The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1876-12-02
Petition for a Psrdon.

of Samuel S. Woodruff, who was found
guilty about a year ago of manslaughter
and sentenced by our District court to
ten years Imprisonment. 1t was a very
sad case; a young nan who had been
known in his former home as a good,
honest, kind-hearted boy, suddenly
~turnedinto a convict, andthat soon after
his arrival among us. A friend of his
boyhood, a talented lawyer from
Chicago, volunteered to defend him,
but he arrived in Cheyenne too late to
take part in the trial, owing to the
miscarriage or interrogation of a tele-
graphic dispatch, which was to inform
Woodruff of the coming aid
We learn that a petition for Wood
rufus pardon is to be presented soon to
the Governor Of this Territory. A
large number of citizens of Van Buren,
county, ILL.,, where he formerly lived,
have signed this petition, and we trust
it may receive the kind and thoughtful
consideration of our Governor. An
old schoolmate of Woodruff's, residing
at Keosauqua, Ill.,, writes to the editor
of THE LEADER, imploring his aid in
behalf of Woodruff. He says: 81 write
you most earnestly to give the poor
boy and his poor, old mother, what help
you an. 1 think if you had known
him as l have; if you had seen him,
prompt, studious and upright at school,
as 1 have, and more than that, always
a support and comfort to his mother in
her old age; a boy who never hurt an
animal even, Intentionally; l say if you
knew this of him, as 1 know it, you
would think of him just as l do.
Call to your mind any young man of
your acquaintance, prompt, active,
honest and kind hearted; then know
that he has willingly placed himself in
the hands of strangers (he surrendered
himself to the authorities at C%heyenne)
to- be tried, and as he hoped and expected
to be acquitted; and learn that he has
been found guilty of manslaughter, you
would say at once of such a boy, with
such a record, SIT cannot be-"
l know public opinion was at one
time much against him; if the people of
Cheyenne could know all, every citizen
of your place would sign a petition for
his pardon. His mother is poor, old
and helpless, and we appeal through you
to the Governor and the people of Wyo-
ming, to have pity on Samuel and his
aged mother. M y
This unfortunate young man has evil
IDENTIFY the sympathy of the people of
Van Buren, county; We reproduce the
following from the two papers published
in that county.
The Keosauqua Republican says on
this subject:
A petition asking the Governor of
Wyoming Territory to grant a pardon
to Samuel Woodruff, now confined in
the ~penitentiary there for the crime of
manslaughter, has been circulated in
this city and county, and as far as cir
culated has been signed by all. A
prayer of this kind, coming as it does
from the unfortunate mans old friends
and acquaintance and from his old
home where he is best known, should
receive that weight of consideration
which it Justly deserves at the hands
of the Governor of the Territory.
When called upon we gave our name
to the petition without hesitation and
upon examination of the list noticed
panv of tho rnncf ,pAnapf;,1 .,,,a. -
the county appearing thereon as a guar
prayer Of his petitioners.
The Van Buren, County Democrat
has the following:
There has recently been in circula-
ton in this county a petition for the
pardon of Samuel Woodruff, convicted
of manslaughter in Wyoming territory
about a year since. The petition was
signed by all our county officers, and
many of the prominent citizens and
buiness men of the county. An account
of the shooting for which he was con-
victed, and what led to it, and the trial,
were given in these columns at the time
of their occurrence. Young Wood
rufus parents are respectable people.
Woodruff grew up from boyhood in this
county, and all who knew him bear
willing testimony in his behalf. They
knew him to be a young man of correct
habits, Of good morals, of even temper,
and of strict integrity. Indeed his was
an exceptionally good character for one
of his years. We hope the Governor of
Wyoming, where the unfortunate young
man has no friends to plead for him,
will listen to the petition and prayer Of
his friends and neighbors at his old
home, who know his worth, who SYM
pathize SO deeply with him in his mis-
fortunes, and would 80 gladly welcome
him back to their midst.
District Court Doings.