The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-03-24
WAGES BATTLE
TO BEAT Chair
AFF1H Time
Accused Slayer Has Heard
Four Death Sentences
Pronounced.
PAPER UNEARTHS CLEWS
'MouSey' EdeI, Convicted as
Actress Killer, Seeking
Another Reprieve.

BU United Press
NEW YORK, March 24.-In the
death house at Sing Sing prison is
a man who on four occasions has
heard, as though it were irrevocable,
that he was to die in the electric
chair. But each time his span of
life has been extended.
This week the case of Fred w.
Edel comes before Governor Frank
lin D. Roosevelt, who must decide
whether Edel, crook and forger, also
is murderer.
Here are the known facts of the
crime for which Edel was sentenced
to die:
On Dec. 90, 1927, the body of
Mrs. Emmeline Harrington, said to
have been an actress, was found in
her upper Manhattan apartment.
The body was found in the bath
room by another tenant. Two de-
tectiveS first on the scene said that
they saw nothing suspicious, but
later the medical verdict was thai
she had been beaten to death.
Wanted as FOrger
In March, 1923, Edel, known il
the underworld as "Mousey," wa,
apprehended in St. Paul, MINI.
where he had fed from postal au'
thorities who sought him on charges
Of forging money orders. A bag HI
had left in the Taft hotel, New
Haven, Conn, which he had lef
without paying his bill, was fount
to contain some of Mrs. Harring.
tons personal belongings. Likewise
in the bag was a hammer-like in
strument with which the murder
might have been committed.
Edel was indicted on trial. Thu
state dated the crime as of Dec
%, 1927. and a jury decided that thu
evidence substantiated the charge
of murder in the first degree. NJ
defense had been offered becaus'
Edel's attorneys had thought TIT
states case too f1insy. Edel the1
found himself convicted and sen
fenced to die during the week O
Dec. IL, 1929.
ReprieVed by Roosevelt
But Governor Roosevelt granted
the first reprieve on the ground O
newly discovered evidence. Soor
after, the case was taken up by thu
New York Telegram, which assigned
reporters to investigate the defenSt
plea of innocence.
AS the newspaper and Alexander
I. Rorke, counsel for Edel, continued
to dig up new facts, there came ad.
ditional Teprieves. The main fact!
Of the new evidence tended to show
Mrs. Harrington could not hav,
been killed on the date original,
set by the state.
James Nelson, son Of Mrs. Cliff
ford Sleeth, swears his mother in
formed police she saw Mrs Har
rington alive ten hours after tn
time of murder as shown by TIN
state. (Edel has an alibi for him.
self after he checked out Of 8 hote
on Dec. %, 1927, until long after tht
crime was discovered)
William G. Hoffman received {
letter from Mrs. Harrington post
marked at 100 q. m. on Dec. 26
three days after the supposed time
Of the Staying.
Points Put In Doubt
Other points in the states case
such as those relating to Mrs. Har
ringtonS character and the length
of time she and Edel were acquaint.
ed, also have been placed in doub
by new testimony.
But when the fresh evidence wa;
put before Judge Charles G. Mott Jr
, this month he denied motion TO
a new trial. The sentence of execu'
ton thus will stand unless Governo,
Roosevelt orders to the contrary.
The Governor, who this week viii
receive Rorke in private hearing
has given no indication of his be-
liefs in Edel's guilt or innocence
Roosevelt did declare, however. tina
the case was "a glaring example o
how a man may suffer from lack O
funds through inability to conduc
his own investigations in defense.