The Moving Picture Weekly (1916-1917)

"THE CELEBRATED STIELOW CASE" 0 N the day that this article was written, there appeared in the morning papers a notice announcing that a hearing looking toward a new trial had been granted to Charles F. Stielow, several times convicted of the murder of a farmer by the name of Phelps. The result of this hearing may be the last chapter in what has proven to be one of the most famous murder mysteries of the century. Since Marcli, 1915. when Phelps and his housekeeper were killed, there has been almost continuous agitation in an effort to save Stielow, whom thousands of people believe to be innocent of the crime. For months and months newspapers have devoted columns to the story, and, up to date, the man has been sentenced to be executed no less than six times, each time being given a reprieve on the eve of the fatal day. The circumstances attending the crime, and the trial of Stielow, were so unusual, the narrow margins by which he has thus far escaped the death chair so remarkable, and the fight for his life so persistent and spectacular, and so susceptible of picturization, that "The Celebrated Stielow Case," evolved from data collected by Sophie Irene Loeb, of the staff of the Evening World, was filmed on the Pacific Coast, in eight reels. The primary object of filming the case was a humanitarian one, and designed to exhaust to the uttermost the machinery of justice in an effort to establis-h to the satisfaction of all parties the guilt or innocence of Charles F. Stie ARGOSY FILMS (Incorporated) of New York City has secured releasing rights of this eight-reel masterpiece of Lois Weber and will present it in New York and other cities in the State in a last attempt to obtain a full rehearing of the case of Stielow. low. Owing to her reputation through her wonderfully successful film productions, Miss Lois Weber was selected as the producer of the film, and the data collected by Miss Loeb was suDmitted to her. All the data supplied was taken from the sworn statements of witnesses at the trials and from the transcripts of testimony. Miss Weber entered upon her task without prejudice of any kind, and with the avowed intention of presenting to the public a . version of the Stielow case which is supported by the oaths of reputable persons, and for the purpose of creating such interest in the case that it will receive sufTicient attention to prevent a miscarriage of justice. The Argosy Films (Incorporated), of New York City, upon seeifig the film run off, secured the right to release it, and they firmly believe that this film will go far toward bringing about such scrutiny of the case that if, in the event that Stielow is innocent, or if there should be a reasonable doubt as to his guilt, Stie low will receive the full benefit of this doubt. Every effort has been made in presenting the subject to refrain from infringing upon the rights of others who may be involved in the litigation which has followed the indictment of Stielow for the murder. No one has been attacked, no malice of any kind has been allowed to creep into the presentation of the facts, no accusations have been formulated in the film itself, or in any deductions which may be drawn from it. The Argosy Films (Incorporated) frankly is opposed to the death penalty. In "The Celebrated Case of Stielow" they intend to place as much emphasis as possible on the fact that all of the evidence against the condemned man is of a circumstantial character, and built up on confessions which in their belief have not been substantiated. In this respect the appeal of the picture is not merely directed toward saving from the electric chair the individual who is the immediate cause of this litigation, and of this moving picture feature. It is much larger in its purview. It is directed toward the entire question of capital punishment. In the past there have been a great many arguments advanced appertaining to this great question of the punishment of crime, particularly the crime of the taking of human life. All of these arguments have been directed toward the proposition that no human being has the right actually to take the life of another for any cause. From a utilitarian standpoint, too, it has been urged that capital punishment is a failure. As an argument for the abo