tence. His execution was delayed by appeals until Feb. 5, 195h,
when he was electrocuted in Missis ssippi's portable electric chair
in the courtroom where he had been convicted before an audience of
).00 witnessesm who had been issued tickets by the sheriff, The con-
duct ey the crowd who drank beer and bought and sold the official
tickets prior to the electrocution was: suched that eee ate
Score passed a law substituting the gas chamber and private exe-
cutions for public executions by electrocutions. » Hven though his
common-law wife with whom he was allowed to visit for fifteen min-
utes before he died had told the prosectuing attorney ath Wheeler
had killed the two officers, he contimed to protest his innocence
and mae a brief speech before he was execut&d in which he affirmed
hls conversion to religion.
OFFICIAL 1 DETHOTIVE y April, 1976. "Death of an Electric Chair" by
Malley J, Byrd. ‘age 1],
63 SOUTHERN ¢2nd) 518; 7) SUPREME COURT 67; 68 SOUTHERN (2nd) 868
Vorb tlhen I Meeoe Pluy —Mdpe wd _
tence. His execution was delayed by ees until Feb, 5, 195h,
when he was electrocuted in Mississippi! 8 portable electric chair
in the courtroom where he had been convicted before an audience of
},00 witnessess who had Nae issued tickets by the sheriff, ‘The con-
duct of the crowd who drank beer and bought and sold the of.
tickets prior to the See was: suched that Missippippi
promptly passed a law substituting the gas chamber and private exe-
cutions for public executions by electrocutions, » iven though his
commo 1 wife with whom he was allowed to visit for fifteen min-
utes before he died had told the prosectuing attorney ath Wheeler
had killed the two officers, he contimed to protest his innocence
and made a brief speech before he was executaéd in which he affirmed
his conversion to religion. :
PICLAL DETECTIVE ty April, 1976. "Death of an Electric Chair" by
Malley J, Byrd. Page 11,
eS SOUTHERN $2nd) 518; 7 SUPREME COURT 67; 68 SOUTHERN (2nd) 868
Al Feb. 55 195)
: electric
in the courtroa efore an audie:
y the shei
}00 witnessesx
& of the crowd who dra:
poigit: aad eatin ee
the elk a Mi
slectroc tions.
law sv
> executions by.
common:
utes
ed to protest hi
a brief speech before he was axecithd in whict
P
"Death of an Electric Ch
63 SOUTHERN $2nd) 518; 7h SUPREME COURT 67; 68 SOUTHERN (2nd) 868
= Heeae~ [LUA -
6 sma ts) 58; se om
If Mhicae Wii) faa
WHERLER, luther Carlyle Lelnuary a) pe SHY
Wheeler, a white 26-year-old typewriter mechanic from Jacksonville 3
Fla., and his 3h-year-old common-law wife arrived broké in Hatties-
burg, Miss., on March 9, 1952, That night, she parked their ll-yea r.
old car in fromt of an automobile agency while he entered it for the
purpose of robbery. , The owner was inside the building and notified
the police. Officers Jesse J. Everett and M. W. Vinson arrived to
investiga te and Wheeler fled in the car being driven by the woman,
The offieers pursued and forced them to the side of the road where
Wheeler, after being ordered from EK& his automobile shot and killed
them both. The woman became frightaned and drove off leaving him
to flee on foot. He was apprehended a short time later walking to
town and had the weapon in his possession that had killed the offi-
cers, The @vidence against him was overwhelming, but he claimed to
be a victim of sircumstances, saying that two other men had shot
the officers and thrown the gun to him, He was convicted by a jury
that deliberated only a short mickte time RKYYXYET EEE :
ANXNXEXK and sentenced to Heath white daw COROT CSOT ae
qaently convicted of being an accessory and received a prison sen-
WHEELER, Luther Carlyle Pelnuary oF ee SH
Wheeler, a white 26-year-old typewriter mechanic from Jacksonville,
Fla., and his 3h-year-old common-law arrived broké in Hatties-
burg, Miss., on March 9, 1952, That night, she parked their ll-yea r.
old car in fromt of an automobile agency while he entered it for the
purpose of robbery. , The owner was inside the building and notified
the police. Officers Jesse J, Hverett and M. W. Vinson arrived to
investiga te and Wheeler fled in the car teing driven by the woman,
cers pursued and forced them to the side of the road where
Wheeler, after being ordered from ¥K& his automobile shot and killed
them both. The woman became frightaned and drove off leaving him
to flee on foote He was apprehended a short time later walking to
town and had the weapon in his possession that had killed the offi-
cers, The @vidence against him was overwhelming, but he claimed to
be a victim of sircumstances, saying that two other men had shot
the officers and thrown the gun to him, He was convicted by a jury
that deliberated only a si x time XK
AMXXERK and peor! cy deat wits ane pcre Sips urease ea
qaently convicted of being an accessory and received a prison
aie ky eee A
typewriter Ene c from tack: somite,
1 broké fi des=
ae might, “te parked
in ant of an automobile agency wh
Hele, of rob ‘The
Ot8kcers Jense J v
a Whee’ 1 the car being driven by the woman,
fficers pursued and forced them to the side of the road wher<
iheeler, after being omterod
them both. The woman becay
to flee on foot. Ha wa soph ded a
and had the weapon in h
Aghtaned and drove of
ort time later walking to
that had ki
as overwhelming, but he claimed to
mstances, saying that two other men had st
hin, He was convicts
bine #ACORCORCONSIREDG
his common-law wate +
convicted of be: oing an accessory and received a p
cers and Rees Goo
