The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1876-02-16
BILLY SWAMI PARDoNED.
HOW THE RICH REPUBLICAN
METHODIsTs USE OUR
GOVERNOR,
A Brigade Of Beveridge Bummers from
the State Prison, to be Organized.

---o--
A Brigade Of Beveridge Bummers from
the State Prison, to be Organized.
Rock Island county juries, we fear, will
soon tire of convicting thieves, for Gov
Beverage pardons them as fast as they
can he convicted John Brown had been
in the penitentiary only very few days
when our citizens were astonished and in
dignant at seeing him On the streets again
And now Billy Swami cattle and horse
thief, Just convicted and sentenced TO
years, is pardcned by Beveridge before he
leaves town!
This morning when Burlingame and
Benton were brought out to start for Joliet
Sheriff Huesing informed Swami that he
had received from the governor full par
don for him, and he was at liberty to go
where he pleased. He was not greatly
elated. Burlingame and Benton were
ironed, in the Jail. before bringing them
out, and the sheriff told Swami that he
supposed he could find the way out to the
street without help. The fellow followed
along to the hack, but when Burlingame
and Benton had been placed in it, the
sheriff closed the door, Billy seemed not
to understand why be couldn't go along.
and the sheriff said, I'VE don't want
you-you can go and see your mother
the governor has pardoned you'll Billy
said. well, then [ guess I'll go back
and get my boots "-and he returned to
the Jail and got pair of boots he had left
behind and then went home.
Some days ago he wrote out and sent to
this Office for publication the following
CONFESSION:
| Do Humbly confess to the State of
Illinois, County of r. l. and City of r. l.
of my Crimes which | am charged with
| confess am Guilty and HumbIy beg of
the Citizens not to look down on me to
hard as it is my first time and was led
into it by two men anu wish to lay aside
all the past and from this on lead an
honest and straight forward life. | have
lived in this City for the past q years and
was never known to be in trouble before
f the past year has been a miserable one &c
me. do Humbly ask the forgiveness Of
, Mr.. Steel and the Citisens, and beg OF
them to aid me in getting Pardon and
getting back to my home and friends agar
soon, | unfold everything These men are
} Geo. W. hansen residing in Davenport
on st and an english man known
throughout the County as gypsy jack both
, men make their living by stealing ana
trading and have very bad caracter tt
day gypsy jack was connected with the
Steal Horse | went as far as the Fai
Grounds where | was met by jack WIZ
stopped me and said he was going to ge
that gray Horse that was in the pasture snG
if | wanted to go in with him, [ could do
SO, we had talked of this before and | wa
not willing but this time consented he thei
took my buoy 4 Horse whichsI was driv
ing and went to the pasture unhitched au(
turned Dim loose in pasture then caugh
Mr. Steals Horse hitched him to my bug,
{ drove out of the back gate thence to tn,
old Cemetry hill where | met him anc
drove the Horse to Davenport myself anC
put him in Mr.. Hansens barn this wa
Thursday about 81 O'Clock left him Their,
until Friday after noon at 5 o'clock wheI
1 Hansen sent for me saying his Brothe
\ was not expected to live and he mus
leave that night for Upton Iowa he wa
i to trade or ship the Horse but would ALLOW
= me $40. if would trade him | then hitch
ed him up TO my buoy and drove up S
o when passing Mr. Lowers Stable he asked
e | wanted to trade | told him did he the
= showed me me bay mare and we mad
the trade giving him the Horse for hi
q mare | came over and met jack he took tn
: mare and offered to trade with farme
It but did not as jack wanted difference c
n $40 [ also traded Horses with Jack
year ago last fall near walcut Iowa for
} sorrel mare which | understood was claim
s ed since by Mr. Carse of the Soda waite
/, Works as to the Heifers | sold them fror
N the pasture gate to get money to aid US
going to Burlington which we expected I
~ do in few days was nearly redy whe
d. arrested it would be hard to tell VIII;
would have become Of me then as [ was O
the road to ruin | make full confession
IN all and most Humbly ask the forgivness
g the public and beg them to aid me in ge
D. ing back with my friends and retaining n
D, caracter hoping to receive the full forgi
or ness OF every person l remain very K
t, spectfully
yours VIM B. SWAMI