The Waterbury Democrat., 1936-03-28

gardlesB of how the governor votes. When the court rejected Haupt- mann's previous plea, 2 to o, the governor did not vote.
 Wilentz Assails Hoffman
 Wilentz's statement today assail- cd Hoffman's charge that "the case reeks with unfairness, passion and prejudice" and said Hoffman "usurps the functions of the court when he attempts as governor to pass upon this phase of the case.
 The attorney generals statement follows:
 "Hauptmann is as guilty today as he was the day he was convicted. Nothing has happened to change that.
 At that time, the New Jersey court of errors and appeals said {: Our conclusion IS that the verdict Is not only not contrary to the weight of the evidence but iE one to which the evidence inescapably led. And, discarding the testimony of witnesses classified as irrespon- sible, the result is the same. From different and in main unrelated sources, the proofs point unerringly to guilt
 And the court also said There was much more evidence tending to establish his guilt. It was a circunl- stantial case, with the evidence pointing to guilt from so many di- rections as to leave no room for reasonable doubt
 No Change of Views
 Nothing has happened to change those views those views so ably expressed - not even the attacks upon the prosecutor who is known to everybody as a man of unques- toned character and a public ofil- cial of ability and of the highest standing.
 We dispute the right of the gov- ernor to place the prestige and weight of his office behind his latest accusation that the case reeks with unSairness, passion and prejudice. He usurps the functions of the court when he attempts as governor to pass upon this phase of the case.
 During the trial, not even Hauptmann made any claim of un- fairness and defense counsel In his concluding address to the jury stated: I think we have played along so fairly, so nicely, in this trial that we can still continue to go along that way
 T understand that the governor may ask views about a reprieve and therefore I will withhold them until that time."
 New York, March 28-tUP)-The "new suspect" rumor in the Lind bergh Kidnapping case gathered mos mentum and additional details to- day in the face of denials from New Jersey officialdom.
 For more than a week uncon- firmed reports that one New Jer- sey official had a suspect under sur yeillance or in custody have been reaching New York newspapers of- fees. Persons who claim to know that the suspect has confessed have approached several New York Edi- tors offering to sell the story.
 Today's additions to the ruilor included the version that the siis- pect had been captured in New York under the guise of e kidnap- ing, that for days he believed he was being held by gangsters and that finally he broke down and ad- mitted his guilt.
 A twice. -disbarred attorney and former convict, the suspect is said to have given 6 confession 26 pages long in which he says he carried Charles A. Lindberg, Jr., out of the Lindbergh home rear Hopewell by way of the front door, kept the baby alive four weeks and finally returned to the 6ourland moun- tains where he left it's body less than five miles from the Lindbergh house.
 Bruno Richard Hauptmann, who is scheduled to be executed Tuesday night in Trenton as the baby's mur- derer, is supposed to have known nothing about the new suspect, but obtained ransom money through an intermediary without knowing it's source.
 Another addition to the current rumor is that the suspect is held now in New Jersey. although there is no record of 6 warrant in any such case.
 Sources close to Gov. Harold q. Hoffman of New Jersey have ex. pressed interest when questioned about the confession rlmor. but El- lis Parker, a county detective who has been working with Hoffman on the case. says he puts little credence in 1t.