The Waterbury Democrat., 1946-04-09
Mercy
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 CContinued from Page 1) scious of 1t. Tense moments during the tear- punctuated pleas for mercy came q when Public Defender Edward T. Carmody called the prisoners moth- CT, Mrs. Veronica Zukauskas, and his wife, Edna, before the board.
 The prisoners two children, II. year-old Billie, tall for his age, quiet, and shy, and 2is year-old Jimmy, e blond, fat, dimple-faced child, were watching intently.
 Mother Shakes With Sorrow
 The elderly mother, first witness called, moved toward the counsel table slowly, her hands folded in prayer. Her mothers love and an- guish permeated the chamber when she dropped into the arms of her son, who was seated at the extreme end of the table, next to Carmody.
 Mrs. zukauskas shook with sorrow as she embraced her son, and she touched her lips to his folded hands. Carmody drew her away, and called Tax Assessor John W. Jenusaitis, also waiting to testify, to serve as as interpreter.
 But the proceedings had to be temporarily halted. The mother could not control herself. Cries of Edna Zukauskas swept, across the chamber from the far end of the room. zukauslSas lost his composure and awkwardly wiped away the tears.
 Baldwin Sympathetic
 Governor Baldwin said that there was time, not to hurry, that the board understood.
 Carmody began to ask questions and Mrs. Zukauskas's voice grew stronger. She said her son was al- way good to her, that he was nevre in trouble before.
 She said he was the light and heat" of her home. She said it was Francis who always brought up the coal, lighted the furnace, cleaned the windows. She sad the family was left quite destitute when she became a widow, and that Francis stepped in and went to work.
 Not a Drinker
 She told of his service as an al- tar boy. She said he did not smoke and that he was not a drinker.
 Before the first witness was cal- led, Carmody told the board brief ly that zukauskas was convicted by a statutory court of three judges for murder in the first degree, and that the State Supreme Court up- held the, conviction. He said the purposes of his presentation be- fore the board would be to show what kind of a person zukauskas was, and also the circumstances of the crime.
 Then Carmody traced Zukauskas's family history and then called the first witness, as the Governor urged the witnesses not to be nervous.
 Greets Sister Warmly
 Mrs. Bernice Edwards, younger sister of the prisoner, a fastionably dressed and attractive girl, followed their mother to the counsel table. The prisoner greeted her with a warm embrace.
 She said her brother, the only son, was always good to the family, that he always looked after his sis ters and took their fathers place in supervising them.
 Mrs. Helen Synott, the prisoners twin, Substantiated that testimony. She said she was "Very close to Prank, that until her marriage she had a standing date" with him once . week to go to the movies. She said no one ever had a better brother.
 Wife Admits Forgiveness
 Then came the turn of Edna ZukauskaS. Her body convulsive from weeping, her face swollen from tears, she pleaded with the board, i've forgiven him for all he's done. Please bring him back to me
 She spoke of his love for the two children and said T don't believe anyone has ever taken our place in his heart, and I know he will always be in our hearts"
 Mrs. ZukauSkas said her husband courted her for seven years and that they were married In 1883. we were married l2 years and you couldn't find Q better man." she said, Tt was good life. would want to live 1t over again"
 Governor Queries Wife
 The Governor interrupted her talk with numerous questions. He wanted to know If her husband drank, about his work, about their finances. He commented that the marriage had taken place during the depression. Another board member wanted to know if they had ever been separated.
 Mrs. ZukauskaS kept repeating, "He was a wonderful man in all ways"
 The three police officers then took the stand. They were It. Ernest Pakul, who took a paraffin test of the prisoners hand during the murder Investigation; Sgt. Joseph Mccarthy who centered in the po- lice Investigation; and Chief 1n- spector Joseph w. Bender, who had drawn out zukauskas's confession, They were called in that order.
 Tells of Friendship
 Pakul said Zukauskas, whom he knew for 20 years, "has been one of the incest boys in the neigh borhood." He told of his efforts to help ZukauskaS get the police job. The Governor asked him if he knew about the prisoners confession, and the witness said the man who ob- tained the confession was present to testify. The issue was not raised again.
 Mccarthy said he had been a neighbor of Zukauskas on Alder Street for 13 years and described him as "a very nice fellow"