Death Row
Linda Culver
Leta Schroeder leaves for
"her sabbath afternoon jail
« Music ministry.
. fa | or
Death row inmate 759 at the Walls Unit in Hunts-
ville, Texas. died by lethal jection a few minutes
after midnight on February 19, 1987. He had been
sent to death row for the murder of six people during
a drunken spree. When mate 759 was sentenced to
death, the conviction that justice had been served
was felt by many. including this inmate who stopped
his appellate process accordingly.
Inmate 759 was Eliseo Moreno. 27 vears old. He
was born into a family of hardworking parents with
If children. Eliseo became a chronic alcoholic in
his vouth. Probably the best way to describe Eliseo
i~ that he was always in trouble. alwavs in fights.
and alwavs drunk. He married. had four sons, and
lett his wife for a vounger woman. who eventually
left him. One might. after he had drunk himself into
a stupor. he shot and Killed his brother-in-law and
wife following an argument.
Eliseo never remembered the nest three hours, but
after he ways arrested he found that he had killed four
other persons, including a highway patrol officer.
What ix it like to be on death row? Eliseo. who
produced many descriptive poems and drawings in
prison. said it this way:
Silent tears at might,
My heart within would cry.
But no one ever noticed,
For my eves were always dry.
The depths of sorrow and anguish
Seemed more than | couid bear
With metal bars around me
And my loved ones all out there.
Was suicide the answer
To end my grief and woe?
Or was there something else
That 1 just didn’t Know?
20
June 23
Eliseo Marena., the week of
his death
Yes, there was something out there Eliseo didn’t
know. It came to him when an elderly couple.
Martin and Leta Schroeder. appeared to minister to
any prisoners who might accept it. At lirst Eliseo
resisted ther munistry. But Mrs. Schroeder just
plaved beautiful Christian music on her tape re-
corder and wus available to talk. Eliseo found him-
selt attracted to the peace and jov and realized how
lonely and scared he had been all his Life. He
picked up the Bible his parents had seni him, and
begun to read. His poem continues:
Had someone finally noticed
My silent tears at might?
Or was | going crazy
And about wo Jose my sight?
Something strange was happening.
Of this T had no doubt.
Wis this the tove of Jesus
I had heard so much about?
In the midst of my heart's mourning.
These words broke softly through:
As one whom his mother comforts,
So will comfort you. ™
This verse indicates that Eliseo was able to make
a transference of his mother’s comfort to God's
comfort. In spite of having 11 children, she must
have made some time for Eliseo. In another poen,
one about what it was like to be in jail. he referred
to her also:
We all live here with one fear or another.
Mine 1s how this hurts mv mother.
The pain 1 see behind her eves.
Can't be hid, regardless how she tries.