Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1929-01-03

Ah.INtAllAAfl AhNfI tfFt WWf#f
and DR.. Thomas T.. Dreher
today granted a hearing for
10 a. m, Friday on defense
counSel's plea of present in
sanity Of their clients.
BATON ROUGE. L., Jan. 5.-OFl-
Only an insanity plea and the state
supreme court today stood between
the hsngmsn's moose and Mrs. Ada
Lebouef and DR.. Thomas +. Dreher.
sentenced 10 death for the murder of
the womans husband, James Lebouef.
Governor Huey L. Long Last night de-
clined 10 commute the death penalty
Of the pair to life imprisonment.
Counsel for the condemned today
planned ~ appear before Judge
James ~. oImuiA VINO presided at tAe
triai, and request an inquiry by a
sanity commission into the present
mental states O! Mr.. lsbouef ana
Ut. Dreher. II this move tails, coun-
sci planned 10 Apply 10 the state su-
prcme court TO matt the execution
until a hearing can lie heid.
Inc execution is sct FOR saturday.
Makes statement
Application for communication Of the
DEAN sentence TO lie ImprlsonmenC
wa rejected py Governor long IN =
J,UUC word statement, IN when he
cited the brutality oil the murder
But one thing remains con-
ilnucd the statement, no save ms
country from en- increasing crime
wave end reckless destruction Of hu-
man lie, an un4RcI wing policy o. en-
iorccment net only BY scat, officials
Tut by outstanding cItIECn nap OF this
country. an this ease q cvamutEtIon
of sentence would be opening the
doors OF the state VIDE TO those who
lightly regard human lile. | tail to
find one single condition of extenu-
atIng circumstances which would JUS
try my thvGrting tho ouTse If the
aw a. has prevailed Al this state and
country for centuries past
James Lebouef was murdered on
July l. 1927. in a boat on Lake
Palource. 1he body was slashed,
Ntf-Hkfu cIu sum ~ Alt ltht.
After reviewing the minute details
cf the casc. Governor Long said:
Doubts Now Evidence
"Now, when this case has been
tried and the courts al all the land
have affirmed the verdict, We have a
gun brought into play. not the auto
matte revolver that they first svore
about, bat presto, this time It Is a
six shooter.
Mrs. Lebouef testified that the
first time she rad heard Mr.. Lebouef
threaten DR.. Dreher was At the time
az the killing. Now, however, the
tale il told that Mrs. Lcbouef vas
forced by her husband 70 try to lure
DIR. Dreher TO an automobile 10 kill
him near Morgan City. When can
anyone rely on this kind OF testi-
NOM for the truth?
"The next and last bit Of new
testimony which | am asked TO con-
slider is that since the trial a gate
man IT the state p~en'tentiary has
seen Jim Beadle and that Jim Beadle
has said that he fired the shot at
Leboucf and cut the body UP. Sup
pose he did. That would not make
DR.. Dreher ard Mrs. Lebouef less the
~murdercrs. But. strange indeed il is
that this cateman has so silently
kept his counsel regarding this con-
fession.
Rejects Recommendation
"Ag ! have previously said, how
ever. I I'm not passing upon the case
Of Beadle. ] am concerned with the
guilt Of Or. Dreher and Lebouef and
unless 7 am 70 permit p mockery, ]
must allow the law 10 prevail.
"A further plea is made on behalf
Of the children on the condemned
defednants. 1t is urged that the
hanging OF these defendants will be
a stain upon the name of those chill
drsn. II may he 70 18th some Of the
people az this state, but IN my mind
it IL not. 10 recognize such a plea
would open the door n all the jails
and ncnitentiaries in this country.
FINALLY as 10 the recommendation
Of the pardon board for clemency. !
am unable 10 give il the weight
which I would like. The trial judge,
one of the three members Of the par
don board has maintained that the
law should take its course. The At
torney general at one hearing took
his position and nov changes 20 the
other side. Only the lieutenant gov
ernor consistently recommends this
commutation."