The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1927-07-22
He's the Man They Cannot Hang
Russell Scott. Saved From
Gallows For Fifth Time.
Has Lost Fear of Death
by ROY ]. GIBBONS
NEA V.rylce Writer

Chicago, July 22.--tR-Russcll
Scott doesn't worry very much amy
more about whether or not they are
gong To hang him.
For three years he has had the
spectre Of death for u cellmate in the
dok county Jail herc~~a grim, silent
companion throughout all of ms wax
ing hours, watcher by his cot
through the long hours Of night. And
he has grown used To It. II nus cx-
hausted ITS power to brighten him.
Escaped Five Times
Five times the hangman has pre-
lared the scaffold tor him. Five
times the state of Illinois has paid
the required l.O9 for the neces sury
amount Of hemp TO jerk him into
eternity. But each time something
has interviewed at the last moment.
so they call him "the man they
cannot hang." They speak OF 'l.ucky
Scott" and smile ruefully. He Is
death rows oldest guest. He has
OFTEN heard the dull booming
OF the trap us other inmates
Of the death cells have paid
with The thing most men fear above
all other things-the scaffold; and
he has found it is not so fearsome as
he had thought.
Russell Scott is under sentence OF
death for the murder of joseph
Maurer, drug clerk who was shot
to dea,n during "A holdup engineered
by Russell and his brother, Robert
Scott, who is now serving life term
in prison.
Russell W. originally sentenced to
hang on April II. 1928. But at the
last minute something came up ana
the execution was deferred. once, on
the very evening preceding the exc
cution date, a telegram (Which later
proved hoax pdrporting to be u
full confession to the CRIME by
Robert, who was then a fugitive.
caused the courts TO intervene.
A. another time his lawyers, ut the
last minute. won an insanity hear
ing. Scott was a.judged insane and
sent to an asylum. Then ne was ad-
Judged sane and brought back to Jail
| to be executed.
Now, again facing the gaIlows. the
supreme court has ruled that he is
entitled to another sanity hearing
! So once again the spectre of death
| has stepped back little way.
! The news that the sentence had
once again been postponed failed ia
| stir him. He shrugged his shout
ders, displaying none Of the nervous
historical citation prisoners usual!
show when given reprieve.
You can get used to anything
he explains. IL have died SO many
times that death real death-holds
no terror for me any more.
| HIS statement that he "has dice
many times" is borne out BY hi'
| appearance. He is only 30, but ht
,...s twice that age. His eyes are
lusterless, his bearing is that OF
man who has lost all interest IN ne
and all fear Of death. Apparently NJ
is totally Indifferent about the wnol'
thing.
Once. years ago. Russell Scott wa:
an actor. At one time he played IN
stock company, and-it seems almos
too strange II coincidence to be tru'
played the part of CONDEMNED
prisoner. -
| Later he became broker. II
wrote a number of books on "Suc
CESS" grew wealthy, and once helpe
organize company that propose
to build a bridge over the Detroi
river. Then he took to dope, los
his money, sank down until he be
came a holdup man.
Supremely Indifferent
But that was all hong ago--so ron
AFRO that it must seem to nm llK
!, part Of another life. For nearly thre
years he has lived in the death eel
He has had death for his ceilmate
has ceased to fear him, has cease
l even to be interested in him--ha
r grown supremacy indifferent, i'i'
$ less, tired. go.
Now he has another Tease ON III
Once more the probability Of deaf
n on the scaffold has been lessene
And Scott does not care. he snrut
his shoulders and looks at the 400
Perhaps, after all, he has pret'
t we'll paid for the murder OF JOSEF
!, Maurer. For whether he ultlmate
Y hangs or dies in an asylum, he n;
: lost his life.