The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-02-15
EEoborailng cECumstances. was presented to tho

a pi.oAt uinuo -lulb hlNbmtnt nA soon nS no
heard OF his fathers death. He then told
the Warden OF the State prison that tho
S9efb"9n 9enb o bs 81 r Sos b. tho
was that other man whom I've spoken Of ns as
sociMed with Parsons in the murder OF Cad
wei. ana promised him that | would never
expose him while he lived, I've kept my word,
though i has cost me the best fourteen years OF
Warden Hewes was impressed by Gilbert's
statement He had known that this convict had
secret. He did not believe that Gilbert could
carry sham secret for fourteen years ana with
life sentence before him. and no gave tho
prisoner every facility to prepare the statement.
statement that Gilbert at first made verbally.
which tended to confirm the story. and that was
funds 10 pay the expenses of nm elnnemcnt % bv
Gilbert the father. with the wife Of another man.
who was also the sister, ,in-law OF Parsons
The story that Charles now tells that impli-
Gates his father Is as follows: Charles was
with CALDWELL on the evening Of thu murder.
a, while. They wont away together and in a
shoHrt s H time they met Parsons, who at once said
At this time Charles left them. but was followed
by Parsons few steps. He was then asked prl-
ns ars sa mar o"S % oIu M, ,,1n DSy %
then Parsons. with an OATH told him to 10 and
find his old man" at once and tell him that
=" II you don't do this" Parsons added the
old man will b. mad as hell. because there is
money in It," Charles says that he supposed
that his father and Parsons were about to
make an arrangement with Caldwell to furnish
MIN some substitutes Tor MS business as SUD-
stitute broker He therefore went right home,
| found his father. and sent him to Parsons and
| CALDWELL Charles then went to his own house,
others testified at at the trial From his father
| Charles learned the story OF the murder. He
| says that his father and Parsons induced Cad
we'll TO start for u place in East Britain with
| them. To get to the proposed place they wore
| WIS deep they wont in Indian file, Gilbert first
| Caldwell next and Parsons last. Parsons sud
| denly struck Caldwell a blow upon the head. 1t
| did npt fall him. but instead le Turnpl
| Parsons. grappled with him, and threw him
| WITH ono hand he clutched Parsonss hair.
| which was long and black. and Just such hair rs
WAS found subsequently, In the dead mans
clutch. Then Gilbert pulled Caldwell on. from
struck Caldwell repeatedly upon the head and
Killed him. Then they rined his pockets. and
! Charles Gilbert says that his father did not in
tend 70 murder Caldwell. but simply to rob him
| and then fec from the State with the wife OF n
man named sage This woman was the sister
| OF Parsons's wife. and Parsons knew Of the in
tmaey and encouraged IT, on account proba.
| dii not know these IA Is. although he sus pected
| Parsons. until some days after the murder. and
| never dreamed that no would bc arrested upon
This in brief is his statement. He has been
examined upon II and cross examined and has
| contradicted himself in nothing. and he says
| thnt he did not make the explanation before
| When he found that be WIS himself would be
| tried he was not greatly worried. because he be-
| eved that he could show beyond all doubt that
|
| he decided to say nothing that would direct
suspicion to the father Therefore he said
| nothing about Parsons. lie know II Parsons
was tried that the truth IN regard 10 his iathcr
! would come ont; But when hc was convicted
| himself Of murder in the second degree and
was sentenced Tor lie. then Tor a day or two II
| seemed rs u he must speak. But his futher WAS
geuIhg, GA. nnd hnd 5rown teeole WITHIN
| hrosrn on. neither did he elope with her. for
To have done SO would have caused suspicion TO
begged him To keep the secret and spare him.
Gilb"r says that no could not refuse to make
Aside from the corrobornton that is given by
Mr.. Jones 10 TINS story. there are other
i said. that one Of the jury that con,
| victrd Charles sad. after the trial. that the
| murder. but they werc satisfied that he knew
| VINO did do II. and so found him guilty In the
second degree. 1t is aisp known that Jus, h";
| that he should testify that he let Caldwell with
Parsons on the night OF the murder and should
then. and he WAS ut once cautioned hy hi-
father to do no such thing, 1t Is also on r"clrd
| that Jonathan Gilbert said suddenly about the
tmo oi the trial. that the blows We're mair
| Oy u blk piece OF scrap iron. although
sharp instrument had been used II Is also TO-
membcr"d that the Hartford Times after the
trihl was over. COMMENDED upon the verdict
with much severity. and expressed surprise
that man should havc p.cu convicted upon
such evidence. Counsellor Jones says tant the
correspond. with all the facts Of the case NJ he
ramemb,rs them alter the lnpse ot fourteen
yenrs But the most startling corroborhtion
has come rom Nu unexpected source. SIN 20
| ChHrlr-'s conviction Parsons has been almost
literally a wAnlerer upon the face OF the carih
The little manhood thut he eyer hat he lost
then. aud he mas lived from hand to mouth
almost eyer sine" II hils been evident Tor years
to tV-ry one who knew him that something was
proving night and day upon his cons ;irnco
III" seemed always tp lear something. He never
morose. Chnr.s ilbrrt did not knew whether
he WAS alive or dead. Ulloeri's statement WAS
io% papefs eG''d and I lew Gsys aitcr ter the body
Of Parsons was found IN the woods IN M town
OF E-seN. some miles below Hartford lie pad
oht his throat. and doubtless had been led to
suicide hy reading Charrs's story.
So plausible case has been made ont by
tAeso facts TINT tho Legislative Committee pro.
pose To- glvC tho petition for the pardon Of
Charles tue most careful cXAnilnatlon. One
fact mitut~s against him. He once - ,aped
from tho state prison. and WIS recHpturrd
months altrr IN Nrw lOrk But It Is urged in
h.s b.uaIi ihui. II hs story is true. It is small
wonder tant au innocent man accepted Il chance
90 ESCAPE when Il offered i',uii
Gllt- RI doc- not seem D think that thore Is
| auythiI4R uart euiHriy crruithNc about hi- mar
! tytdum, II hi- couiin'in"nt is really sufh bei-
sacrifice az % justify that term. Tie only i'm
Tint. u0w thpI his idthrr - d-nd and the unie
has 'uuIs when nr rnn tell the story, he ouEh
| 70 bo trt free There were times during tho
llr7t }otrs 81 his confinement whrn 1t seemed u
hir as 4 hN could not boar impriaonm"pi
struggles to Keep ms promise anu th' SCR y.
Onr" be went 80 TAR ~ to send Tor III" District
Al rnry. w,th the intouuon oi rlllnE him ail h'
ku"w. hut ni the Last moment lusl b'i"re no wHs
about go utter his fathers ntulr, ne r'sti llne!
his impulse. Several tunes hc hHh boon On 90"
point ul telling Warden ewes. AMI tho Whrt IN
b s. known lIr years Tint there WIS sometime.
ou thi- pri- i-ourr smlnl J. Butoi iAt' year- ,Gllptr
suys l' tad hc,pmn uccurtOmed tp PRISON lile
nn'l Irs ioIn waiting pH,i,nily for thr time a.
como when hr could sp"hk, He u now hnpu'
40 yrnr4 NJ ngo. tail. very thin. sallow and al
most sl.kly in appr1rHn'". lie hie' been a
Qulrt. w.i-bchuyrl prsnrer hnd almost Eis
only breach 81 dsripl ne WIZ tho esrnpr; II II