Newspaper Page Text
MgM Edison The Ateanta Georgian. £# «*.
VOL. 1. NO. 192.
ATLANTA. OA., THURSDAY, DECEMBER (i,
PRICE:
“YES, I KILLED HER,”
DECLARES GILLETTE
TOMIS ATTORNEY
Prosecuting Attorney
Knew of Prison
er’s Confession.
YOUTH EXPLAINS
WHY HE KILLED
Says That Girl Caine Prom
Her End of Boat To
ward Him. •
Herkimer. N. Y., Dec. Chenter
Gillette hae confessed that he murdered
Grace Brown on Big: Mooee lake.
To his counsel he admitted:
"Yes; I did kill Grace Brown,
"She stood up and came from her end
of the boat toward me and was crying,
and said she was discouraged. To end
It all I took my tennis racquet out of
the straps of my dress suitcase and
struck her twice.
“Dumped Her Overboard.”
"She fell full length backward, her
head striking the seat. Then I dumped
her overboard.”
When Gillette, on the witness stand,
told his story of how his sweetheart
had jumped Into Big Moose lake and
committed suicide, at least six persons
knew he was lying. These were: Gil
lette's two lawyers, the prosecuting at
torney and Sheriff Richard and Turn
key Evans.
Knew of the Confsssion.
During the cross-examination of Gil-
lette District Attorney Ward said to
him:
"Did you not confess the night before
last that you struck Grace Brown when
she came up beside the boat?”
Gillette made a denial. Later, in the
dramatic events of the trial, the pur
port of this question was forgotten.
The district attorney, however, knew
at the time that Gillette had confessed,
ami he had witnesses to prove It.
To Fight for Family.
It is understood that had the ver.llct
been guilty of murder In the second
degree Gillette's lawyer would have
made no tnoy* to save him from life
Imprisonment. Because of the urging
nf the doomed man's parents, however,
the lawyers will fight to save the fam
ily from the ataln of having one mem
ber put to death In the electric chair.
A dispatch from Denver tells of the
Kilef with which the parents of Gil
lette learned of his confession, Mrs.
Frank Gillette, the mother, who wns a
burner Salvation Army officer, still de
clares her belief that her son Is Inno
cent of the crime of murder.
Parents Want An Appsal.
The parents wired to Chester's m-
torneys as follows:
"We wish ycu to appeal the case at
■nee, nnd please let us know when the
new trlid Is likely to come, as we are
both coming to attend It. How much
money will wo need lo raise for an ap
peal? Thank you for the hard tight
made for our boy. We believe politics
Influenced tho Jury in Its decision, nnd
that a higher court will reverse It."
Sheriff Overheard Story,
lie feared, however, to put the con
fession In evidence, aa It had been made
to the prisoner's lawyers and might
muse the granting of a new tdsl.
Gillette had told former Senator Al
bert M. Mills, his Junior counsel, how
lie had slain Grace Brown. His state
ments were overheard by Sheriff Rich
ards and Turnkey Kvans, who at once
Informed the district attorney.
Lawyer Mills had been wrestling with
i be problem whether he should permit
Gillette to go on the stand and tell his
elory. He finally decided atllette's
■tory could not make his case any
worse, and went to Gillette’s cell to
have him again go over the details of
Ids story of the girl's death.
Gillette Told All Details.
Gillette went over the events of the
fateful day as he had related them
before, until he came to the point where
be had said the girl leaped out of tho
boat to drown hernelf.
Then, In deliberate manner, he told
'bat, as the girl rose In the water be
side the boat, he struck her a terrible
blow over the head and tho girl sank to
her death.
"You little wretch," cried the horri
fied lawyer, "why did not you ever tell
me this before?*'
Gillette was silent and the angry
lawyer left the cell. The next day
c lien the trial was resumed It was ob
served that there was a coolness be-
'“'een Gillette and his lawyers. Mills
and < 'hase D. Thomas, his other lawyer,
old not alt near him, and until the end
°f the trial they seldom spoke to him.
Rawlins Sent Letter
to Old Mother at
the Last.
Two hours before he died on th. gal
lows In Valdosta last Tuesday, old man
J. G. Rawlins borrowed a bit qf pencil
gnd wrote a letter to his old mother,
who had come a long way to see him,
asking that It be given her after hla
death.
The letter was given by Sheriff Pass-
more to the widow, to be delivered to
the mother of Rawlins. It was guard
ed carefully by Mrs. Rawlins and was
shown .only to a friend of The Geor-
S an, at Fltsgerald. to whom Mrs.
iwllns expressed her gratitude for
the spirit of this paper toward her
family.
When opened lF.vns found that Raw
lins had written his own epitaph—a
brief, relentless epitome of his wrecked
life, such as only a man of his stern
type could wish to carve In marble to
tell the world the hard facts without
the gloss of the usual obituary. Here
Is the letter from Mr. Parrish, at Fltx-
gerald, with a copy of Rawlins' letter
to his mother and the epitaph which
was written during hie last hours:
Bearing Body Home.
Fltsgerald, Ga„ Dec. 5, 1906.
Hon. John Temple Graves,
Editor Atlanta Georgian,
Atlanta. Ga.
Dear Sir: Mrs. J. G. Rawlins psssed
through here today with the body of
J. G. Rawlins en route to Jacksonville,
Ga.. for burial.
The attached Is a copy of a letter I
saw In theli) possession here today that
the old man asked them to deliver to
his mother.
Aa The Oeorctgnmnr'been kb W#TT
spoken of by him, I send you the letter
which he wrote on the morning of his
execution. This was written In his cell
o'clock, two hours before his
death. Yours (ruly,
J'. M. PARRISH.
Letter to His Mother.
Valdosta, Ga.. Dec. 4, 190«.
Dear Mother: I am sorry 1 brougnt
all this trouble on you and the rest of
my people and friends, but I don’t want
any of you to grieve after me, one bit.
I would have been glad to see some of
my people If I could. 1 am not guilty
of what I am accused of: my boys ere
Innocent of that Clime; they did not
do It. or have anything to do with It in
any way. I believe the negro will own
the crime when we go on the gallows.
I want Lae to get me a cheap tomb
stone and put It to my grave. Ange-
line will give him the money to pay
for It. On the other side of this sheet
you will see the words I want put on It.
Your wayward boy,
J..R. RAWLINS.
This Is the epitaph written on tho
reverse of the letter:
J. o. Rawlins, born June 19th, 1105.
Hung at Valdosta, Ga., Dec. 4th, 190*.
This bark was well built, but. mis
guided, ran hard on the rocks of de
•tructlon.
u
RAWLINS BOVS TO ESCAPE HALLOWS
SENTENCES ARE COMMOTED TO LIRE;
PRISON COMMISSIONERS MERCIFUL
Defense Claims He
Was Cruel to His
Wife.
It Is stated Thursday that the prose
cution In the case of Albert L. Thomas,
the young railroad man who Tuesday
afternoon shot and wounded Dr. Wil
liam Cawhern, Will spring a sensation
at the trial in contradiction of the
charge of Thomas that the physician
had wrecked his home.
Attorneys Eugene D. Thomas and
David R. Quarles, counsel for Dr. Caw
hern, assert they will be able to show
that Thomas by the commission of
certain acts, mistreated his wife, and
that it was this alleged cruelty that
prompted her to leave him last Mon
day. It will be further shown. It Is
stated, that advice given by Dr. Caw
hern as the family physician. In the
interest of the health of Mrs. Thomas,
was disregarded by the husband.
Mrs. Thomas. It is understood, has
expressed a willingness to go on the
witness stand, If permitted, apd brand
the charges of her husband ns utterly
untrue. Mrs. Thomas Is still at the
home of her sister, Mrs. Cook, 23 Or
chard street, where she went after
leaving her home Monday.
“Reason Wlfs Left Homs.”
Another new feature in connection
with the affair has been developed In
the declaration of Mrs. Thomas to
friends that her husband had not
spoken to her for a period of two
weeks before she left hi in and that this
prompted her to leave.
Mrs. Thomas, It Is said, stated that
this conduct on the part of her hus
band greatly annoyed her and that she
remonstrated with him, but to no avail.
Finally, Sunday afternoon she Is said
to have threatened to leave him Mon
day if he did not become more socia
ble.
According to Mrs. Thomas, the hus
band is said to have replied:
‘All right, Just leave the keys where
Continued on Page Fifteen.
Men and Women Vic
tims of the
Blast.
Lynn, Mass., Dec. 6.—Several factory
workers, among whom are said to be
some women, are reported killed In
boiler explosion which wrecked the big
Harney Brothers’ shoe factory at We *t J
Lynn shortly after 7 o’clock today. The J
big boiler blew up Just after the power
had started and the help were assem- I
bled for work.'
To add to the terror of hundreds of j
men and women rushing from the fac- j
tory a fire sprang out In the vicinity of 1
the power house. At first two alarm*
were sent In, but, inside of ten min- j
utes It was found necessary to bring *
out the whole fire fighting apparatus!
of the city.
Dozen Men Are Hurt.
It Is feared the fire will spread and >
arrangements are being made to get
fire fighting apparatus here from Boston
and other cities by train, should a call ;
be necessary;
The force of the explosion demollsh-
ed the entire front of the building and
flaming debris was thrown through the
floors of the building, injuring at least
twelve man In the lakters department.
The fire caught Immediately and th*
long wooden structure was a mass of
flames Instantly. The workmen had to
flee for their lives, and It was with
great difficulty that the Injured ]w< o
taken from the building. Ten men
were taken at once to the Lynn hos
pital.
Floe in Night Clothes. 'E
In half an hour the factory was de
stroyed. The fire spread to the W# t
Lynn station of the Boston and .Maine
railroad, and from there was communi
cated to the shoe factory of Tuft A:
Friedman, a three-story building. S* \ -
eral cottages surrounding the Harn**y
factory were burned to the ground u
the Jewish occupants *yere forced
the street, some. In their night cloth*
Milton arid Jesse Raw-,
lins Were to Die
Friday.
OOOOOOOODOOOO0OODOOOOOOOOO
O o
2 CHURCH PERSECUTED O
2 IN FRANCE, 8AY8 POPE. O
2 — o
° Rome, Italy, Deo. At the O
2 ' onsl.tory today eighty-four new 0
2 bishop. were appointed. The pope O
2 “Poke feelingly of what he con- O
2 «ldered the pereecutlon of Catho- O
2 1,c * In France under the law aep- O
2 orating the church and mate. O
0 O
coooqooooooooooooooooooodo
TO SEEK PARDON
New York, Dec. 6.—It Is reported
here that Albert Patrick, who I, In
Sing Sing prison, having been con
demned to the electric chair following
hi* conviction on a charge of murder
ing Millionaire Rice, haa secretly pre
pared a petition asking Governor Hig
gins for pardon.
SALARY INCREASE
NOT DEFEATED
All effort* to defeat the proposed In
crease In salaries of a number of city
officials failed In the city council at
the special meeting Thursday after
noon. The ordinance will be adopted.
STORM IN NORTHEAST
CAUSE8 WIRE TROUBLE
Many wires are down because of the
severe storm which has been prevail
ing over New York and northeastern
state*. No race results were accepted
for Immediate dispatch.
RA IVLINS WRITES EPITAPH
POR HIS OWN TOMBSTONE
This Is the epitaph written by J. O. Rawlins for hi* own tombstone.
It le typical of the stem old man. once a preacher, well versed In religion,
who went to his death believing that he had no hope of salvation.
J. a. RAWLINS.
Born June 19. 1M6- .
This berk wuurejl built,“but"ml .guided, ran hard on the rocks of de
ft ruction.
Life for Milton and Jesse Rawlins!
With the gallows on which their fa
ther perished Tuesday standing within
the Jail Incloeure at Valdosta, ready to
send them to eternity Friday, mercy
was shown them Thursday morning
by the prison commission and Govern
or Joseph M. Terrell.
Chairman J. 8. Turner und General
Clement A. Kvans signed the recom
mendation which meant life to the
boys. Colonel Tom Eason, the other
member of the commleslon, was not
present.
Contrary to general expectation, the
commission made short shift of their
hard task. The opinion had been ex
pressed that the decision would not be
made before late Thursday afternoon.
Before 10 o'clock Attorney John H
Cooper was on hand. HI* every move
ment gave expression to Ills Intense
anxiety and nervousnese. They waited
until near 11 o’clock to give Colonel
Eason an opportunity to come In, but
as he did not. Chairman Turner finally
sent for Mr. Cooper.
Face Told Story,
He was not in the private office of
the commission more than ten minutes
when he came out. his face wreathed
In happy smiles. He fairly exuded Ills
good news.'
"What Is the decision, Mr. Cooper?”
asked a newspaper man.
"Sorry I can't tell you," was the smil
ing reply. "But you know the matter
cannot be given out until It has gone
to the governor.”
Maybe Mr. Cooper did not reallae It,
but he might as well have shouted the
news of the commutation from the
house tops. No man could have smiled
as happily as hs did with any but good
news.
And he has been terribly In earnest
In this case. He believed with all his
being that Milton and Jesse Rawlins
ought to be commuted to life Imprison
ment. Now that It Is all over, he con
fessed that he gave up hope absolutely
for old man Rawlins months ago, but
hs did not for the boys.
"I guess I'm about as happy os those
two boys." he said. "And tnlnk of the
|oy In that old mother’s heart! She
Ja In ColTee county today burying her
husband, but this news will lift the un
utterable weight of sorrow from her."
Mr. Cooper was profuse in his praise
of Governor Terrell.
'He’s a man with a heart In him," he
said.
Send, News to Mother.
“But let me get the news to the boys
and that old mother,” and the fighting
lawyer fairly ran from the capitol for
the telegraph office. He sent the fol
lowing message of hope and life:
'Jesse and Milton Rnmllnr, Valdosta,
Ga.:
"Governor Terrell saves you both
from the gallows.
"JOHN R. COOPER."
Mrs. Angelina Rawlins, Ambrose, Ga.:
"Your boys saved from the gallows
by Governor Terrell.
JOHN' R. COOPER.'
WILL WORK FOR PARDON;
COOPER WILL NOT GIVE UP
UNTIL BOYS ARE SET FREE
FLED FROM CONVENT
TO WED HER LOVER BUT
POLICE CAME TOO SOON
"We have won. I have accomplished
what I have b«*en striving for during
eighteen months and the lives of your
boyit have been saved. I sympathise
with you In the loss of your husband
dnd I rejoice with you In the saving of
your two boys.”
This Is what Attorney John R. Coop
er, of Macon,‘wrote to Mrs. Angelina
Rawlins, wife of J. G. Rawlins, and
mother of Milton und Jesse Rawlins,
who were snatched from the scaffold
Thursday morning.
His strenuous fight against big odds
for eighteen months to save these boys
from the gallows has been won and
after sending telegrams to Mrs. Raw
lins and the boys, Attorney Cooper dic
tated letters to them at the Piedmont
hotel.
But even* with this great victory to
his credit he Is not yet done fighting.
He Is for tho present—-for a few years
—but he declares that he will go to hls
grave believing Milton, Jesse and Leon-
Continued on Page Fifteen.
JOHN R. COOPER.
The Mocon Attorney who H
fought eo hard to savo his
clients.
LETTER TO OLD MOTHER
IS TOUCHING MESS A GE
This Is the last letter written by J. G. Rawlins. It is addressed to his
old mother, who visited her son Monday, but who cuuld not witness hls
death:
Valdosta, Ga., Dec. 4, 1906.
Dear Mother: I am sorry 1 brought all this trouble on you anil the
rest of my people and friends, but I don't want any of you to grieve after
me, one bit. I would have been glad to see some of my people If I could;
I am not guilty of what I am accused of; my boys sre Innocent of that
crime; they did not do It, or have anything to do with It In uny way. I
believe the negro will own the crime when we go on the gallows.
I Want Lee to get me a cheap tombstone and put It to my grave. An-
gellne will give him the money to pay for It. On the other side of this
sheet you will see the words I wuut put on It. Your wayward boy,
J. G. RAWLINS.
became known quickly about the capi
tal, the official order was not drawn by
Chairman Turner and sent to the gov
ernor until about 1 o'clock Thursday
afternoon. Governor Terrell hud been
busied all the morning with the meet
ing of the agricultural school trustees,
but he Immediately signed the order
that gave the boys life.
Rtasons for Commutation.
The order drawn by the commission
recommends Milton and Jesse Rawlins
for commutation and that they be Im
prisoned for life. After stating that J.
Rawlins and Alt Moore had been
hanged for the crime, the commission
says:
"These defendants (Jesse and Milton)
at the time the crime was committed,
were aged,respectively 18 and IS. and
Were doubtless completely dominated
by their father, who would brook no
opposition from anyone, much less hls
atrocious crime must have been at hls
Instance und command.
"Since the execution of the father
and Moore, public sentiment seems al
most universal that the ends of Justice
w ill be completely met by the clemency
recommended, w hich Is urged by more
than 2.000 citizens of the state, from
every portion thereof and In every stu-
tton of life. This Is represented by
more than 200 letters and telegrams
besides petitions. More than 500
Lowndes county people have asked us
to commute them and the list includes
lawyers, bankers, newspaper men, min
isters, city and county officials and
members of both the house and senate.”
Long after the commission had
reached a decision telegrams from all
parts of the state kept pouring In
pleading for the lives of the boys.
Sheriff Passmore has been wired that
Following a highly romantic elope
ment from Marlon, Ind., Walter B.
Neal, 22 years of age. son of a well-
know retired Methodist minister of thut
place, and Miss Irene Keck, 17 years
of age, pretty and vivacious, who lied
from the confines of a Catholic con
vent In an effort to marry the man she
loves, were arrested late Wednesday
afternoon by Policeman Rosser, after
a clever bit of detective work.
The two young lovers are now held
In the police station, ti)e arrests hav
ing frustrated the proposed marriage,
temporarily at least.
The young people were taken Into
custody on a telegram frpm the chief
of police of Marlon, who wired tor their
arrest ut the Instigation of Mrs. Mary
Keek, mother of the runaway girl.
Mrs. Keck, It Is understood, objects to
the marriage on account of the tender
age of her daughter.
“Polios Were Too Quick.”
The authorities of the Indiana city
have beet) notified nnd the lovers will
be held pending Instructions.
Both declare, however, their Inten
tion of yet taking a voyage on the sea
of matrimony.
”1 love Walter and I want to marry
him," said Miss Keck at the police
station. "That Is why I left school
and came all the way to Atlanta. I
don’t see why they want to Interfere
with us In this way.”
“I certainly. Intend to have Miss Keck
Though nows of the commutations minor sons. Their participation la this the boys are not to hang.
McRae, G«.. Dec. 6?—The body of J,
G. Rawlins, hanged ut Valdosta Tues
day. was burled In the family builal
ground near Rockhouse church Thurs
day morning. Rawlins’ old mother, hls
wife and two duughters were umong
the few who witnessed the burial. No
preacher participated.
A slowly fulling ruin and hovering
louds made the occasion a gloomy one.
Henry Fusselle conducted the cere
monies In the absence of a minister.
The mother of Rawlins showed more
grief than the others. She believed In
her son to the last und thought him In
nocent.
WILL HOLD PRIMARY
FOR CITY OFFICERS
gpeWnl to The Georgian.
Waycross, Ga., Dec. 8,—The primary
for the selection of three aldermen and
three members of the board of educa
tion will be held Saturday, Decem
ber 8.
The terms of Aldermen J. A. Lott, 1L
If. H&llan) and A. «. Morton expire In
January, as do also the terms of W. J.
Carswell, J. C. Humphreys and A. M.
Knight, members of the board of edu
cation.
All three of the. members of the
board of education will probably be
elected without opposition, and Mr.
I«ott and Mr. Morton will no doubt be
returned as aldermen.
for my wife,” asserted Neal. "If the
police had waited Just a little bit lomr-
er. It would have been all over and slit
would be my bride.”
Young Neal camo to Atlanta about
two weeks ago und Miss Keck arrived
here a day or two ago, engaging a room
In u boarding house In East nuntcr
street until Neal could complete the ar
rangements for the marriage
Rossir Shadowed Girl. J
When tho disappearance of the girl
became known. th»* police of Marlon
were at once notified end a telegram
whs sent to t'hlcf Jennings, it beln<
thought she had come here' to meet
Neal, officer Rosser was detailed on
the case and Wedne#1ay afternoon
found Neal at work In the plant of the
Foote & Davies Compuny, where he
wns taken Into custody.
The officer could get no information
from the young man concerning the ,
whereabouts of the missing girl, but i
close search was soon rewarded. While
walking along one of the down town
streets Rosser’s attention was attracted
to a pretty maiden who was strolling
along through the crowd. On taking a
closer look the officer at once realised
thut she fit the description of Miss j
Keck. Satisfied he was on the right j
truck, he shadowed the girl for sonia j
tUnc, she finally entering the hour* In
Hunter street.
Going into the house himself, ti:o
officer began to question the girl. and
she finally admitted she was MUs
Keck. She was then taken to the j >-
lice station and placed in the care of
the matron. I
SOUTHERN SIDESTEPS
FIST MAIL CONTRACT
Washington. Dee. 6.—In petitioning
the postoffice department to relieve It
from continuing the fast mall service
to Atlunta and the southwest. It Is un- •
derstood that the officials of the road
merely wanted to have the contract
unnulled.
In doing this the road seeks to avoid
the heavy penalties that have been
forced on It because of delayed mall*.
The officials of the company have since
announced that the train will continue ;
to run, but the schedule will be s >
lengthened that the penalties will t i
Is* felt so heavily by the company.
MR. GARRETT 18 TO SELECT
A NEW TRAFFIC MANAGER
Norfolk. Va., Dec. While th ■ f-
fiee of necoml vice preuldent of the .«-
board Air Line railway, which Tr.itn-:
Manager E. F. t’ost, of thgt system, re
linquishes In hls retirement to accept
a new position with the Kansas <’lty
Southern railway. Is an elective off*, .i
and can not be filled until the S< i -
board directorate meets the latter part
of December, it Is declared that First
Vice President and General Manager..
A. Garrett, of the Seaboard, mill
have the selection of a new traffic man -
ager and that some Queen and Crescent
man formerly employed under Ga. • it
ut (’Ineinnati will get this plum.