Show i Jf l Letter Leffer From a Murderer E- E ELSEWHERE on this page today is s published Jp a a l letter lter from Robert H. H McCoy murderer it fRoy Roy A. A Heath in 1924 Though very much longer ger than the rules permit for contributions cont to believe publication to What Readers Think we cation 1 tio of ot the letter is in the public interest I I It is well remembered that McCoy who p participated in armed robbery of ot the Bountiful State bank was making an attempt at escape lri in the foothills east of Bountiful when Mr Heath I ath and business associates approached him hima himin in ki a car The party was inspecting real estate in n the vicinity of Val Verda Its members were Unaware Unaware that the Bountiful bank had been l' l tabbed robbed or that McCoy was a fleeing fugitive McCoy cCOy riddled their car with with gunfire in which Mr r. r Heath was killed Others in the party narrowly escaped McCoy was duly tried He had competent J counsel l. l To the jury the evidence was con con- sive He was sentenced to serve a life term r In 1929 McCoy escaped from the state prison li H He was recaptured and About I te ten months ago in abuse of a special trust re reposed reposed re- re posed in him by the prison warden he escaped again b being ing later re recaptured and again put behind the t e bars bar During D ring his imprisonment he heas has as been a persistent applicant for clemency lemen y His criminal record speaks for itself His detter letter too reveals his state of mind with re- re sp ct to orderly society and its institutions It Will ill be a matter r of some surprise to thoughtful citizens we think that prison censorship would permit a letter of this sort t to be sent out from th the penitentiary Roy Heath was a man of f family He was an ri upright ht respected ted ar aid d useful citizen He Ho was shot down in cold blood There was wide widespread spread mourning in this community The loss to so society and t to his family and nd host of ot intimate trends friends was was grievous McCoys McCoy's letter gives no hint that these things weigh upon his mind mind mind- but only that socie society y ou outrages ages him by exacting the laws law's due This newspaper in demanding expiation for forc c murder com committed in an attempted escape after e bank robbery has only insisted that justice justice justice jus jus- tice take its orderly course It has voiced not notly only ly its own sentiments but also the sentiments of f l and society Mc- Mc took the life o of an alil unoffending man a husband hus- hus band d and father an asset to society The law has ls as' as n not t de demanded a life for a life but has b benignly permitted him to live with opportunity opportunity opportunity to purge his cons conscience by making his peace peace With his lIs G God d. d The liThe way of the transgressor A ard McCoy can make his own way easier byJ or and penitence by regeneration j thieved achieved by listening to the still small voice that c can lead ead him back into th brotherhood d of man He gives scant evidence that he has sought this iw 4 way to peace peace peace-of of mind We commend it to him Irle |