Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-05-22
FLEETING FREEDOM.

lad Experience of Clark Pelton alias Will
liam Wobster-Released from &. Torn at
saltwater for Robbery, Only to be Re- =.
of Murder-TAe Story of tho Alleged
Crime, Appearance of the Prisoner, Etc. :.
The quiet chamber occupied by United | {
States Commissioner CardoZo in the govern
ment building was the scene of a thrillingly
realistic drama yesterday forenoon which so
far transcribed the creations Of fiction as to
make the simulated emotion of Morris or
Janauschek pale into utter insignifcance.
The party was small. but select, and when a
GLOBE reporter inadvertently seated himself
after taking in the situation, it was with the
belief that when two OR three prominent Of
fcials come together they are invariably
bent on serious business, in accordance with
which the scribe proceeded to await devel-
opments
The intense silence that peryaded the
room was finally broken by Judge Cardozo,
who said, addressing a young man to his |
right, Please sign these papers, sir, and you
are discharged. The person addressed pro-
ceeded to comply with the request, not, how
ever, until pair of hand-cufs had been
~
the Saltwater penitentiary, after which he
affixed his signature to the papers, and was
declared a free man. The air of liberty had
scarcely been tasted by Clark Pelton, alias
William Webster, when Sheriff King called
the Young man into the corridor of the
building, where he was turned over to Sher-
if George A. Draper, Of Cheyenne, Wyom-
ing, who declared him prisoner by virtue
of reouisition from Gov. Hoyt, charged
with the high crime of murder
A scarcely perceptible culver shook the
Young mans frame, and {. silence followed
akin to stu;efaction, but the large, intelli-
gent gray eye that animated the open, tauny-
skinned countenance, never dazed with the
slightest approach to emotion. The party
ct once proceeded to the sherif's Office, IN
the county jail building, where the prisoner
requested to be shown the requisition, upon
seeing which he remarked it was not suf-
ficient to hold him. He then requested the
privilege of sending message home, which
was granted, and upon being supplied with
writing material, the following dispatch was
written: -
Sr. PAUL. May 81, 1879.
To Mr.. S. Peiton, Franklin House, Saginaw
City, Mich.
am released and rearrcsted. Good bye
Do not write. q. FELTON,.
While inditing the above, the writer looked
up and said with emotion, gentlemen, yoT
can not imagine what an effort this requires
of me- after which he finished writing ant
was locked up. The information embodied
in the following narrative is the result O.
subsequent interviews with Sheriff Drape
and the prisoner.
The prisoner, Clark Potion, was convicted
at Rapid City, Dakota Territory, two year
ago for completely in robbing the Blac]
Hills stage coach, for which he was sentenced
to term of two years in the penitentiary
and to pay q fine of $500.
The prisoner was sent to Saltwater, wher
he served his full term, in addition to whic]
thirty days additional time was served, a
required for non payment Of tine when
was discharged and rearrested, yesterday, q
above stated. The crimo for which Peltol
was arrested yesterday was committed owe
two years ago, and consisted in the allege
killing of Deputy Sheriff Adolph Quincy, VIII
was shot and killed in attempting to arrea
the prisoner and man named Blackburn
for horse stealing, the murder taking plac
at what is known as the Six Mile Ranch nea
Fort Laramie.
Both men made good thor escape, Black
burn having been subsequently convlcted TO
demonstrating, and is at present serving
term of imprisonment in the penitentiary q
Lincoln, Nebraska, while Potion was con
victed as before stated, his connection will
the murder not being fully established unit
after his conviction for robbing the maj
coaches. The prisoner is said to be the mos
daring horse thief the West has ever known
and numerous stories are told of his thrillin
and desperate adventures, among which it
stated that he was once pursued by q Chey
snne detective named Lykens, during whic
q running fire was kept up for over lively
miles, Notwithstanding which he escape
with number of bullets imbedded in hi
flesh.
In order to ascertain what the prisone
would say concerning the charge, the IT
porter visited his cell, where Pelton wa
found agreeably communicative. Not "
23 years of age, the prisoner is we'll forne
young man about the medium height, wit
black hair, expressive gray eyes and dar
complexion, the general appearance bein
decidedly prepossessing, and quite the II
verse of what one would expect to find in
man charged with the fearful crime of whic
he is accused.
When asked if he had anything to sa
concerning the charge, young Pelton reptile
that he was entirely innocent Of the Grim
and that the arrest was one of mistake
ASACAVAUS3 dS tASlO was q Austl 11clucll w 6DSIc
formerly residing in the vicinity of Fo
Laramie, who must have been the real pc
petrator of the crime. During the conve
sation the prisoner frequently adverted
his mother, the burden of his remarks beir
that SO far as personal feelings went he cou
stand the blow, but that the shock Won
nearly kill his mother. Several touchi1
letters we're shown the reporter from b
mother, one of which was dated only q fe
days ago, expressing the tenderest sent
ments of Joy and love in anticipation Of b
early return home.
In speaking of the crime for which he b
just completed his term Of imprisonme1
young Pelton said that it was the only mi
take he had ever committed, and, in additit
to patiently serving the penalty of the la
(he here spoke of his exemplary conduct
never committing an infraction of the |;
while in PRISON., he had made up his mil
to atone for the wrong by leading an u
right life in the future. He further sd
that while he had sometimes been wild, t
thought of taking the life of his fellow M
had never entered his mind. The p5isone
parents reside at Saginaw City, Mich, a.
are said to be highly respectable Poop
Sheriff Draper left with his prisoner on t
Sioux City express at 8: SO o'clock yesterd
afternoon.
Sudden Death of an Old Citizen of Ma
kate.
Conductor Messer, of the St. Paul & Sio
City railroad, brings the intelligence of
sudden death of Mr.. Thomas D. Warren,
old and widely known citizen of Mankato
little after midday Tuesday. Mr.. War,
was about the streets in the morning
l.