DESPERATE EFFORT

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVII, Issue 212, 22 August 1927, Page 5

DESPERATE EFFORT

TO SAVE SACCO & VANZETTI COUNSEL PRESENT PETITIONS. FRENCH ' LAW JOURNAL’S COMMENT. IBy Cable —Press Assn. — Copyrltht.i (Received 22, 11.5 a.m.) London, Aug. 21. "The Law Journal,” commenting on the Sacco-Vanzetti cate, says: “When ail allowance is made for Governor Fuller's and his committee’s atemtpts to reach a just decision. the impression remains that there was not, enough certainty m the evidence to justify a capital sen tence- Apart from this, tho State cannot shift the responsibility for six vears’ delay. It will shock the world if this prolonged legal contest closes with the infliction of the last nenalty.”—(A. and N.Z.) PROTEST MEETINGS IN FRANCE. (Received 22, 11.15 a.m.) Paris, Aug. 21. Communists held 20 meetings ol protest against the execution of Sacco and Vanzetti. The Republican Guards are protecting the American Embassy and police are on duty nt American newspaper offices and business houses—(A. and N.Z.) LABOUR’S APPEAL. (Received 22. 1.40 p.m.) London, Aug. 21. The Trade Union Congress and the Labour party have cabled Governor Fuller appealing for clemency for Sacco and Vanzetti. Mr Ramsay MacDonald has sent message saying that the 1 ‘ whole affair is too terrible, and he hopes the United States’ reputation will even.now be saved from the horror of this execution.”

A half-hour’s strike has been ordered to-morrow at Cologne as a protest.—(Sydney ‘' Sun ’ ’ cable.) COURTS ASKED TO REVIEW CASE. APPEAL TO COOLIDGE. New York, August 20. M ith the hour for the execution of Sacco and Vanzetti rapidly approaching, their counsel are making last desperate efforts to save their lives. They lodged petitions with the clerk of the United States Supreme Court, one asking for a review of the case as it developed before the Massachusetts Supreme Court, and the other asking for a review of the original trial. The petitions are unable to be formally filed, because the accompanying records are insufficient, but counsel undertook to complete the formalities by August 22. However, as these proceedings themselves are insufficient to «+ the execution and the hearing thereon would uot be obtained before October, other members of the defence counsel are endeavouring to obtain such a stay. Meantime police vigilance has been redoubled and protest meetings are being held in many parts of the United States. Many death watches have been arranged for the night of the execution. Fifteen sympathisers were arrested while picketing State House. Boston. Large delegations from New York and other cities have arranged to assemble outside the prison if the sentence is carried out

Sacco remains calm, despite his weakened condition due to the hunger strike, hut Vanzetti talks wildly as the hour of death w—roaches. It is feared the long suspense is finally beginning to unsettle his mmd. The New York newspapers, some of which have previously refrained from comment all devote leaders to the case, the majority expressing the hope that the death penalty will not be exacted. STAY OF EXECUTION REFUSED A message from Beverley. Massa chusetts, states that Mr Justice Holmes, of the United States Supreme Cour at his home there to-, day, refused a stay of the execution of Sacco and Vanzetti. The day continued to be one of strenuous legal efforts on behalf of the condemned men. The Federal Court of Appeal and Mr Justice Holmes, of the United States, were petitioned to grant a further reprieve to permit appeals for a writ of certiorari to be heard before the Supreme Court, but both declined to grant same. Mr Justice Holmes saving he had no power to do so. but should be very glad to have counsel for the condemned men make a similar application to another Supreme Court justice.

Counsel then appealed to Governor Fuller for a further reprieve, and visited the United States AttorneyGeneral. Mr Sargent, asking the latter to open the records of the Department of Justice, where, it is claimed, data bearing on Sacco and Vanzetti’s radical activities would throw new light on the case. Mr Sargent declined and an appeal was made to President Coolidge to instruct Mr Sargent to grant this tequest. Intimations from Washington are that strong pressure is being brought to bear to have the Federal Government interfere in the case Efforts are also being made to see Chief Jus. tice Taft, of the United States Supeme Court. —(A. and N.Z.) BERLIN SYMPATHISERS Berlin. August 20. A pro-Sacco crowd rushed a nloice cordon barring the American Embassy. The police were twice forced to use batons and rifl- butts to disperse the demonstrators. Ten were wounded and twelve arrested. The police have been reinforced, besides squads of plain-clothes m_en inside the Embassy’ and patrols in neighbouring streets.—(A and N.Z.)