Salt Lake Telegram | 1928-04-20 | Page 3 | Two Convicts in Oregon Hanged

CONVICTS n nR 0 ON HAN Ellsworth Kelly James Sames Willos Go to Death Bra Bravely ly STATE STATE PENITENTIARY t Salem salem sa- sa lem tern Ore April 20 United Press Press Press- Ellsworth Kelley Keley 32 a and d James Willos Willos 30 30 members of a convict a. ct band that shot its way to temporary freedom three years ago were hanged h here re today Kelley Keney went to his death at a. a m. m and Willos followed him to the gallows at a. a m mt Facing death with c courage the condemned men mounted tb the fateful fateful fate fate- ful ul steps leading to their doom In a ac c calm lm and collected manner Before leaving their cells they again declared declared de do dared their innocence and denied that th they y had committed murder It was the fourth time the pair pall had had been been under death sentence the execution marking the end of one of the bitterest struggles for life in inthe inthe the tho history of Oregon MARKS ARKS BANDS BAND'S PASSING It Tt also marked the passing passing- of a abold abold abold bold convict band that on Aug August st 12 1925 stormed the wardens warden's of office office of- of fice lice obtained revolvers and went over over the prison walls with their weapons spitting death f Tom Murray the tho youthful leader Willos and K Kelley were captured Bert Oregon Jones was killed In Inthe Inthe inthe the fight that also claimed d the JI lives es of James Holman and John Sweeney Swee Swee- ney sley prison guards The trio was convicted of first degree murder Murray admittedly admitted admitted- ly lya a a killer committed suicide while in the death fell cell waiting awaiting execution tion OBTAINED STAY S Sentenced to todie die Janu January ry 8 1926 Kelley and Willos obtained a stay of by by appealing to higher high high- er et courts Other execution dates dates' were November 5 1926 August 19 1927 and April 13 1928 Appeals to o higher courts finally to the United States supreme court habeas corpus proceedings and re reprieves reprieves reprieves re- re granted by Governor I. L- LI L. L Patte Patterson son kept the men on a re receding Ie- Ie e ceding eve of execution for almost 0 three years Ever optimistic the pair pall did not los lose courage today when they realIzed realized realized real real- that no further further- delay of death was possible We killed no one they said facing facing- the tho executioner with steel nerves