Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1873-06-09
Roswell the Murderer's Plea for Pardon.


Edward II. Roswell, now serving out his
time in the State Prison at Thomastcn, for
the murder of John Latin at IIallowell, has
submitted written statement to the Cover
nor and Council, giving reasons that appear
to him very plain why the executive clemen-
cy should be exercised in his behalf, and he
be pardoned at once. The statement fills
twenty pages of note paper. He begins by
assuming that he was sent to the prison be-
cause he was poor man and had no money.
No man that is rich would ever have been
sent there FOR crime like his. He quotes
freely both from the Old and New Testaments
to show the divine condemnation on the adul-
terer, and claims that by the law of God and
of the State, he should be pardoned at once
"Now," says Uoswell 'see what the Judge
said, after he had signed my sentence He
then pretcnds to quote from the Judge as fol-
lows: 1--WE, the justices, at our last meet
irg, made up our minds that if any case of
this kind came up before either Of US, to deal
severely with it, and let husbands know that
they can not take the law into their own
hands and revenge themselves in this State !"
From this, Hoswell argues that the Judge
was prejudiced against him. "The foreman
of the jury told the late Judge Weston's daugh-
ter that he did not believe | was in my right
mind when did the deed, and that others of
the jury were OF the same opinion. Lawyer
Bradbury sent me word by friend that he
never heard OF jury being tempered with so.
And this is what some people call fair trial
it was a one-sided trial clear through. We
don't make laws now to compare with the
Bible, but to compare with our lust. In the
town of Moscow, Somerset county, about 50
years ago, Peter Norton killed his wife and a
Domed Ioshua Harvard fnr no Of
adultery. Norton was at work for a Mr..
Switzerland, next farm to his own, and he
saw Howard going to his house. He told
Mr.. Switzerland what he thought Howard
was going there for. Mr.. s. went with Mr..
Norton to Norton's house, and they caught
Howard and Norton's wife in the very act of
adultery. Norton killed his wife with knife
and then killed Howard with an axe, and Nor
| ton was acquitted. But now the judges make
up their minds beforehand. People have be-
come 60 corrupt and immoral in the State of
Maine that they allow man to trade away
his wife for a horse, and take no notice of it.
This is worse than Brigham Young. *-+Nine-
| tenths of the American prostitutes in Boston
| and Lowell are natives of Maine. Ought not
something to be done to stop this demoraliza-
| ton ?+*~*I am a member of the Union League
| of America,-the democratic papers say that
| the Union League saved the country; and this
is another reason why l should be pardoned
| For crime like mine, or one similar to il,
Mrs. Fair in California, although receiving
death sentence, was pardoned and DR.. Sal
lintine of Ohio, has also been pardoned and
Mr.. King in New York will be acquitted. *~*
| have good trade, and the Warden don t
want me pardoned because hew my work.
This is as corrupt as the Credit Mobilier "
Here follows a strange mixture of pleadngs,
{ threats, and quotations from scripture, after
/ which he goes on 81 have always been a true
republican, and at heart am one now but if
/ ] am not pardened not many weeks from this
time, If live, will place in the hands of a
certain society all of these facts, with many
more. Intend to put facts about this prison
| inrS the hands of a certain democratic society
| that will throw them into the face of mem
bers of Congress from this State; and then if
Speaker Blaine is the next republican cand-
| date for President or Vice President, or any
other man from Maine, then will be my glory
! for they have a paper with an artist similar to
/ Thomas Mast, and they show the people of
these Joited States what they may expect if
they vote for a man from the State of Maine {;
,Faey may expect fornication and adultery"
lie closes his plea laboring under the convic-
,ion that God has forgiven him and justified
his act by His law.