Evening star., 1936-01-17

a man who was previously tried and
convicted In the columns of many OF
our newspapers. do, on the basis Of
evidence that is in my hands, question
the truthfulness and mental compe-
tency of some of the chief witnesses
for the State; do doubt that this
crime could have been committed by
any one man. and am worried about
the eagerness Of some of our law-en-
forcement agencies to bring about the
death of this one man SO that the
books may be closed in the thought
that another great crime mystery has
been successfully solved-an eagerness
that Is reflected in the order given to
the banks to no longer bother about
looking for the balance Of the ransom
money when approximately 100000
was still in circulation"
II Make No Apology"
II make no apology for granting a
reprieve in this case. During this
period We may calmly consider some
Of the battling phases of the crime and
the subsequent trial of Hauptmann. ]
intend to give to the public. in due
course. my reasons for entertaining the
doubts that I have expressed, and ]
intend to direct the State police to con-
tinue their search for any other person
or persons involved in the crime. Col
Lindbergh, Col. Schwarzkopf and manv
~ E,n
opinion that the crime was perpe-
trated by more than one person, and
there is no Justification now for aban-
doning that belief.
"In the meantime. Hauptmann Is
not being turned loose He will re-
main safely in custody in the death
house in the New Jersey State Prison.
In order to set at rest any rumors
concerning his conduct, may I say
that, to the best of my knowledge, he
has made no confession and has Of
fered to make none.
In my presence and in the pres
ence of many witnesses Sid Boehm
of the New York Evening Journal
stated that his paper had offered
Hauptmann $4,000. to be left to his
widow and his child, for an exclusive
confession. This offer was rejected.
Likewise, when Hauptmann was told
that his only chance to save his life
was to go before the Board of Par
dons. say I am guilty. and throw
himself upon the mercy Of the court,
he spurned this opportunity.
Proud of Jersey Justice"
Il am moved by no maudlin senti-
ment on this matter. am the
father of three children; look upon
the kidnapping as the most dastardly of
crimes and shared the horrors that
struck the hearts of people through
out the world after the murder of the
Lindbergh baby.
Il am interested in the preserva-
ton of that thing we have rather
proudly called Jersey justice and
hope that real and full justice will
finally be done in this case. A stay
Of comparatively few days cannot de-
feat that end.
Impeachment proceedings repre-
sent only one Of the threats leveled at
me If I elected to follow my own sense
Of duty in this matter. I do not fear
them. but I ask that the charges be
heard In the halls of the Legislature,
as the constitution provides, and not in
the biased editorial columns of a few
New Jersey newspapers. The Consti-
ton protects, and rightfully so, the
freedom Of the press but neither the
Constitution nor the statutes of the
State protects public officials from the
freedom Of the yellow press"
Reprieve Ready for Delivery.
Albert B. Herman, clerk of the Court
OF Pardons, who announced the re-
prieve had been signed, was commits
stoned to deliver the warrant person.
ally to Col. Mark o. Kimberling, prin-
cipal keeper at State Prison.
Hermann said he would deliver the
reprieve this afternoon at about the
hour Hauptmann would have been
prepared for the electric chair and
death at 8 pm. tonight If the Gov
ernor had not intervened.
Away from his desk ct the State
House, the Governor was pursuing the
secret investigation which gave him
the divers reasons" for prolonging
Hauptmann's life.
Mrs. Hauptmann visited her hus-
band today in State Prison.
Hauptmann's legal forces, headed
by G. Lloyd Fisher, had not found an
opportunity TO confer on new methods
a.