The Washington times., 1936-01-17
CONSCIENCE
ONLY GUIDE,
HE AYERS
Formal Order Is Signed
Granting Prisoner
3O-Day Stay
BY JAMES L. RILGALLEN

TRENTON, N. j., Jan. II
UN.S0 .-Governor Harold G.
Hoffman declared thSi afternoon
he followed the dictates of his
conscience in. granting a 30day
reprieve to Bruno Richard Haupt-
mann and that, if impeachment
is to be the price for daring to
do this, he is ready to pay it."
The governor said he had
never expressed an opinion on
the guilt or innocence of Haupt-
mann" However, he said, on the
basis Of evidence in his hands,
he questions the "truthfulneSS
and mental competency Of some
of the States chief witnesses"
He said:
81 do doubt that this crime
could have been committed by
any one man, and l am worried
about the eagerneSs of some of
our law enforcement agencies to
bring about the death of this
one man so that the books may
be closed"
WILL COVE REASONS
Governor Hoffman expressed
wonder at what part passion and
prejudice" played in the Haupt-
mann conviction.
Promising to make public in due
course of time his reasons for en-
tertaining doubts in the Haupt-
mann case, Governor Hoffman
declared:
81 make no apologies for
granting a reprieve."
He said he intended to direct
the New Jersey State police to con-
tinue their search for any other
person or persons involved in the
crime.
Governor Hoffman formally
signed Hauptmann'S reprieve this
morning. One copy of the reprieve
was to be sent to Col. Mark o..
Kimberling, principal keeper at
the New Jersey State prison, and
the other copy to Hauptmann in
his death house cell.
Mrs. Anna Hauptmann, wife of
the prisoner, called at the prison
shortly before noon, to see her
husband again. Earlier she had
taken a. walk through Trenton
streets with her young son, Mann
fried
What prompted Governor Hoff-
man to grant Hauptmann the stay
of execution, scheduled to have
taken place at 8 O'Clock tonight, is
q matter of conjecture. The gov
ernor himself gave the vague as
Sertion that he gave the stay FOR
divers reasons" He refused to
elaborate on this statement.
Appeal to Wife
Whether he made a last-minute
appeal to Hauptmann's wife,
Anna, to induce the condemned
man to make a confession was a
highly debatable topic today. The
governor would not confirm this
report and neither would Mrs.
Hauptmann. But the fact re-
NAMED that Hoffman and the
prisoners wife held a conference
before Mrs. Hauptmann paid what
she feared might be her last visit
to her husband in the State
prison.
Hauptmann is said to have
Eold his wife:
Gamma, have nothing to tell
that 1 have not already said.
l am an innocent man."
The governor is understood to
nave been impressed by Haupt-
nann's insistence that he was in
nocent in the face of the fact
that he had only a little more
than "a hours yet to live.
So the governor asked Attorney
General David T. Wilentz for a
legal opinion as to his (Hoff-
nan's) right to grant reprieve.
The attorney general said he
would not oppose one reprieve
but indicated he would object
Itrenuously to any further leni-
sncy.
Governor Hoffman then an
aounced the 30-day repreive.
Hardly had the newspaper
extras" reached the streets than
he Governor was subjected to a
1arrage of criticism. The Tren-
ton Evening Times ran first
1age editorial captioned "Impeach
Hoffman in which it was
charged that Hoffman had be-
rayed the interests of justice"
The editorial declared:
Harold G. Hoffman already
stands impeached before the
har of public opinion. The IegiS-
lature is challenged to lend
legal substance to a condition
that has become intOIerable for
all thinking citizens.
"OnIy by means of HOffman'S
elimination can the public al
fairs of New Jersey be restored
to a status of mental and moral
balance and reestablished on a
plane of decency."
The New Jersey legislature will
meet next Monday night and it is
expected certain members will eX-
sress their views on the Haupt-
mann case in no uncertain terms.
G. o. p. Rules Legislature
Governor Hoffman is a Repub-
lean. Both the house and the
Ienate have Republican MAORI
des. Any effort to imoeach Gov
rnor Hoffman would no doubt
Ne rebuffed unless the insurgents
headed by the "Clean Government
nf Ilccnsr Gn11iaL-r y lnd krr