Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1872-11-21
From the York Times.l
A Woman's Devotion.


The Governor of Missouri has
recently pardoned an inmate of the
penitentiary, under circumstances
which furnish remarkable and
touching instance of what deyot-
ed, trusting and energetic wife can
do for an unfortunate husband. The
latter used to live in Toledo, Ohio,
and the facts of his case are vOuch-
ed for by respectable journals of
that place. Some time ago he re-
moved to Missouri with his wife,
and early in 1870 the events fell out
that proved so disastrous to him.
1t appears that he was not very
prosperous, and had occasion to sell
as nearly the last of his posses
sions-a pair of fine horses. For
these he received $500 in clean, new
national currency, -.>.--. .-l-.
The stock dealer who bought the
horses afterward disappeared. On
the next day after the sale the VEN
der paid out two bills of $40 each.
1t was discovered that they were
counterfeit, and the utterer was
promptly arrested and lodged in
prison. He, of course, directly pro-
tested his innocence, and told how
he got the money; and the remain
ing $3.50 was found on his person.
The horse dealer was traced and
brought forward, when, to the hor-
ror and amazement of the accused
man, he stoutly denied all knowl-
eege of the bad bills, and swore the
money he had paid for the horses
was in bills of an Illinois bank. No
evidence of the priso-
ner's tale could be got. and, as much
money had lately been
in that region, public feel
ing ran strongly against him. He
was tried, and, despite his earnest
protestations, and his wife's determ-
ed struggles in his behalf, he was
found guilty, and sentenced to five
years Imprisonment in the Peniten-
tiary.
But the wife never for a moment
believed him guilty; and, with as
resolution and pertinacity
she now bent herself to the task of
proving his innocence and affecting
his release. To the latter she first
sought and obtained interviews with
the Governor of Missouri. To him
she stated her case as she saw and
belived. But the Governor, although
kind, was firm. The prisoner had
been shown to be guilty. Counter
feitlng was greatly on the increase.
1t was necessary to make examples,
and there was every just reason why
her husband should be one of them.
He could hold out no hope save in
the condemned's restoration to his
family after five years. The wife
went home, converted all she had
into cash, and thenceforward devo-
led her whole time and brain to fol-
owing the horse dealer who had
yiven her husband the spurious
lotes, with the hope of eonvicting
he really guilty person of the Of
'ense.
Pursuing him like a shadow, but
out of his sight, she soon
lound that when he went to a place
money was said to be in
soon after. This hap
oened at Freeport, ILL.,, and after
ward at Fort Wayne, Ind. At the
after place she caused his arrest.
But nothing could beproved against
lin and he was set free. She then
logged him to Canton, Ohio, to
Pittsburgh Altoona, Lancaster, Phil
in Pennsylvania, and Go
'hen, Binghamton, Oswego, Elmira,
md other towns in New York, some
lines staying two or three months
n each place. The man was, how
.ver, so gaurded and ingenious as
Ilways to manage to cover his track;
n fact he never passed false paper
himself at all, and his impiacable
,ursurer was unable to bring him to
.ccount. At last, however, he fell
II at Newton, Sussex county, n. j.,
md she believed and proved that
Ter golden opportunity was at last
It hand.
When the horse dealer fell i'll, the
wife of his victim was at the same
lotel. She found out the physician
Intending him and frankly told her
Whole story. She described how
he had tracked the cause of her
husbands misfortunes, and begged
he doctor for the sake of right and
ustice to help her. The physician
vas moved by her tale, and agreed
O do what she asked, which was t0
rive his patient some depressing but
afe medicine, and adroitly to lead
lin to think that he was in very
.ritical condition. This was ac-
.ordingly done and worked to a
harm. The patient begged at once
or clergyman, who. arriving,
pointed out the necessity of full re-
,entance, and a. this juncture the
wife entered the room and implored
he supposed dying man to repair
he great wrong he had done her
husband.
The result was that the sufferer
made a deposition before n magis-
rate confessing that he had passed
he five hundred dollars, as describ-
d. and furthermore, that he was
member of an extensive gang OF
his special business
,eing, not to utter bad money, but to
pread it among confederates in diff
erent parts of the country He al
20 said that on the occasion of ma
ting the trade in question he hap
,ened to have no other money, ana
.reatly wanted the horses. Armed
With this document the now happy
woman FASTENED back to Missouri,
aid her evidence before the Cover
Tor, and had the satisfaction OF car
wing a full pardon to her husband
.lmost Immediately after. The two
ire now living joyfully together on
, farm in Southern Illinois, and their
,ase is naturally attracting abund-
mt comment and congratulation.