The Fight to Save Nordstrom: Money, Friends, and a Legal Race Against the Noose

There is reason to believe that C. Nordstrom, who is sentenced to be hanged for the murder of William on December 21, 1898, will again respite the result of the efforts of his friends, who have money on deposit to carry his case to the supreme court of the United States if necessary.

There appear, however, to be many obstacles in the way of securing a stay of execution, and the attorneys themselves seem to be at sea to a certain extent.

The state supreme court refused a new trial. It was decided that some of the points raised by the defense were well taken, but not properly excepted to during the trial, and therefore cannot avail the defendant now. As an appeal can only be carried to the court of the United States on questions of law, the defense will rely on two: first, that the defendant was brought to trial on information filed by the prosecuting attorney, whereas counsel claims that he was entitled to be indicted by grand jury under the act of congress admitting this territory to the Union; and, second, that he and his books and accounts were taken from him and used against him, compelling him to be a witness against himself contrary to the constitution of the United States.

The attorneys will have to get his appeal allowed by the chief justice of the supreme court of Washington or the presiding justice of the supreme court of the United States for the ninth circuit, who is just now absent. If the appeal is allowed, then an order staying the execution will be granted.

Another legal hitch that is staring the defendant and his lawyers in the face is the question of time in which to move for a writ of error. Some claim that sixty days is the limit from time of passing judgment.

James Hamilton Lewis, who was engaged after Nordstrom's conviction to take his appeal in the supreme court of the state, said to a reporter of the Post-Intelligencer:

"Nordstrom's interests are being looked after and he has both money and friends. The Swedish consul, Mr. A. Chilberg, sent me on behalf of Nordstrom after his conviction to take his appeal to the supreme court of the United States. I asked him what my charges would be. They have announced to me that the necessary sum has been raised and have placed it, subject to my order, in the American bank; therefore proceedings looking to the perfection of the appeal and the removal of the case to Washington City will be completed at once."

Soderberg, the attorney who defended Nordstrom at his trial and who has just returned from a year's absence in the East, has again taken a deep interest in the case of his client, and has been for almost two days looking up the records and consulting with Nordstrom's friends on the possibility of saving the condemned man's neck from the hangman's noose.

Seen yesterday by a Post-Intelligencer reporter, Mr. Soderberg said:

"There is no lack of funds to defray the expenses covering an ordinary attorney's efforts in carrying Nordstrom's cause to the supreme court of the United States. The Scandinavians in and out of the state—averse to believe in his guilt—have since his conviction contributed liberally to secure him a new trial. Even in the state of Minnesota, where I have been the past year, considerable money was collected for that purpose and paid over to a committee of which the Swedish vice consul, A. Chilberg, is chairman. The case will either be removed in a few days by a writ of error to the supreme court of the United States, or an application will be made to the governor to commute Nordstrom's sentence to life imprisonment. The latter step cannot properly be taken until all legal proceedings in the courts have been exhausted. I confidently assert that Nordstrom's life will not be taken under the judgment rendered against him; and if it is ever possible to make the facts in the case clearly intelligible to the public, they will insist with few dissenting voices that he must not be executed."