The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1943-07-02
Stephan

Continued nom Page One)
stephan learned that his appeal
for mercy had been granted.
Warden Cecil ]. Shuttleworth
and Stephan's attorney. Nicholas
Salowich, entered the traitors
cell
Max, nothing is going to hap
PEN Salowich began.
What do you meant" the trem-
bling prisoner asked.
Your sentence has been com
muted" the attorney replied.
stephan went slack-jawed and
turned TO Shuttleworth for con.
firmation.
Yes" the warden said. Il just
got the official word. The Presi-
dent has ruled that you are not TO
be hanged. Your sentence has
been committed 10 life imprison-
ment."
stephan, the role OF Nazi super
man but a dim memory. swayed
forward and grasped the wardens
hand. He smothered 1t with kiss
es. He shook It dumbly. His eyes
brimmed. He sank down on his
cell chair and sobbed.
When the storm OF emotion had
passed, stephan rose shakily to
his feet.
Thank Cod" he said huskily.
Thank God"
Last Letter
Only "a hours before stephan
had written what he thought was
his last letter to his wife. Agnes,
in a Texas Concentration camp.
He told her that he dreamed OF
the gallows.
Il have died a hundred deaths
on It, he said.
In announcing the Communication,
the White House in Washington
said President Roosevelt was mo-
tivated by the fact that the plot
to free oberlieutenant Hans Peter
Krug of the German air force had
not been "maturely initiated by
Stephan. He likened the crime TO
second degree. as contrasted to
first degree. murder.
His treason a White House
statement said, was not part OF
a preconceived plan. His treason
bore something of parallel to
murder in the second degree OF
manslaughter in the first degree.
The statement added, however
that President Roosevelt believed
no further lienepcy should be
shown to Stephan.
stephan will go to prison for
life, and the President hopes that
no one Of his successors will com
mute that sentence" the state
ment continued.
stephan, a native OF bomb blast
ed Cologne in the German Rhine
land. was naturalized in Detroit
eight years ago. He operated d
restaurant which was a meeting
place for the German-Americar
bund and other disloyal societies.
When Krug, captured after beinl
shot down over the English Chan
mel, escaped from a Canadian pris
on camp in April, 1912. and mad,
his way to Detroit, Stephan sup
piled him with food, liquor, womer
and a bed on which to sleep of
his debauch. Then he gave hin
money and a bus ticket to speet
him on his way 10 the fCtherland
But Krug was recaptured il
San Antonio. Tex, and ultimatel,
gave testimony which damned hi
erstwhile benefactor.
TOO Softr
Federal Judge Arthur ]. Tuttl,
imposed the death sentence. Many
thought the sentence too severe
To them. futile said their atti
tude proved that this nation hac
become too soft toward its enc
mics.
But among those who though
death too extreme a penalty fol
the crime was Supreme Court Jus
tice Frank Murphy.
Justice Murphy" Salowich said
was Of estlmable aid in the case
He had done much more thar
could have been expected of on,
In his high judicial office"
The attorney left the inferenc,
that stephan perhaps repented hi
crime toward the nation which
had given him sanctuary after h,
had failed in his efforts to make ;
living in the bankrupt Germany o
the 1920s
Salowich said he asked Stephan
what he thought now Of the Pres
ident and OF the United States
stephan, the attorney said, re
piled: