Evening star., 1933-10-27
ROOSEVELT PHONES,
SAVING MAN DOOMED
TO CHAIR TODAY
Continued From First Page.)

Continued From First Page)
commuted to life Imprisonment the SEN
tence OF Leonard Layton, third COL
ored man condemned in the Staying
The trio received altogether 10 re-
prieves before one Of them paid the su-
preme penalty today.
After he had walked down the long
corridor from his cell to the death
chamber, Robinson was kept waiting in
front of the electric chair few seconds
while Mr.. Rives was called to the tele-
phone to confirm with the Department
of Justice the reprieve for Washington.
The condemned man was given the
first shock at 1906. Two minutes later
the current was stopped. He was pro-
nounced dead at 1914 by Acting Coro-
ner A. Magruder Macdonald and DR..
W. K. Angevine. Jail physician.
Washington was allowed to talk to
reporters a few minutes after the exc
cution. He came out Of his cell trent
bling with excitement and shook hands
with every one around him. The back
of his head was already shaved in
preparation for the chair.
Asserts Innocence.
His only statement was, God is
above the Devil and I am saved. My
mother always told me to tell the truth
no matter what happened and things
would be better I told them the truth
in court and they wouldn't believe me,
but didn't kill him. am innocent"
Then he held out an open Bible.
The fifth and sixth verses were marked
in the thirty-first chapter Of Deutero-
nomy.
There, YOU see what 1t says" he
said. That's all 1 have to say"
Robinson is understood to have told
Rev. Mr.. Pinn last night washington
and Layton were with him but not in
the taxicab at the time Solomon was
shot. He also said he fired the shot.
but not with the intention to kill.
Society Presents Petition.
President Roosevelt's dramatic action
was prompted by a telephone conver-
sation short time before with the
solicitor general Of the United States.
The latter had carefully gone through
a petition addressed to the President by
the Society Of st. Vincent de Paul and
a letter from Senator McCarran OF
Nevada, asking for reprieve so that
new evidence IN Washingtons case
might be presented, which the Presl-
dent sent to the Department Of Justice
for report yesterday. The solicitor
general called the President by tele-
phone a few minutes before the time
set for Washington's execution and
recommended that the reprleVe OF TWO
days be granted.
Joseph A. Berberich and other men,
hers of the st. Vincent de Paul Society,"
which helps to obtain legal aid Tor
prisoners who seem deserving, we're
among those who petitioned President
Roosevelt for the stay of execution In
behalf of Washington.
In making this known at the White
House it was said the solicitor general S
recommendation was based on the
nature of the petition and for the pur-
pose of studying the new evidence.
The President was in bed receiving
electric ray treatment for his cold at
the time the telephone cali came from
Solicitor General Biggs recommending
the reprieve of Washington. Realizing
the need for quick action, he had
the White House switchboard con-
meet him with the District jail i'm
mediately after the solicitor general had
hung up.
Solomon, 29-year-old hacker. was shot
70 death the night of July 20, 1881. while
resisting hold-up attempt. His taxi
cab evidently was in motion when the
shot was fired, because it crashed into a
tree near the corner Of Union and Q
streets southwest.
Although witnesses saw only two men
run from the scene of the crime, police
learned a short time later three were
Observation-Disclosures Robinson and
Layton. After their capture, all were
convicted in District Supreme Court,
the verdict making death sentences
mandatory. That was on November 10,