(seq. 5)

COPY

PETITION FOR COMMUTATION

TO THE HONORABLE BOARD OF PARDONS
AND PAROLES OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS,
SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS.

We, the undersigned citizens of Winnebago County, do hereby
respectully petition your Honorable Board for a hearing on the matter
of commutation of the sentence of Russell Robert McWilliams from a
death sentence to a life sentence or such other sentence as this Board
may deem fitting and proper. The said Russell Robert McWilliams being
the same Russell Robert McWilliams who has been sentenced to death by
the Circuit Judge of Winnebago County, Illinois, under General No. 6539
and Term No. 109 in the Office of the Clerk of the Circuit Court of
Winnebago County, Illinois, and in connection with this petition
the undersigned hereinafter set forth the history of this boy and the
case, to-wit:

Russell Robert McWilliams was born on August 16, 1914
at Jerome, Iowa. His father's name is Robert McWilliams and his mother's
names is Maggie McWilliams. The father was born in Adams County,
Illinois and the mother in the State of Kansas. Russell Robert
McWilliams attended the grade school at Jerome, Iowa and later when
the family moved to Rockford, Russell Robert McWilliams attended the
grade schools at Rockford, first attended the Wight School and later
for a short time attending the Lincoln Junior High School in Rockford
and the balance of his schooling was had at Rock River Consolidated
School. He finished the 7th grade and was commencing the 8th grade
when family conditions demanded that he be employed. When he was
13 years of age heand several other boys broke into a home in Rockford
and took certain articles of property out of that homes, and afterwards
when apprehended, restitution was made and all damages paid in cash by
the fathers of the boys. Russell Robert McWilliams went to work when
14 1/2 years of age at Chappel Bros., Rockford, Illinois, and worked
steadily from that time until August 29, 1931, this being the day when
the murder occurred. Russell Robert McWilliams was earning an average
of $20.00 per week at the time of the commission of the murder, and
each week brought his pay check home to his mother who in turn gave
him a small amount therefrom. His record of work at Chappel Bros.
was at all times statisfactory and he did not lose any time while so
employed.

Under separate cover another petition is being forwarded
to this Honorable Body which contains the name of all of the employees
and officers of Chappel Bros. where this boy was employed, asking for
commutation of this sentence from a death sentence to a life sentence.

During the 2 1/2 years that Russell Robert McWilliams worked
at Chappel Bros. and up to and including July 4, 1931 he had not
committed any crime and was living at home with his parents at all
times. On that night, in Company with another boy from Iowa he went to
a place where intoxicating liquors could be purchased and there with
the other boy purchased liquor. His parents were unaware of his use
of liquor until that night, and up until that time he had been in the
habit of staying at home nights.