The Portland daily press., 1876-01-12
The BOwdOinham Bank Robbery.
"A Letter from Edward Mcguire of Thom-
aSiOn-What he has to say for Himself.

We have received the following letter from
Edward Mcguire, now under sentence in the
state prison for robbipg the Bowdeinham
Bank:
To the Editor Of the Press:
bought pen to-day (not from the spells of
the Bowdoinham Bank, but from the hard
earned pennies of my sister) to write 4 few
lines to you in regard to the alusion to me by
several papers in their refutation of the Boston
Globes insinuation that 'Thom aston jail' was
weak concern They tell the Globe that !,
among Others. with all my abundant spoils
could Eot work myself out of it during the
past eight years" L am sure they would not
thus write if they were acquainted with all
the facts in the case. conscientiously believe
the verdict of the jury in my case has no par
allel in the judicial records of the civilized
world. In commenting on it, the editor of the
Brunswick Telegraph said: st is disgrace
to the county, and stain on the judicial records
of the state. 1 would not allow that jury to
sit in judgment on a dog of nine" This is the
candid opinion of m an who knew whereof he
spoke, and he only expressed the opinion of
every fair minded man who was present at nv
trial. No sane man who knows all the facts
in the case can deny my right to liberty with
out laying himself under the suspicion of be.
ing as bad and INSCRIPTIONS as the men who
sat In Judgment on me, or those who argue
that If l am not guilty of this crime I may be
OF others, and am only getting my just desert,
which, by the way, is very statesmanlike ar
gument. One of Gov. Perham's council used
it once; it was the best he could make to Salts
fv 10 Co.
have talked with Gov. Perham and his
council; likewise with Gov. Dingley and coun-
Gill; The former admitted, I am told, that
there was reasonable doubt in my case, and
two of his council were in favor of my release.
One of them, who was chairman of the COM
mlttee on pardons, WAS considered hard man
on prisoners, and was prejudiced against me
before he made himself acquainted with the
facts in the case. Then he told rue what to do
in order to give them an entering wedge to re-
open the case" But had neither money nor
influential friends to push my claim, and was
passed over when Gov. Perham retired from
Office.
next tried my luck with Gov. Dingley. At
ter stating my case to him, and answering his
and his councils questions. he asked me if L
had any questions to ask. I then asked him
If be could give me any good reasons why 1
should be kept here any longer. He consid-
cred this question and then asked me 'ff it
would not deter other men from coming into
the state to rob banks" 1 told him it would
not, and that L considered such a reason cruel
and unwise. Since then the Winthrop bank
has been robbed and an attempt, at least has
been made to rob another bank. Scarecrows do
not deter men from robbing banks. Men who
are at home in the smoke of battle do not run
away from Quaker guns. If gold could be
found more easily in the soil of Maine than in
California men would leave the Golden state
for the better chance of Maine. And if bank
robbers find Maine banks easy to be robbed, a
score of scarecrows like myself would not pre-
vent their coming into the state to rob them.
1t is great crime to Job bank, but it is q
greater, meaper and more cowardly crime for a
boosted enlightened and Christian state to rob
helpless man OF his liberty. To rob bank
requires skill and physical courage, but to rob
fellow man of his liberty, as L have been
robbed, only requires the will of cold blooded
intellectual brutes.
have shown that my being kept here did
not deter men from coming into the state to
rob banks. Time is a good teacher. and Gov.
Dlngley may live to learn that the rights of
one are the rights of all and that fair play is the
best policy tor states as well as for the ndivid-
nal. " hen men who make and administer
laws ignore the plainest principles of law,
when it suits their convenience, they must not |
be alarmed when they find their example imi-
tated by these whom the laws were made to
govern. The sword of jus tice has carved over
nine years out of the bloom of my life, but I |
am still Young and can stand the carving for a |
few years more.
Since my arrest there have been many things |
said about me that have no more foundation in /
fact than the late report of ''my abundant |
spoils OF the Bowdoinham Bank" am guilt |
less of that robbery, have no money, nor have |
not had dollar since my incarceration that |
was not earned by the honest toll of nv rela-
tives. Warden Rice can enlighten YOU on the
subject of my financial condition, If YOU are |
skeptical. as all communications to and from
my friends pass through his hands. You NAV
have helped to abuse the public mind concern
ing me (unintentionally Ihope) through your
paper, and hope you will kindly help to dis.
abuse it by publishing this ietrer. I am not |
suppliant for mercy. All have ever asked of
the authorities was fair play, but man who is
down standsa poor chance for fair play in this
world. hope to go to heaven when die, but
If go to the other place will have plenty of
company and will not be lonesome
Very respectfully yours,
EDWARD MAGUIRE.
Maine State Prison, Thomaston, Jan. 9Th,