Shenandoah Evening Herald

October 3, 1877

 SUPREME COURT

__________

Mentions Kehoe, Dougherty and Fisher appeals and says this about the Hester case:

"The case against Patrick Hester, Patrick Tully and Peter McHugh, versus the Commonwealth, error to the Court of Oyer and Terminer of Columbia County, will be argued tomorrow.  John Clarke, Esq. of Bloomsburg, Columbia County vs. District Attorney, and Hon. F. W. Hughes will represent the Commonwealth, while Hons. John G. Freeze of Bloomsburg and S. P. Wolverton of Sunbury will argue the case for Hester et al."

"HESTER AND HIS BUTTIES in crime will be enabled to discuss their chances, pro and con, of obtaining a second trial, or of eventually avoiding the hangman for the murder of Alexander Rea.  In my opinion, Hester has not the ghost of a chance of escaping the penalty for his crime, as Judge Elwell was more than ordinarily careful to the rule, not in favor of one side or the other, but impartial to the last degree " T. B. Fielders.

January 7, 1878

AT DEATH'S DOOR

__________

Philadelphia, Pa.

Is Where The Adverse Decision of the Supreme Court Places Kehoe, Hester, Tully and McHugh.

The Despair of the Prisoners - The Final Effort.  Their Behalf Will Be An Attempt to Obtain a Commutation of Sentence From The Board of Pardons.

The State Supreme Court en Banc with Cheif Justice Agnew, and Justice Sharswood, Mercur, Gordon, Paxon and Woodward on the bench commenced it's session in this city today.

As for the case of Hester, Tully and McHugh:

"What is known as the case of Patrick Hester, Peter McHugh and Patrick Tully, error to the Court of Oyer and Terminer of the county of Columbia, came next in order and the decision of Judge Woodward was that the judgement of the Court of Oyer and Terminer is affirmed with an order that would be compiled for the purpose of carrying the sentence into execution."

The decision of the Supreme Court in the cases of Kehoe, Hester, McHugh and Tully settles their fate.  Their trials in Schuylkill and Columbia counties have now been reviewed by the Highest Legal Tribunal after having been argued in their favor by the ablest counsel that money can secure."

The Death Warrants, unless the Board of Pardons intereferes, will be speedily executed.

Hester, Tully and McHugh were not perhaps as confident of securing a new trial as Kehoe, but they have clung to the hope as a drowning man with a Death Grip.