The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1936-12-17
Slayer of Helen
Clevenger Dies
Asheville Negro Denies Guilt to
Last After COnfessing
to Crime Twice

Martin Moore, six-foot-three-inch
negro youth, died by asphyxiation in
Raleigh Friday for the murder of
Helen Clevenger, 18-year-old New
York university honor student of
Staten Island, N. Y.
Muttering he was innocent of the
killing, which occurred five months
ago in an Asheville resort hotel, the
22-year-old former hall boy was led
into the lethal gas chamber at States
prison at 1921 a. m. Moore's huge
shoulders twitched as he was strap
ped into the straight oak chair, and
his protruding lower lip trembled
when guards bound him in the seat
and tapped long-range stethoscope
to his chocolate-brown chest over his
heart. He wore only pair of white
trunks.
Nothing to Say
''Have you anything to say, Mar
tin?" Warden H. H. Honeycutt ask
ed. Moore looked up slowly, appar-
emily uncomprehendingly, through
half closed eyes. The warden repeat
ed his question.
'No, sir" the Asheville negro said
clearly.
Two negro preachers who previ-
ously had baptized the killer in
death row bathtub chanted hymn.
Moore was pronounced dead IL IL
minutes after the lever was thrown.
Maintains Innocence
Warden Honeycutt and the Bap-
fist clergymen, J. V. Williams and
w. ]. Jones, both of Raleigh, said
Moore told them early Friday morn
ing the State was going to 'kill an
innocent man." Previously, however,
he twice confessed the murder, Off
GERS tetified. No members of the
slain girls family viewed the exc
cuion.
Miss Clevenger was killed on the
night of July 16, as severe electrl-
cal storm cracked over Asheville.
Moore, in a confession admitted as
evidence at his trial, said he entered
her room to rob, and shot the small,
blonde girl when she threatened to
scream for help. Several guests in
the hotel heard screams, but none
heard a shot. AS the slayer left Miss
Clevenger's room, he was seen by
E. B. Pittman, an employee of the
State Banking department here, who
had the room across the hall, but
Pittman said he was unable to tell
whether the person he saw was
white man or negro.
Two persons, Durham Jones,
bellhop, and Casey Jones, taxicab
driver, saw the killer leave the hotel
but neither could tell whether he
was white or black, tall or short.
The case was solved August 9. In
the interim the Federal Bureau of
Investigation, and officers of New
York, Asheville and Buncombe
county had traced down scores of
false clues. More was convicted in
Buncombe county August % and
was carried to Raleigh in an armor-
ed car. Subsequently he lost an ap-
peal to the Supreme Court. Cover
nor Ehringhaus, after personally
studying the record in the case, de-
clined to intervene.
Miss Clevenger, had been vaca-
tioning in North Carolina, visiting
two uncles here. She was with one,
w. L. Clevenger, 54-year-old N. c.
State college professor, on trip
through western North Carolina
when she was slain.
AS a result of the murder, c. B.
Clevenger, also professor at N. C..
State college, has entered suit against
the Battery Park hotel for $4,000
damages. The hotel sought unsuc-
cessfully recently to remove the case
from Buncombe superior court to
Federal district court.