The tribune independent of Michigan. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1933-1935, 1934-05-05
PRISONS and
PRISNERS
BY Clifford &. Mitchell

here In the city OF Chicago
few hours before this is written
three men were executed at the
County Jail All three men. two
-~-ster-e5 's,r7--vcc-.'-'' sss--- S-srr-v-sel@
course. duly convicted ana given ,
the extreme penalty. after fair (
trial defense. etc. The incident /
provided many opportunities TO
study human nature II also pro-
yidcd copy for many extras by
tho daily press.
Some four thousand tmcagnans
applied Tor the privilege 90 watch
ing these three men being put 90
death OF these four Thousand APP
plica1t~ only tNo hundred were
Accumulated Included In the TWO
hundred were friends and rela-
tivcs 0l Tie victims whom the
three prisoners were convicted OF
killnE
of tll, three men eNccutea the
colorcl u4n W;s the only one who
had neither friends or relatives
who visited MIN during ms last
hour, ou tarih Yet be- WAS The
only ono OF the three who went to
Isis deatA i'm perfectly composed
mauntr US. typical with his race
he found soiacc In religion during
his last DAYS. and with the solac,
that religion could and did bring
To- him. apparently. with eagcrncs'
To commence lis journey into th'
hereafter or the next great adj
venture
AMI speaking OF a condcmne'
mn nmup solacc during his las
aaya in religion might relat
here how religion or probably
Nttle too exact an Interpretation
vi n. caused condemned man be
lup put 20 death when the lack o
this religions Interpretation woul'
have secured for him "a commute
iinn OF sentence 20 life imprison
m rt instead ol death.
The incident occurred lhnr
Turing the year 1928 in kilhy priH
or ,hc PRISON tl,a' has Teen mad
fomous or notorious herUusc q
tine Well kuoWu Scott-bor
tasc The condemned man. roiorc
OF course had boon accused am
convicted ct crime Tor which y
always maintained MS innocence
tNtr though convicted on clrcun
stauteial evidence
Tho ION Binb Graves was The
GOveruor ni Alahama aid nc po
an exceptional interest ia Prise
matters and personally went ove
AN the evidence in every cas-
where a prisoner WAS 60 be put {
death. often coming out To tn
prison Ia further his isycstiga
tions
As was the custom az kilby an
maybe still is. groups OF colore
prisoners. singers and prison
preachers. would be permitted
visit the condemned cells 20 entc
tain the condemned men One
the prisoner preachers. had pra'
tically converted the particul,
condemned man In question, al
was permitted TO attend the cot
demned man at his electrocutio
Gov. Graves, despite the recon
mendations OF his Pardon Boar
did not feel that he could co
scaentiOusiy let the condemn
man 20 10 his death without ma
ing further personal investig
ton i'm the form of interviewii
the condemned man. As the co
demned man was being strapp
into the chair he was told that q
Governor was present and want
10 hear the true story from &
lips OF the condemned man. ~
prisoner-preache spoke up al
admonished the condemned ms
10 tell the complete truth as
did not want TO go 20 his "glor
with lie on his tongue And I
the first time the condemned mi
admitted his guilt and few Sc
onds later he went TO hts ''giory
The daily papers the next d
mentioned he fact that II the co
demned man hai still stuck to