The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1936-01-11

pal keeper of the State prison,
also went into the hearing.
Last Court Of Appeal
The court can grant Haupt-
mann's request for a commute
ton of sentence to life imprison-
ment by a majority vote cat least
5 to 81, including the governors
vote, or it can doom him to the
chair. It is Hauptmann'S last
court of appeal.
However, the court in this case
will adjourn" recommending a
brief reprieve to allow time to
complete certain Investigations, a
trusted aid of the governor pre-.
dicted to International News
Service.
If thI works out Hauptmann
will not go to the chair Friday
night as scheduled.
After the reprieve has expired,
possibly 20 or 80 days from now,
the vote will be taken that will
decide Hauptmann's fate, the
governors aid said.
Just before the court and lawyers
went into session, the kidnap lad
der, Swathed in brown wrapping
paper, was carried into the court
room by a State trooper.
Other evidence, including hand
writing exhibits used at the trial
and the chisel which was found
under the Llndbergh nursery win
dow-the murder weapon, Wilentz
charged at the trial-were also
taken into the chambers.
Reilly Is Attacked
In his letter to the court, Haupt-
mann'S spiritual adviser indirectly
attacked Edward j. Reilly, chief
Of Hauptmann's trial counsel Mat
thiesen wrote:
81 have had Is very intimate
and SOul-reaching int erviews
with Bruno Richard Hauptmann
and am convinced that he tells
the truth.
eff Hauptmann would have
had a reliable defense lawyer at
the OutStart, and If he would
have asked for an interpreter
during the trial, the very eVi.
dence used against him should
have spoken in his favor. Haupt-
mann felt no need for them
until it was too late"
Governor Hoffman is president
of the court of pardons. The other
members who filed through the
movie kleg lights in the corridors
a~I m iofo tho cO11rfrO0Ya unro
Chancellor Luther A. Campbell,
George Van Buskirk, Walter L.
Hetfield, jr., Joseph A. Dear, Har-
old B. Wells, John j. Rafferty,
and William B. WolfSkiel.
The latter six are lay judges
of the court of errors and ap-
peals. Campbell also is a mem
Der of the court of errors and
appeals which last fall rejected
Hauptmann's appeal from con-
viction.
Plea From Mother
Rafferty, and Wolfskiel did not
pass on Hauptmann's appeal, as
they were not at that time mem
berS Of the court.
A letter from Hauptmanns aged
mother, Frau Pauline Vern Haupt-
mann, of Kamenz. Germany, was
also submitted to the court. It be-
Seeched the courts mercy and
said Hauptmann's ignominious
death in the electric would break
my heart"
Shown a newspaper containing
the Governors statement that he
does not believe Hauptmann was
alone in the Lindbecgh baby kid
naping and murder. Wilentz prior
to the hearing, would only say:
'T'n have to look into this"
The story further predicted the
governor would try to postpone
Hauptmann's execution. When
this was brought to the attention
Of the governors press aide, VIII
liam S. Conklin, the latter said:
"The story is confirmed. The
governor will stand for it. 1t is
an unfortunate situation, as far
as we are concerned, but let
it stand"
Intense excitement reigned in
the State house as the appointed
hour for the courts meeting drew
near. In view of the sensational
developments of the past two Gays,
rune rs Of startling evidence gath.
cred in the many Investigations
which have been carried on Sec
reilly since Hauptmann's trial
year ago, and the governors own
statements. an army of reporters
was prepared for anything.
Hauptmann's lawyers have en-
tered plea for communication of
the doomed mans sentence to life
imprisonment.
Ordinarily. the court votes life
or death and that is the end of
it.
But today it will do something
different and unusual, a trusted
aide of Governor Hoffman in.
formed International News Serv.
ice.
The court, this informant said,
will examine evidence. question at
least one witness, listen to state
ments by Attorney General David
T. Wilentz and Chief Defense
Counsel C. Lloyd Fisher, and will
then adjourn" until later date
80 that certain investigations can
be completed. In so doing, the
court will recommend that Hoff-
man grant a reprieve to Haupt-
mann-who is scheduled to die at