the two men had killed Pahl in a dispute over payment, but he was
convicted and sentenced to die. His attorneys and many others be-
lieved that he was innocent and a sustained fight was waged for his
_ life that obtained for him twenty reprieves. His case‘was taken to
the United States Supreme Court which refused jurisdiction. When
all efforts to save his life had failed, Simmons and three other
prisoners attempted to break out of Prison but their efforts were
foiled by an alert guard, On Aug. 11, 1925, he walked unaided to
the electric chair in the Nebraska State Prison and seated himself
with a smile on his face. Shortly before going into the death cham-
ber, he recited "The Killing of Dan McGrew" for assembled reporters,
OMAHA WORLD HERALD, August 11, 1925,
See: "A Thin RXKX Dime buts a BXEX¥ Hot Seat," by
Charles R, Smith’, NATIONAL DETECTIVE CASES MAGAZINE -
NEBRASKA - BOOK AND MAGAZINE EXCERPTS, i :
the two men had killed Pahl in a dispute over payment, but he was
convicted and sentenced to die, His attorneys and many others be-
lieved that he was innocent and a sustained fight was waged for his
life that obtained for him twenty reprieves., His case‘was taken to
the United States Supreme Court which refused jurisdiction. When
all efforts to save his life had failed, Simmons and three other
prisoners attempted to break out of Prison but their efforts were
foiled by an alert guard. On Aug. 11, 1925, he walked unaided to
the electric chair in the Nebraska State Prison and seated himself
with a smile on his face, Shortly before going into the death cham-~
ber, he recited "The Killing of Dan McGrew" for assembled reporters,
OMAHA WORLD HERALD, August 11, 1925,
See: "A Thin RXXX Dime buts a BAEXX Hot Seat," by
Charles R, Smith’, NATIONAL DETECTIVE CASES MAGAZINE -
NEBRASKA - BOOK AND MAGAZINE EXCERPTS. i h
the two men had killed Pahl in a dispute over payment, but he was
convicted and sentenced to die, His attorneys and many others be=
lieved that he was innocent and a sustained fight was waged for his
life that obtained for him twenty reprieves.
His case was taken to
the United States Supreme Court which refused jurisdiction. When
all efforts to save his life had failed, Simmons and three other
prisoners attempted to break out of Prison but their efforts were
foiled by an alert guard. On Aug. 11, 1925, he walked unaided to
the electric chair in the Nebraska State Prison and seated himself
with a smile on his face, Shortly before going into the death cham-
ber, he recited "The Killing of Dan McGrew" for assembled reporters,
OMAHA WORLD HERALD, August 11, 1925.
See: "A Thin RXKX Dime buts a BXEXY Ho
Charles R, Smith’, NATIONAL DETECTIVE CASES MAGAZINE -
NEBRASKA - BOOK AND MAGAZINE EXCERPTS.
t Seat,” by
SAptotapeeesniva Shoes Whouins
SIMMONS, Walter Ray .-
Simmons, a 2h-year-old white native of Montana, had worked variously
as a cowboy, baseball player and deputy sheriff in his native State,
Allegedly he was also a bootlegger, In 1922, he went to Omaha, Neb,
where hé spent a couple of months gambling away his money. 4e then
went to Spencer, Neb., where he became friendly witha garage owner,
Frank Herman Pahl, On the night of May 14, 1922, Simmons and Pahl
who was carrying $80 drove out to a bridge near Spencer. Pahl did
not return home and his body was found buried in a shallow grave
underneath the bridge the next day. He had been bludgeoned to death
‘with a hammer and his money was missing, When a nearby farmer re-
ported that a mal7Rad spent the night sleeping in his barn fled the
next morning leaving ablood-stained car behind, officers started
$railing Simmons who went first to Fairfax, S. De, where he purchased
new clothing and left behind some that were bloodstained and then to
Norfolk, Nebr., where he registered in a hotel under an assumed name
and was arrested, Returned to Spencer, public indignation was so
great that he was BXEX spirited out of Jail to the State Prison just
before a lynch mob arrived, Simmons maintained that he and Pahl had
gone to the bridge to purchase a load of bootleg whiskey and that
SIMMONS, Walter Ray
Simmons, a 2h<year-old white native of Montana, had worked variously
as a cowboy, baseball player and deputy sheriff in his native State,
Allegedly he was also a bootlegger, In 1922, he went to Omaha » Neb.
where he spent a couple of months gambling away his money. then
went to Spencer, Neb., where he became friendly witha garage owner,
Frank Herman Pahl, On the night of May 14, 1922, Simmons and Pahl
who was carrying $480 drove out to a bridge near Spencer, Pahl did
not return home and his body was found buried in a shallow grave
underneath the bridge the next day. He had been bludgeoned to death
‘with a hammer and his money Was missing. When a nearby farmer re-
ported that a maB?Raq spent the night sleeping in his barn fled the
next morning leaving ablood-stained car behind, officers started
$railing Simmons who went first to Fairfax, S. Des where he purchased
new clothing and left behind some that were bloodstained and then to
Norfolk, Nebr., where he registered in a hotel under an assumed name
and was arrested, Returned to Spencer, public indignation was so
great that he was BXEX spirited out of jail to the State Prison just
before a lynch mob arrived, Simmons maintained that he and Pahl had
gone to the bridge to purchase a load of bootleg whiskey and that
SIMMONS, Walter Ray
Simmons, 8 2-year-old white native of Montana, had worked variously|
as a cowboy, baseball player and deputy sheriff in his native State,
Allegedly he was also 4 bootlegger. In 1922, he went to Omaha, Neb.
where he spent a couple of months gambling away his money. 4e then
went to Spencer, Neb., where he became friendly witha garage owner,
Frank Herman Pahl, On the night of May 1, 1922, Simmons and Pahl
who was carrying $180 drove out to a bridge near Spencer, Pahl did
not return home and his body was found buried in a shallow grave
underneath the bridge the next day. He had been bludgeoned to death
with a hammer and his money was missing, When a nearby farmer re-
ported that a naliad spent the night sleeping in hie barn fled the
i a
great that he was IMI spirited out of jail to the State Prison just
before a lynch mob arrived, Simmons maintained that he and Pahl had
gone to the bridge to purchase a load of bootleg whiskey and that
