of the judge to instruc t the jury on a lesser offense than first
degree murder and on the ineffective assistance of his trial counsel
_ was unsuccessful, The attorneys who had interested themselves in his
case after his trial then unsuccessfully sought a writz of error
coram nobis from the trial court and a writ, of Habaes corpus from
the LaPorte Superior Court. He was granted reprieves during the
legal maneuvering, receiving one only 15 minutes beforea scheduked
execution and the United States Supreme Court denied three petitions
for certiorari, He was finally electrocuted on June 23, 1939, and
his last words, spoken to his minister, were: "I'm ready, reverend,
I'm ready for sure this time," .
INSIDE DETECTIVE, August, 1943, "The Last Mile", page 7.
CAPITAL PUNISHMENT IN INDIANA DURING THE TWENTIETH CENTURY by Robert
Morgan Grooms, unpublished,
21) INDIANA 12 (15 NORTHEASTERN (2nd) 381); 306 UNITED STATES 660
(59 SUPREME COURT 791); 215 INDIANA 259, 256 (18 NORTHEASTERN (2nd)
921y 928); 307 U. S. 650 (59 SUPREME COURT 831) 2 =
of the judge to instruc t the jury on a lesser offense than first
degree murder and on the ineffective assistance of his trial counsel
_ was unsuccessful, The attorneyg who had interested themselves in his
case after his trial then unsuccessfully sought a writz of error
coram nobis from the trial court and a writ, of Habaes corpus from
the LaPorte Superior Court. He was granted reprieves during the
legal maneuvering, receiving one only 15 minutes beforea scheduked
execution and the United States Supreme Court denied three petitions
for certiorari, He was finally electrocuted on June 23, 1939, and
his last words, spoken to his minister, were: "I'm ready, reverend,
I'm ready for sure this time," .
INSIDE DETECTIVE, August, 193, "The Last Mile", page 7.
CAPITAL PUNISHMENT IN INDIANA DURING TEE TWENTIFTH CENTURY by Robert
Morgan Grooms, unpublished,
21 INDIANA 12 (15 NORTHEASTERN (2nd) 381); 306 UNITED STATES 660
(59 SUPREME COURT 791); 215 INDIANA 259, 256 (18 NORTHEASTERN (2nd)
92ly 928); 307 U. S. 650 (59 SUPREME COURT 83) 2 :
of the judge to instruc t the jury on a lesser offense than first
degree murder and on the ineffective assistance of his trial counsel
was unsuccessful, The attorneys who had interested thenselves in his
case after his trial then unsuccessfully sought a write of error
coram nobis from the trial court and a writ, of Habaes corpus from
the LaPorte Superior Court. He was granted reprieves during the
legal. maneuvering, receiving one only 15 minutes beforea schedubed
execution and the United States Supreme Court denied three petitions
for certiorari, He was finally electrocuted on June 23, 1939, and
is last words, spoken to his minister, were: "I'm ready, reverend,
n ready for sure this time,”
"The Last Mile", page
INSIDE DETECTIVE, August, 1943. Te
CAPITAL PUNISHMENT IN INDIANA DURING TEE TWENTIRTH CENTURY by Robert
Morgan Grooms, unpublished,
214 INDIANA 412 (15 No! STERN (2nd) 381); 306 UNIIED STATES 6
(59 SUPREME COURT 791); 215 INDIANA 259, 256 (18 NORTHEASTERN (ona)
(59 SUP
S2ly 928)3 307 U. S. 650 REME COURT 831)
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SWAIN, James Reed
Swain, a black man, was born in Kentucky on February l, 1919. His
mother died when he was a year old and he was sent to live with an
uncle in Evansville, Ind,, from whence, when he was lleyears-old,
he was sent to the Indiana Boys School foklowing a conviction of
petty larceny. After his release from the reformatory, he was unem-
ployed for most of the time even though he did work as a waiter on a
few occasions, On the night of Nov, 23, 1937, he and James Alexander,
l6-years-old, decided to rob the Evansville grocery store owned by
(O«year-old Christ Bredenkamp, Alexander owned a rifle and Swain
borrowed a shotgun to use in the robbery, then they entered the
store, Mr, Bredenkamp asked what they. wanted and when they replied
that they planned to rob himxthe elderly merchant grahbed a butcher's
knife, Swain shot him in the abdomen with the shotgun, inflicting a
wound from which Bredenkamp died shortly afterwards, Roth Swain and
Alexander were arrested on November 2); and confessed, Because of
his youth and his cooperation in testifying against Swain at his
tri here Swain was represented by a pauper's attorney who showed
cab titer interest in the case, AlSxander’ was fone a Life sentence
while Swain was sentenced to die in Indiana's-electric chair.
An appeal to the Indiana Supreme Court on the grounds of the failure
SWAIN, James Reed
Swain, a black man, was born in Kentucky on February l, 1919. His
mother died when he was a year old and he was sent to live with an
uncle in Evansville, Ind,, from whence, when he was ll-years-old,
he was sent to the Indiana Boys School foklowing a conviction of
petty larceny. After his release from the reformatory, he was unem-
ployed for most of the time even though he did work as a waiter on a
few occasions, On the night of Nov, 23, 1937, he and James Alexander,
16-years-old, decided to rob the Evansville grocery store owned by
70-year-old Christ Bredenkamp, Alexander owned a rifle and Swain
borrowed a shotgun to use in the robbery, When they entered the
store, Mr, Bredenkamp asked what they. wanted and when they replied
that they planned to rob himkthe elderly merchant grahbed a butcher's
knife. Swain shot him in the abdomen with the shotgun, inflicting a
wound from which Bredenkamp died shortly afterwards, Roth Swain and
4lexander were arrested on November 2; and confessed, Because of
his youth and his cooperation in testifying against, Swain at his
peat. where Swain was represented by a pauper's attorney who showed
but. Li
ttle interest in the case, Alexander was given a life sentence
while Swain was sentenced to die in Indiana's-electric chair.
An appeal to the Indiana Supreme Court on the grounds of the failure
SWAIN, James Reed
Swain, a black man, was born in Kentucky on February ), 1919. His
mother died when he was a year old and he was sent to live with an
uncle in Evansville, Ind,, from whence, when be was ll-vears-old,
he was sent to the Indiana Boys School foklowing a conviction of
petty larceny, After his release from the reformatory, he was unem-
ployed for most of the time even though he did work as a waiter on a
few occasions, On the night of Nov, 23, 1937, he and James Alexander
16-years-old, decided to rob the Evansville grocery store owned by
70-year-old Christ Bredenkamp, Alexander owned a rifle and Swain
borrowed a shotgun to use in the then they entered the
store, Mr, Bredenkam asked what
wound from witch Eredenkam dicd chortiy aftervardes
‘lexander were arrested on Novenber 2; and confessed,
his youth and his cooperation in testifying against, Swain at his
orney, sho showed
ten Pegpcant erect, in hee sag eh alban RezPmas given a Life sentence
Sentenced to dié in Indiana's electric chairs
Raaeeel susie auiiane Suprene Gonee cathe grounds of the failure
Ete pee
