davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-06-08

another until it reached the unexpected
heights of the United States Supreme Court
The appeal to it was based on five counts
One was that third degree" methods had
been used to obtain testimony in the James
case. Another charged that in bringing
snakes into the courtroom the prosecution
effected an illegitimate and unfavorable in
fluence on the jury. The third claimed that
part of the testimony used at the trial in
California was secured in another State and
shas - "a ?. - Arb cprcrtN- 10 -1s
flute it. fourth Claim was that the use of
snakes in the case improper as Mary
Bush James had died Of drowning.
For the fifth count James had Chuck"
Hope TO thank The ex-sailor had been SEN
fenced to life Imprisonment. Furious because
he had expected a better deal for turning
States evidence, Hope now repudiated his
whole confession.
Following the retirement Of Justice James
Clark McReynolds the United States Supreme
Court voted to on James's appeal.
theoretically this upheld the conviction of
James. But judiciary custom dictates that in
a tie vote the case may be reconsidered by the
Supreme Court when ninth Judge is again
in it.
This will be when President Roosevelt will
appoint a successor TO Justice McReynolds
Meanwhile in the death house at San Quen-
tin prison Robert James has taken TO fervid
study of the Holy Bible. Now when he talks
his green eyes have a new light in them. He
says he has found new hope and new strength
no matter what fate earthly judges may de-
eide for him.
a death house is a circumscrbed place in
which TO study the sincerity OF such a CONVEX
sion. James may be performing for the bene-
fit Of the judges who will again consider his
pending appeal. Or he may be thinking of a
tribunal that he breads more than that of
the Supreme Court Of the United States.
He spends long hours in his prison cell.
bO.stered by what has been described as a
psychology Of innocence" Awaiting the next
unfolding Of judicial red tape, he spends much
time with his Bible. Twice weekly he is
visited by teacher Of the Bible.
AS each day passes he said not long ago.
Il will be closer to God-then 1 will not be
afraid TO die"
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-06-08

with the dame! Unless maybe the snake has
bit so many times it amt poison any more.
1t don't seem to have any quick effect on
her.
James said he left matters thus when he
went TO work next day. About noon Hope
came TO the beauty parlor, James testified,
and the two had whispered consultation.
:, We had lunch" James continued. Il asked
him what he had ,uofIe. ria 5afuS Il threw
her in the bathtub and drowned her You
fool" / said, that's the worst thing you could
do. I had a wife drown in a bathtub. a while
ago He didn't know that he said or he
wouldn't have done il. Well I said. you
really played hell but it's too late now 49,.
What did you do, leave her in the tub?' No,
/ threw her in the fishpond on the edge
of it"
The prosecution made sure that the jury
should visualize the crime. First, one box
Of the exact size and shape as that which
contained the ratters was brought into the
courtroom and placed on the floor in front Of
the jury box. Spectators strained forward 10
see. though they knew there was nothing in
side
But Hope was made TO impcrsonatc Mary
in her posture as she lay back on a table
bound and helpless His right foot was barred
and his trouser leg was pulled out of the
way. An attendant grasped his leg exactly
as ROPE described James grasped Marys
leg when he thrust il into the box of diamond
backs. In imitation of Mary, Hope shiyerod
and uttered rising moan
Throughout the courtroom lovers Of the
morbid thrilled with unclean delight.
Then another box identical in every aspect
with the other except that this had a NOV
able glass top, was placed on the exhibit table.
The two diamondback rattlers that presum-
ably figured in the death Of Mary Bush
James were inside. a wax replica of the
human leg thrust into the box and the
reptiles were goaded into striking at It, Only
the judge, the lawyers, the jury and the ac-
cused could see what was going in it, but
the audience followed II with mounting ten
sion Such "A murmur arose throughout the
courtroom that Judge Fricke had TO rap for
order.
Z D., 49,, ,r,.tt.. L. ,.. d.. p, ,... =,
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-06-08

Mary"
Yes, sir He had adhesive tape over her
eyes and over her mouth He says TO me-
You can't get out Of this now, There is no
third party. The snakes are for me. / want
TO collect some insurance! He made me
put the box dowAa and opened the lid a little.
Then he stuck her foot in it,
gt11ienti, s1g,~, not rsss... f5Ag.
enough, for James said TO Hope, according to
the ex-sailor:
Wei. you sure got yourself into a fine
mess. That girl isn't dead ~.
The ex-sailor testified: so l said. 1 hope
nat". James said, I'm going to drown her"
A little later he carried her into the bath
room. Then he came out. Well that is it.
he said. She's dead now Come and help
me carry her out into the garden l carried
her feet, he carried her head We laid her
alongside Of the fish pond
AS James in turn told his story the brunt
Of the crime lay with Hope According 20
James, he had told Mary that he wanted no
child
she wasn't happy about losing the baby"
he said but finally agreed TO prevent its birth
James said it was Hope who suggested the
method. The bite of a RATHER whose venom
had been largely spent. Hope said, would kill
only the unborn, not the mother. According
10 the testimony Of James, he said 20 Hope:
We'll fool around ON This until we get
into trouble"
we already are Hope replied, according
TO James. We've been hauling rattlesnakes
around in a car which is a deadly weapon
and a felony"
NO one knows it but you and l."
well, I know it and you aren't going TO
walk out on me now You have a shop and
/ have TO make some money"
c. u oil L..
$780, James said, and l left the house with
him there To attend TO Mary / had whisky
and l don't think / stopped drinking AS to
all he has told about her being tapped and
tied up, don't know a thing. When ] came
back she was in bed. covered up He said he
had put her foot in the box with the rattlers
but added, I don't know what's the matter
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-06-08

\. Pierce Artran, an expert on snakes,
was testifying on the viruence of the inn
prsoned diamondbacks He pushed back the
glass lid Of the box, pinned the head of one
OF the ratters with a forked stick, seized it
by the neck raised it, pried open its mouth
and looked closely at its Pickering tongue
and barred fangs.
The snake had been nicknamed Light
ming" and the moment Artran uttered the
words giving it a clean bill of health it lived
up 90 rs name II wlleneu ODE 5.-,.., saSHgsfCs
grasp, dropped to the floor of the courtroom
and slithered toward the men and women who
had come there TO be thrilled
In an instant the courtroom broke out
into mass hysteria. Men and women shouted
and screamed, they scrambled over each other
onto ratings and up on chairs, clothes were
torn off, Judge Frickes gavel banged un-
heard. The jury shrank in it's box. Uni
formed attendants were almost helpless to
quell the pandemonum.
The snake disappeared But Artran fol-
lowed its course and, forked stick in hand
kneeled by a bookcase. Suddenly the stick
darted under it, the experts hand reached in
cautiously, and the hunt was over.
Hope pleaded guilty to murder in the first
degree.
When the prosecution and the defense had
jury, instructed that James must either be
sentenced to life Imprisonment the gall
lows or that he must be freed. No compro-
mise verdict would be considered.
After nine and a half hours OF delibera-
ton the jury came back with a verdict:
Guilty of murder in the first degree!"
AS the foreman uttered the words the
blond skin of James turned sickly white and
his eyes grew misty with conflict between
terror and the role he had rehearsed with
himself for just such a moment
He was sentenced TO die on the gallows but
his lawyers appealed to higher court. Some
weeks later a razor blade was found in a
mattress in Jamess cell. The supposition was
that he had decided not to wait for the out
come of his lawyers appeals TO higher courts.
If that was his feeling he was doing his de-
Tense attorneys injustice. For they succeeded
in carrying their appeal from one court to
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-06-08

At the inquest in Colorado the authorities
felt sympathy for James so badly did he
take his wIfcs death He left Manitou as
soon as the inquest was over apparently
shattered man 4 few weeks later Or. George
Gilmore Manitou coroner, received letter
from JAMES asking favor.
vrFfid 6f Gilmore n41r,, 81 sltgnc aYra 9dsy
technical change in the .certihcation of Mrs.
Jaihes's death p The let-r pointed out that
the tragedy not caused wholly by the
drowning, the automobile accident was obvi-
ously the direct cause Of the dazed condition
in which Mrs James must have taken her
bath. that she tainted in the water If Dr.
Gilmore James suggested, would attest 10
this an insurance company would take his
word and pay off a small policy there was
on her life.
James collected $4,000 on that policy
The prosecution dwelt on the similarties
in the deaths Of Mary and Winona James
Aside from the drownings there was the let
ter found in the tourist cabin on the day of
Winona's death. In style and tone 1t was
similar 10 the one found in Marys home on
the day of her death
AS il turned out. the prosecution made
too much of the tragedy Of Winona. But for
the spectators it was feast
Chuck" Hopes story excited them still
more. IL may be summed UP IN transcript
Of his own words
Il was unemployed and went to Jamess
shop and asked him for a haircut and shave
on credit. He said would like to make 500?
/ said sure He says I have a friend who
will give you 500 TO buy some rattlesnakes.
He is a collector of animals Do you know
where you get some good rattlers?'"
Hope got two diamondback rattlesnakes
from dealer in reptiles and with the tightly
sealed box containing them he drove TO
James's house, arriving ut night James
helped him bring the box into the house.
when / got inside he had this girl on
the table tied"
This gir?" the prosecutor asked. Whom
do you mean"
Mr. Jamess wife"
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-06-08
Atr0Ci0uS' RattleSnakeMurdcr'

After 5 Years in the
Shadow Of the GaIlows.
q Last Chance to Cheat
the Moose G o m e S to
K O b erf S. J q m e S
Through an Odd De-
cision Of the Unit e d
States Supreme Court.
Opening the Way for a
Reconsideration Of the
'Borbershop Lo+horio's'
Death Sentence for
Drowning His 5+h Wife
After Her Bore Foot
Had Been Thrust Into q
Box Of RoffIers
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-06-08

sensation later when the vp for trial
In May, 1886, Il Grand jury indicted James and
Hope for the murder OF Mary Bush James Then
Hope turned States evidence
In July the trial of the two began in the
Superior Court OF Los Angeles County before Judge
Charles w Fricke. Thousands focked to il, the
Kind OF men and women who IN pre-war Paris went
To- the Grand Guignol that theatre which catered 10
lovers of all that is morbid. only hundreds got in,
eager and craving hystera.
The prosecution harked back TO the honeymoon
Of James and his third wife Wnona and what hap
pened in Colorado thai 0CCBsion- Inc story
il emerged was that James and his wife were driv-
ing down the Pixies Peak highway Wnona at the
wheel What happened the drive had 10 be left
largely 20 crcunlstantIal data ana surmise But the
car went a steep embankment and WI
mona badly gashed about the head James
somehow escaped without a scratch
After treatment IN hospital WHena vas
taken back 10 the cabin OF tourist camp 4
where the honeymQoners were staying. On
October Il a few days later, James
went out marketing leaving Winona
alone IN the cabin He back
with "A grocer boy. Gerald Rogers.
who helped him carry provisions.
As they came 10 the cabin James
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-06-08

Continued From Preceding Page)
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-06-08

1871 by American Weekly Inc Britain Rights
St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1941-01-03
Candidates In
Bonneville Race
To Be Feted

Executive Board to Entertain
The Board of Directors and Com
mittees of the Associated Negro
Credit Union will entertain the can
didates and the elected Mayor of
Bonneville and their wives at a
turkey dinner Monday evening,
January 6, at seven fifteen.
The guests will be entertained at
the johnson Fireside Tea Room at
355 st. Anthony Ave-, st. Paul, and
the proprietor will have charge of
serving the dinner.
The Board of Directors have per-
sonally assumed the promotion of
this dinner to show their apprecia-
ton for the cooperative spirit of
the candidates and for their inter-
est in helping to successfully main
tain the Associated Negro Credit
Union.
The Board of Directors are: Rev.
Carlyle Stewart, Percy Hughes,
Mrs. DeVelma Newman, DR.. Earl
Weber, w. D. Walker, Clarence
Smith, and Talmadge Carey. Com
mittee members are: C. w. Wash
ington, Mrs. Izetta Greer, Tom
Carroll, George G. MundeIl, J. B.
Levy and John Moultrie.
St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1941-01-03
RACE ISSUE IS JECTED I'M ROCKWELL
CUSTER HEARINGS; CITIZENS PROTEST
Stassen Wire to N.A.A.C.P.

To Mr. Walter White Secretary N.AA.C.P
deeply the incident you and have already made
for special council conduct hearing the
which Mr. Rockwell involved AS undoubtedly
and myself personally and have been
tolerant of the ccored people, but have been active assisting them
cooperated making possible the
privileged coored children through Phyllis Wheatey
employed coored
civil permit discrimination against
We refused people
the South where equity showed that he should be
extraded We have followed firm policy of not discriminating
welfare
Employment Agency
fairness the assistant Attorney General should add that
the question used have apparently been informed
rather inquiry into particular the Commissioners
home connection with which the activity avowed Trosky
had with the being
asked the regretabe question regarding
HAROLD E. STASSEN
St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1941-01-03
In Your Paper 80.

0News about local people, your
friends and neighbors, given you
while it's news.
. Editorials concerning local prob
lens, written by persons familiar
and sympathetic with them.
comment from the Negro Press
from all parts of the nation.
. Features such as "Inquisitive
SAL" Listen to This" "Abbe WAL
lace" "POetic Thoughts" Twin
Town Talk (the two towns killer
diller and most widely-read col
umn).
Q Advertisements from many of
the leading firms in the community
all anxious to serve our readers
and appreciating their patronage.
o"In the Spotlight" by Jimmy
Lee, written by an athlete who
knows "what it's all about"
oAND q policy Of news presenta-
ton and editorial policy which has
gained for it notice all over the
nation.
St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1941-01-03
Demi-Tasse to
Feature Stars

Radio personalities, artists Of
various nationalities, refugees from
Germany and local artists will be
featured Thursday, January 9, at
8 p. m, in the Halle @. Brown
House at a Demi- Tasse, sponsored
by the Women's Auxiliary of the
st. Paul Urban League.
Beginning promptly, the pro-
gram will present Miss Mary Proal
Lindeke, director of WTCN's "For
the Ladies" program. Werner
Levy, outstanding German attor-
ney who recently fled from the
Nazi rule in Germany, will give a
short talk. Miss Juanita Rengell,
Mexican soloist, will sing the folk
songs of her country.
Ukrainians from the Information
al Institute will dance in native
costumes. Miss Dorothy Munson
will do an Indian dance. Henry
Bannon, Twin City sculptor, will
exhibit his work. Mrs. G. Sharp,
collector of Oriental art, will ex-
hibit some pieces from her collec-
ton as we'll as some of her own
paintings on silk and glass.
Mrs. Idelle Patton, who has been
working with Mrs. C. Rosenberg
Foster of Chicago on Trash Crafts,
will exhibit some of her creations.
The Singing Milk Maid of KSTP
will be among those giving musical
selections as we'll as Elmer Harris,
baritone; the Grace Notes, with
Mrs. Theodore Allen as soloist; the
Halle @. Brown Quartet, and the
Phyllis Wheatley String Ensemble.
Admission to the affair will be
twenty-five cents and during the
program members of the board of
the Urban League will be intro
duced.
St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1941-01-03
EMANCIPATION ANNI-
VERSARY CELEBRATED

New Years Day at II a. m, the
Camphor Memorial Methodist
church, 5s5 Fuller avenue, cele-
brated the 18th anniversary of the
signing of the Emancipation proc
lamation by Abraham Lincoln. The
principal speaker for the occasion
was Rev. Albert E. Tuck, pastor of
Holman Methodist church. The
Emancipation proclamation was
read by Samuel Reed, president of
the st. Paul branch of the National
Association for the Advancement
of Colored People.
The musical portion of the pro-
gram included solos by Mrs. Susie
Gaylord, contralto, and Zachery T.
Munson, baritone. The Rev. Clar-
ence T. R. Nelson, pastor, made a
few comments.
St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1941-01-03
Burnquist Silent

J. A. A. Burnquist, attorney gen.
eral, when asked for statement
on the matter said:
"Until l can get all the facts
in the case we will say nothing
about it. There was no reflection
made upon the colored people. In
so far as I personally am con-
cerned, 1 knew nothing about it.
We cannot make a statement until
we get further facts" - -.
On the day after Evans made his
statement, Clarence M. Mitchell,
Jr., executive secretary of the st.
Paul Urban League, appeared at
the hearing. He charged that the
attorney generals assistant was
apparently trying to becloud the
real issues by injecting racial pref
udice. He asserted that DR.. Rock
well had been fair to colored people
in the Department of Education
and that the Evans question was
an insult to the intelligence of the
people of Minnesota.
The national office Of the Ma.
A.C.P. notified of the attorney-gen-
erals office attempt to inject racial
prejudice wired Gov. Harold Stas-
sen a strong protest.
Governor Stassen's reply to Wal
ter White, N.A.A.C.P. secretary,
appears on this page.
St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1941-01-03
Woman Found
Dead In MINNEAPOLIS

Mrs. Eva Robinson of 1917 South
Fifth Street was found dead in her
home on Sunday, December 20.
Mrs. Robinson is a native of
Tennessee and came to Minneapo-
lis 20 years ago.
Funeral services were held at
Border M. E. Church at 10 o'clock
Tuesday, Dec. 81, with Rev. A. R.
Howard officiating. Miss June
Hawkins sang a solo, Precious
Lord, Take My Hand" at the
service.
Surviving Mrs. Robinson is her
daughter, Mrs. Irene Boone; a son,
William Jarner; two granddaugh-
tiers, Mrs. Juanita Simms and Mrs.
Anna Wright.
Neal Funeral Home was in
charge of burial with interment in
Hillside cemetery.
St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1941-01-03
PAULINE ALEXANDER OFF,
CIAL DELEGATE TO BOULE

Pauline Alexander, 425 st. An
thony avenue, student at the Uni
versity of Minnesota, left Wednes-
day, December Is, for Kansas City
to attend the Alpha Kappa Alpha
Boule where she is the official dele
gate from Eta Chapter at the Uni
versity Of Minnesota. Soror Bea-
trice Schuck, 500 Rondo avenue, ac-
companied Miss Alexander. Fol-
lowing the closing sessions Of the
Boule, the Misses Alexander and
Schuck will go to Topeka, Kansas,
for the duration of the holidays
and will be the house guests Of
Miss Schuck's grandmother, Mrs.
Samuel Schuck of Topeka.
St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1941-01-03
Judge Decides
Leg Wound Is
Enough For Man
CAFE BRAWLER LIMPS INTO
COURT; GETS SUSPENDED
SENTENCE

A bullet wound in the leg was
sufficient punishment for Charles
Bradley, 40 years old, 254 East
Fourteenth ST., st. Paul, who Great
ed a disturbance in a Broadway
cafe, Judge John w. Finehout de-
cided Tuesday in municipal court.
He suspended a S0-day work
house sentence after Bradley
limped into court and pleaded gull
ty to disorderly conduct.
Witnesses testified that Bradley
was shot early December "a by
Ashley T. Harris, proprietor of
Harris Cafe, 600 Broadway, st.
Paul, after Bradley attempted to
attack Harris with a knife.
St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1941-01-03
Mother to Plead
For Doomed Son

Mrs. Annie Waller, mother of
Odell Waller, convicted sharecrop-
per, will visit the Twin Cities Jan
uary 9, 10 and II to make an ap-
peal on behalf of her son.
Mrs. Waller is at present on a
nationwide tour under the sponsor
ship of the Workers Defense
League and the National Associa-
ton for the Advancement Of Col
ored People.
Odell Waller, her son, was SEN
fenced to die on December 81 in
Virginia, but a stay of execution
has been granted to permit an ap-
peal to the United States Supreme
Court.
Mrs. Waller will make several
speeches in the Twin Cities. Watch
your local newspapers for the time
and place.
St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1941-01-03
Rockwell Hits
Racial Bias at
Custer Hearing
Burnquist Refuses to Give
Statement; Evans AL
legged to Be Ill
Rockwell Tells Hearing That
He Doesn't Draw
Color Line

A retort that M. Tedd Evans, as
sistant attorney general, should be
ashamed of himself for raising a
racial issue drew applause from a
crowd of over 2O4 persons in the
State Office building, Wednesday,
at a hearing in connection with an
effort of the State Board of Educa-
ton to GUST Commissioner John
G. Rockwell.
The reply was made by Mr..
Rockwell himself, after Mr.. Evans
asked whether Negroes had been
St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1941-01-03
Watson to Lead
Mixed Singers

An effort to form an inter-racial
chorus, under the direction of
Chester Watson, st. Paul singer,
will be made on Friday, January
8, at 8 p. M, in the headquarters
Of the Hotel and Restaurant Work
ers Union, 665, eO2 Hennepin Ave.
All persons interested in becom-
ing members Of the chorus should
report tonight friday at the
Hennepin Avenue address.
St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1941-01-03
Missouri Lawyer
Named To High
St. Louis Post

st. Louis - Especially A due
acknowledgment and honor of the
Negro came this week when ST..
Louis new circuit attorney, the
former Congressman Thomas C..
Hennings, Jr., announced the ap-
pointment of the astute orator and
scholarly attorney David M. Grant,
as assistant circuit attorney in
charge of extradition and bond for
FIXTURES, legal research and brief
ing.
Thus, on January /, at $4,000 a
year, Grant, who resigned last
week as assistant city counselor to
accept the new position. took over
the duties handled by only one 9TH
er St. Louis Negro u years age
The appointment, coming just
FIVE weeks after Hennings won the
Democratic race for circuit attor-
ney, after resigning as congress
man from the Eleventh Missouri
district where he served for six
years, has struck the fancy of both
Democratic and Republican lead
ers alike. The Negro leaders are
expressing an assurance that the
recognition of Grant by Hennings
is the beginning of move in the
direction of a greater and just rec
ognition that should come to the
Negro people who form one-eighth
of the city's population. ~
St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1941-01-03
julius A. Schmahl
Plays Santa

Several employees of the Depart
ment of Public Property received
a Christmas present from State
Treasurer julius Schmahl on the
eve of Christmas. The gift was
one that the whole family could
enjoy. Presentation being made
through Huron Shelton, ST., TWEEN
ty year state employee.
St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1941-01-03
Mrs. Morris Gibbs
Suddenly Stricken

Striker by a sudden illness which
necessitated an operation, Mrs.
Morris Gibbs, wife of one of the
owners of the ]. and H. Laundry,
is recovering at Bethesda Hospital
this week.
Mrs. Gibbs was taken to the hos
pital on December 81 from her
home at 288 N. st. Adams Street.
She is expected at home within ten
or twelve days.