John Quin, Clerk of the District Court, Franklin County, sends Governor Edward W. Hoch, of Topeka, certified copies of the death warrant and journal entries for convicted murderer Mollie Stewart. A jury convicted Ms. Stewart of first degree murder, a crime punishable by death by hanging. According to state law (Laws of Kansas, 1872, Ch 166, Secs 2-3), the court must submit copies of the death warrant to the governor and await his execution order. While state executions were legal in Kansas from 1861-1907, the governors between 1872-1907 refused to issue execution orders, effectively banning state authorized executions during that period. Governor Hoch was a principal supporter of the 1907 law repealing executions in favor of life imprisonment. While Kansas has never executed a woman, several women have been sentenced to death in the state.

Creator: Kansas. District Court (4th Judicial District)
Date: August 06, 1908