His whole life may have been a record of flagrant cowardice, yet he
walks steadily to the scaffold and dies 'like a man'; he may have
been illiterate to a degree, yet in the very shadow of the gallows
he writes a statement for publication the depth and power of which
astonishes the world. From the sentence to the finish, the murderer's
life is one bed of roses. Every pretty girl who visits the prison
brings him flowers and sweets, and begs eagerly for his autograph;
great authors write books about him; great lawyers draw up petitions
from notable men and women asking for his pardon, and the governor's
secretary works night and day, declining their requests, writing
special permits and "standing off" tearful relatives, friends and
sweethearts, who spring up as if by magic to plead his cause.
"No other man gets half the flattering attention that is given the
condemned; no one else is given half the chance to make a glorious
finish. By some occult influence his faults are utterly effaced and
every latent talent is developed to a point of absolute perfection.
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