The People v. Preston

John Preston was indicted in the circuit court of Du-Page county for the murder of Agnes Johnston. A jury found him guilty of the charge and fixed his punishment at death. Motions for a new trial and in arrest of judgment were made and denied and judgment was rendered on the verdict. Preston prosecuted a writ of error from this court, and after a review of the record, the judgment was affirmed and December 12, 1930, was fixed as the day on which he should be executed. People v. Preston, 341 Ill. 407.

On December 11, 1930, Mary Preston, the prisoner’s mother, filed a verified petition in the…