wires carrying death into the prison. or to sweep back witf ! water any rush of Sacco-Vanzett sympathizers,
 Three men with small machine guns paced back and forth over the roof of the squat, sinister little death house.
 The last forlorn hope that the {! lives of Sacco and Vanzetti might again be spared had vanished late in the evening.
 Mrs. Rose sacco. mother o1 sacco's two children, who col lapsed 12 days ago as she was about to visit Governor Alvan T. Fuller ir quest of respite, steeled herself last night and made dramatic, per. sonal appeal to the executive.
 Accompanied by Miss Luigia Van. zetti, who had come 1000 miles from Italy to bid her brother goodbye, Mrs. sacco appeared be- fore the governor in the executive chambers at the state house and begged for mercy.
 Mother Pleads For Father
 In Italian, Mrs. Sacco, a pathetic figure in black, pleaded that the father of her children. Dante, 14 and 1nez, ', be saved from the death chair.
 She urged the governor to con- sider the case from the point of view of father.
 My husband has children just as you have children" she said. '.I beg you for this reason to save him. ,
 Miss Nanzetti joined in the last hour plea to the executive who after la personal investigation of the case, had decided that the two anarchists were guilty and should die.
 When the governor visited the prison in connection with his inquiry and cordially shook hands with her brother. she said, the condemned man had the impression that favor able action would be forthcoming.
 My brother realizes now that you were not convinced of his inno- cence." Miss Vanzetti said, but he still believes that if you had more time to consider the cause his inno- cence may be proved"
 As in the case of Mrs. Sacco, Van zetti's sister addressed the governor in her native tongue and Musmanno had to interpret her remarks.
 Fuller Hears Pleas
 Governor Fuller listened to their pleas and similar appeals from Will liam G. Thompson, former chief de- fense counsel, and Gardner Jackson of the Sacco-Vanzetti defense com mittee. The conference, which was to decide finally the fate of the two prisoners, lasted nearly two hours. - T am sorry, but my duty is clear ly outlined" the executive said sol emnly at the end of the strange ses- sion.
 Though the prisoners themselves had long since abandoned all hope, sel were hopeful to the last. Not until the governor had spoken those Hateful words was defeat conceded.
 And even then. one attorney, more hopeful than the rest, was speeding by automobile to Williamstown, 100 miles away. to seek a writ of habeas corpus from Federal Judge George w. Anderson. This lawyer, Benja- min r. Spellman, lost hos race, how ever, and never completed his trip.
 Before he was half way to Will liamstown, Sacco and Vanzetti were dead.
 The governors decision that ended it all Came not unexpectedly at an hour when defense counsel had ex- every possible legal recourse.
 Chief Justice William Howard Taft of the United States supreme court had refused to intervene.