The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-04-07
LIZZIE J0NESS PARDON.
AFTER MARRThGE UAD BEEN FOR-
Ridden BY HER FATHER.
Mrs. BiReiow, Wife Of the Secretary Of state,
visiting BiackweIr's Isiand-A PAPER she
Cnrricd from the Governor Of the state.

Mrs. B'seiow. wife of the Secretary ofs state.
visiting Blackweirs Isiand-A PAPER she
Carried from the Govcraor Of the state.
There was Joy for Mrs. John Bgelow,
the wife Of tho Secretary Of State, Yesterday
morning, when q messenger from Albany nut
into her hands the Governors pardon for Miss
Lizzie Jones, confined in the penitentiary on
Dlackwell's Island. Having striven successfully
to obtain the pardon, she prepared to carry II
over herself to the young woman whose name II
bore. Armed with the official document bearing
tho great Sc Il OF the State, and accompanied by
a friend, she took passage for the Island In the
morning boat, which carried its usual quota Of
criminals for the penitenttary, patients for the
hospital, paupers for the workhouse, lunatics
for the asylum, and visitors to friends In tho
various Institutions A reporter Of TnK Sun
was aboard to take notes for the occason and
learned the facts OF the case which had enlisted
the intercesslon OF the lady who sat In the pilot
house. 1t appears that when Mrs. Digelow
visited the penitentary short time
ago her notice was attracted to tho young
woman Jones,iwho seemed to be In an unsound
state " mind, and who had been condemned
last september by Recorder Hackett TO three
years In the pententinry for grand larceny.
Lizzie Jonee, short time before she got into
trouble had come to this city from her native
place In the interior OF the State, where she
lived with her aged parents. She had there
fallen In love with a young man OF the neigh
borhood, who, after due courtship. made pro.
posal of MARRIAGE and they we're betrothed.
But her stern father opposed the match, and
prohibited their marriage, on the ground that
her afianced lover was addicted to liquor. Her
grief and despair were violent that her mind
became affected. and the once gay daughter OF
the household turned melancholy, took on
strange ways, talk I'd and laughed whimsically,
fell into fits Of abstraction, and was no more
herself. For the sake OF her mind, and in ope
that change Of scene and circumstances
would bring her out OF her condition, her father
sent her to this city to take up her stay with
some relatives Anxious to earn her own liveli-
hood after coming here, she quickly found n
place as servant for a wealthy family In Second
avenue. She had been there but few DAYS
when she was accused OF stealing gold watch,
arrested, taken to court. aud cent to the peni-
tenti ry. She was taken III soon after reaching
Blackwells Island. had to be sent to the hospi
tat aud was there seized with SMALLPOX. she
had recovered, returned to her quarters In the
penitcntiary. and was employed In tho women's
work room. when she happened TO come under
the eye OF Mrs. BeelOw, who saw there was
something wrong with her, upon hearing her
screams and observing how she conducted her
self In her presence. After making fun ina Iiry
into the young womau's history, and learning
the circumstances OF tho accusation against her,
Mrs. Bgelow determined to take up her case
and carry II to the Governor a ut case for
Executive ciemency. IL has required time,
nevertheless, she held tho official paper In her
hapd as she sat In the boats pilot mousse going
TO the island. yesterday morning.
Reaching the island with one boat load OF
prisoners, patients. and others. the wife Of the
Secretary Of state entered the penitenti ~, and
was greeted by Warden Fox but soon made her
way to tho women's quarters. ana tas room
where the female convlcts we're employed un-
At work among the women, odd and young,
black and while. was Lizzie Jones, whose
smallpox from which she ha ad lately recovered.
When the matron was made aware OF the par
IN she spoke In the highest terms of the young
woman, aud OF her conduct IN prison, and ex-
Dressed qualification over her release. W hen
fortune, She was otefc6me With joyo1. eh5r
ton. she laughed kissed her fellow convicts.
and trembled with delight, though her eyes had
tue look OF far away. In her prison Eafb sac
passed through the women at work In company
with the mAtron to aoiacelt room, from
which she soon reappelred with a gay little hat
| on her head aud a cloak Of blue woolen stun
| enveloping her person. 1t was evident that she
WIS the favorite OF all her companions, as she
went from bench TO bencn kissing and EN-
bracinR her friends IS she stepped up to the
desk. o kiss tho mafron; as she eazed upon those
who had come TO her relief and a. she fingered
| within the walls tnet had eDoom passed her
shame. There was universal JOY over her luck
among the female conyicts, who showed NJ
| she was taken while they were left.
Out Of the penitentiary, over the Rreensward,
| and down TO the rivers bank. whore rOwboat
| had been engaged 20 take the party, including
| 1HE SUN reporter. To the city. But before the
/ had left the quarters oil the female con-
yicts, the matron sked John Swinton, who was
| Mrs. Bigelow's escort, to give them a few words
OF address. lie did so from the desk. speaking
to them in 50 friendly and earnest way that
many of the women, the gray haired as well as
the young. gave vent to their tears and sobs, and
the cracked voices OF some old crones pierced
| the air with God bless you"
| Into the boat where the party was rowed TO
| the city 10y SIX sturdy coDyicts under guard. and
where Lizzie Jones, who Is an American Catno-
lie, sat win eyes nxed upon tho cross that doc
| grated the little Catholic PRAYER book which had
| been her friend IN prison. In n few minutes,
"Oh, I'm freel' cried Lizzie and soon the party
were within the beautiful mansion Of Quaker
| family, where Lizzie's father had been asked to
await her arrival. " Fatheri' she cried out amid
| her tears when she the face OF the
able old man, aud tho tw In, sire and cniid,
were overcome. The gray beard told his bene
aud every nignt" for the loss Of his daughter,
| aud how he would take her back to his home
IN the country to live alway with her mother.
. Is this the court house where the Judge IL ?"
! LizzIe had asked, as sne assembled the steps Of
the Quaker mansion, in front Of which was
line Of gala carriages waiting for the fashionable
| marriage which was taking pl ce In the church
| on the opposite side OF the street. Llzzie was
| reassured OF her safety but the marriage was
| not that OF herself with her afhlncod lover.
| The patriarch and his daughter walked away
| from the mansion through tue sunshine OF Mad
| ison square, and last night they left for the home
There were some ptifu appeals made 10 the
wife Of the Secretary Of State by other female
conysts in the penitentiary one from a
| slight colored girl OF seventeen, who was under
| a sentence OF fifteen years for highway robbery
perpetratod upon man, OF which she declared
her innocence and one from German glr. OF
tool OF gang OF forRers, who sent her 70 the
| bank 10 draw the cash for check Of $4,000.
But the wife OF the Secretary Of State has found
| IL 40 hard TO get oven a single pardo from GOV.
Tiden, who has issued fewer pardOns than
almost any OF bis predecessors, that II Is not
likely she will soon again visit the penitentiary
on the mission which took her there yesterday
| morning.