OCR Text |
Show Seeks Death 1 1. 1 Mrs. Margaret Smeeman STRAlTl BRTMGS SUICIDEEFFORT Wife of Man Revealed aa Convict Makes Attempts to End Life (Be lalte PreM) DENVER, Jan. 24 Harried and hysterical, Mrs. Margaret Smeeman, wife of Glenn Smeeman, was guarded' by nurses and relatives today after two reported attempts to commit sui- cide. Mrs. Smeeman's condition became grave after Warden Roy Best of the state penitentiary, and Ralph Wann, member of the board ol corrections, refused to recommend a pardon for her husband, who, after escaping from a Colorado convict road gang 15 years ago, fought his way to a position of social and business prominence and jrespect in Cleveland. Details of Mrs. Smeeman's suicide attempts were elusive, but Fred E. Dickerson, attorney for Sheeman, who presented his pardon appeal to Governor Gov-ernor Edwin C. Johnson Monday, said her condition was critical. She was a Cleveland heiress before her marriage mar-riage to Smeeman, who went under the name of Harry Stanley in building up his music business. MOTHEB SUMMONED Her mother has been summoned from Cleveland, Dickerson said. The attorney declined to deny reports that she had attempted to kill herself, but refused to give the details. "I know she was unconscious for 24 hours," Dickerson said. "But I do not want to discuss it We do not want it to appear that Smeeman should be pardoned because of his wife. The matter already has been isuomiiiea 10 ine governor, ine reason for a pardon is that Sheeman made good for 15 years. "We could have had his wife at the' hearing yesterday if we had wanted I to capitalize on her condition and arouse sympathy. She could have been i seated there between nurses, passing out from time to time. But she wasn't I able to be there,- and I so told the i governor. I "Mrs. Smeeman ha been unable to I . (Ooetinae m Pass Twel i STRAIN BRINGS SUICIDEEFFORT tooatlased Frees Pass Ooel sleep without sedstlves. and for ona three-day stretch she didn't take a bit of food. Her mother's arrival should I help. They are trying to keep her up until ber mother gets here." NOT CONFIKMIO Reports that Mrs. Smeeman attempted at-tempted to kill herself by gas could I not ba confirmed. Dickerson wss Instructed by the governor at the conclusion of the pardon par-don hearing yesterday to obtain state-menta state-menta from Warden Best and members mem-bers of the board of corrections. He went to Csnon City lsst night, but pardon recommendations were refused re-fused by Best snd Wann. Wann, it was reported, ssid the question wss "none of my sffsirs." Hs Felt thst the governor wss the one to decide, unhampered by outside recommendations. rec-ommendations. I Beat, it was ssid. declared he believed be-lieved there were many other prisoners prison-ers in the penitentiary equally deserving deserv-ing of executive clemency as Smeeman, |