JUNE 8TH IS THE DAY FIXED.
Governor Terrell Signs Another Respite for Rawlings.
Governor Terrell yesterday issued respites to June 8 for J.G. Rawlings, his two sons, Milton and Jesse, and the Negro, Alf Moore, all under sentence of death Friday at Valdosta for the murder of the Carter children. This date was arrived at after consultation with Attorney General Hart and careful computation of the time necessary for the decision of the United States Supreme Court to be made.
Thirty days are necessary for the decision to reach Atlanta from Washington, which would throw the date to May 10, counting from the time the decision was handed down at the national capital. Some twelve more days will be necessary for the Georgia Supreme Court to pass on it and send the remittitur to Lowndes County Superior Court.
As nearly as possible, Governor Terrell commuted the time on the basis of the decision, arriving at the date of June 8. The respites came to Valdosta this afternoon.
As yet, no formal petition has been presented to the prison commission asking for commutation of sentence for the father and his two sons. General Evans stated this morning that, inasmuch as the respites had been extended to June 8, the commission would not go into the case at the meeting next week, and probably not until early in June.
No More Delays in Case
It is understood that Governor Terrell informed Attorney Cooper that he would not grant any more privileges in the case for the purpose of getting it before the pardon board and that whatever the attorney expected to do in the matter must be done before June 8. It is understood that the Governor made himself plain in this matter to cut off any further delays that might be adopted for the purpose of delaying the execution.
The order for the execution reached Sheriff Passmore today, and is as follows:
May 4, 1906
To the Sheriff of Lowndes County:
Whereas, the Supreme Court of the United States did, on the 16th day of April, 1906, affirm the judgment of the Supreme Court of Georgia in the cases of the State of Georgia vs J.G. Rawlings, Milton Rawlings, and Jesse Rawlings, convicted at a special term of Lowndes Superior Court, held in July, 1905, of the crime of murder, and sentenced to be executed on May 4, 1906; and
Whereas, under the rules of said Court, its mandate does not issue until 30 days after the rendition of the judgment, and whereas, under the rules of the Supreme Court of Georgia, its remitter to the Supreme Court does not issue for 10 days after the reception of the mandate of the United States Supreme Court, it is therefore ordered:
That the execution of J.G. Rawlings, Milton Rawlings, and Jesse Rawlings be suspended until Friday, June 8, 1906, on which day, in the absence of any legal order to the contrary, you, the Sheriff of Lowndes County, will proceed to do execution on the bodies of the said J.G. Rawlings, Milton Rawlings, and Jesse Rawlings, in accordance with the judgment of the court rendered in said cases.
It is further ordered:
That the execution of Alf Moore, who is a material witness for the state in said cases, be suspended until Friday, June 8, 1906, and in the absence of any legal order directing the contrary, you, the Sheriff of Lowndes County, will proceed to do execution upon the body of the said Alf Moore, in accordance with the sentence of the court rendered in said case. Herein fail not.
By the Governor:
Benjamin M. Blackburn,
Secretary Executive Department.