i
to save his life when his attorneys unsuccessfully sought a stay of
execution fmom the Board of Pardons and Parole in order that they
might again take the case before the Supreme Court and when a Dis=
trict Judge refused to delay the execution because his attorneys
maintained that he was suffering from mental illness and distorted
views, Shortly before his death, McGowen said that while he felt no
bitterness, he felt that the sentence was too severe because he said
that he had acted in self defense. He was electrocuted at the Texas
State Prison on April 2h, 1957. He went to his death calmly, smiling
once while he was being strapped in the chair, and his last words,
spoken when the Warden asked him if he had anything to say, were:
"No, Mr. Warden, I do not have a statement to make,"
290 SOUTHWESTERN (Second) 521; 77 SUPREME COURT 268, 32h, 1105,
HOUSTON POST, Houston, Texas, April 2h, 1957
to save his life when his attorneys unsuccessfully sought a stay of :
execution fnom the Board of Pardons and Parole in order that they
might again take the case before the Supreme Court and when a Dis-
trict Judge refused to delay the execution because his attorneys
maintained that he was suffering from mental illness and distorted
views, Shortly before his death, McSowen said that while he felt no
bitterness, he felt that the sentence was too severe because he said
that he had acted in self defense, He was electrocuted at the Texas
State Prison on April 2l1, 1957, He went to his death calmly, smiling
once while he was being strapped in the chair, and his last words,
spoken when the Warden asked him if he had anything to say, were:
"No, Mr. Warden, I do not have a statement to make,"
290 SOUTHWESTERN (Second) 521; 77 SUPREME COURT 268, 32h, 105,
HOUSTON POST, Houston, Texas, April 2h, 1957
to save his life when his attorneys unsuccessfully sought a stay of
execution fnom the Board of Pardons and Parole in order that they
might again take the case before the Supreme Court and when a Dis-
trict Judge refused to delay the execution because his attorneys
maintained that he was suffering from mental illness and distopted
views, Shortly before his death, Mctowen said that while he felt no
bitterness, he felt that the sentence was too severe because he said
that he had acted in self defense, He was electrocuted at the Texas
State Prison on April 2, 1957, He went to his death calmly, smil:
once while he was being strapped in the chair, and his last words,
spoken when the Warden asked him if he had anything to say, were:
No, Mr. Warden, T do not have a statement to make,"
290 SOUTHWESTERN (Second) 521; 77 SUPREME COURT 268, 32h, 1105,
HOUSTON POST, Houston, Texas, April 2, 1957
nite (Send) 50s 71 SERHE Oa 268, 2p LOS.
cin Pot, usta Roses dpe iy ST
McGOWEN, Yancey A.
McGowen, a 6l-year=old white man, had been convicted of the murder
of his wife's aunt, Mary McKinney, in Cherokee Coss Texas, on Feb,
3, 1937, and sentenced to life imprisonment in the Texas State Prin
son, He was paroled in 1916 and went to Houston where he obtained
employment as an adverbising salesman, Around 1:30 on the morning
of Oct. 17, 1954, he, another man and two women companions entered
the 2K Sandwich Shop and seated themselves at a table next to that
at which Herbert A, Schwartz and three other men were seated, McGo-
wen and his male friend began making derogatory remarks about the
four men seated at the next table, calling them, among other things,
"Jew bastards." Schwartz turned around and asked them to either be
quiet and leave, A couple of minutes later, MoGowen rose from his
seat and attacked Scwartz, stabbing him in the left chest repeat edly
with a 3% inch switch blade knife, When one of Schwart's companions
and the manager intervened, McGowen cut both of them before backing
from the shop, entering his automobile and driving away, ‘hen he
was captured shortly afterwards, the opened knife was still in his
possession, His conviction was appealed to afifl affirmed by the
Texas Court of Criminal Appals and it was then taken to the U, S,
Supreme Court which denied certiorari, A last minute effort was made
McG OWEN . Yancey A,
McGowen, a 61-year-old white man, had been convicted of the murder
of his wife's aunt, Mary McKinney, in Cherokee Co., Texas, on Feb,
3, 1937, and sentenced to life imprisonment in the Texas State Pri-
son, He was paroled in 1916 and went to Houston where he obtained
employment as an adverbising salesman, Around 1:30 on the morning
of Oct. 17, 195), he, another man and two women companions entered
the 2K Sandwich Shop and seated themselves at a table next to that
at which Herbert A, Schwartz and three other men were seated, McGo-
wen and his male friend began making derogatory remarks about the
four men seated at the next table, calling them, among other things,
"Jew bastards." Schwartz turned around and asked them to either be
quiet and leave, A couple of minutes later, McGowen rose from his
seat and attacked Scwartz, stabbing him in the left chest repeat edly
with a 34 inch switch blade knife, When one of Schwart's companions
and the manager intervened, McGowen cut both of them before backing
from the shop, entering his automobile and driving away, ‘When he
was captured shortly afterwards, the opened knife was still in his
possession, His conviction was appealed to afif affirmed by the
Texas Court of Criminal Appals and it was then taken to the U. S,
Supreme Court which denied certiorari, A last minute effort was made
McGOWEN, Yancey A.
MeGowen, a 61-year-old white man, had been convicted of the mrder
his wife's aunt, Mary McKinney, in Cherokee Co,, Texas, on Feb,
3, 1937, and sentenced to life imprisonment in the Texas State Pri-
son, He was paroled in 1916 and went to Hi i
employment as an adverbising salesman, Around 1:30 on the morning
of Oct. 17, 195k, he, another man and two women companions entered
the 2K Sandwich Shop and seated themselves ata table next to that
at which Herbert A, Schwartz and three other men were seated, McGo-
wen and his male friend began making derogatory remarks about the
four men seated at the next table, calling then, among other things,
"Jew bastards." Schwartz turned around and asked them to either be
A couple of minutes later, M i
seat and attacked Scwartz, stabbing him in the left chest repeat edly
with a 34 inch switch blade knife, When one of Schwart's ae
and the manager intervened, McGowen cut both of then before ee
from the shop, entering his automobile and driving away. hen hi
was captured shortly afterwards, the opened knife was still in nde
possession, His conviction was appealed to afid affirm the |
ser nue marly
