Imperial Valley press., 1927-02-04
is
EXECUTED
BY STATE
Youth Goes to His Death
Protesting Innocence OF
killing Woman.
STAY is DENIED
Last Minute Appeals to
Governor are Firmly and
C0urteOusly Refused.
By United Press Leased Wire

FOLSOM PRISON, Cal, Feb. +
Edward X. Sayer, "a year old son OF
a prominent Denver family, died at
the end of gallows rope here today.
California had exacted the last
penalty for the hold-up killing of
japanese woman at Penryn, Placer
county. in 1924. The actual slayer
committed suicide, and last Friday
Ray Arnold, pal Of Sayer and a
member of the bandit trio, was
hanged here.
The trap which dropped Sayer to
his death was sprung at 1906 a. m.
and prison physicians pronounced
him dead II minutes later.
Unlike his companion, Arnold,
who calmly mounted the 13 fatal
steps to the gallows, Sayer leaned
heavily upon the arm of the prison
chaplain, the Rev. Michael Hogan,
as they walked the professional of
death.
Sayer's last words were: ~ hope
my death will be an argument
against capital punishment"
Spectators crowded closely as the
condemned youth, accompanied by
the chaplain, Warden j. Smith and
the turnkey of the prison, was led
into the death chamber.
Sayer was noticeably surprised at
the large number of spectators pack
ed into the narrow room. He made
no comment from the gallows, but
appeared on the verge of collapse.
The execution was soon over.
Guards strapped the mans legs to-
gether and adjusted the moose. A
moment later the trap dropped and
the body dangled free.
Shortly after the prison physician
declared Sayer dead the body was
turned over to San Francisco under
takers, who took it to Sacramento.
1t was claimed then by B. d. SaEer,
the father, and the funeral will take
place at San Francisco this after
noon.
In Sacramento, the grief stricken
mother and young wife of Sayer col
lapsed when they received news Of
the hanging.
Last Hope Fails
After waiting all night long and
up to the very hour of the execution
in hope that Governor Young might
move to stop the hanging, the two
women were at the point of COM
plete exhaustion when the news
came.
As Sayer plunged through the
trap and his neck cracked, one
spectator tainted and collapsed to
the floor. He was carried out.
Later, while the physicians count
ed off the ebbing heart beats an
other spectator, japanese woman,
who had known the slain woman,
also tainted.
Aside from these two Interrupt
tions there was no sound to disturb
the counting of the physicians and
the chant of prayers by Father Ho
gan, still standing on the gallows.
The hanging of Edward Saycr
marks the conclusion of one of the
hardest fought murder cases in the
history of California.
Since November, 1924, when Mrs.
was hiilNt uii
hOldup at Penryn, Cal, the fam
lilies of Arnold and Sayer, prominent
in Sacramento and Denver, Colo,
have waged long and bitter fight
to save the youths from the moose.
Arnold met his death on the gal
lows last Friday.
A third member of the group of
youthful bandits-the one who kill
ed the woman-Arthur II. Mueller
of Sacramento, fled to San Fran
cisco and ended his life the day fol
lowing the murder.
After the case had gone twice to
the supreme court, where appeals
were denied for rehearing and rever-
sal of the verdict, Governor Young.
was beseiged with messages from
officials and influential men all
over the country to stay the sem
tence.
All of the requests were denied
by the governor, on the ground that
he could not conscientiouslv inter
fere with the process of the law.