Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-04-08

SOLDIER KELLY-HIsT0RY OF THE CASE
TOUCHING LETTER FROM KELLY.
Readers of THE STAR will probably remember
the story related last month in its columns about
how Attorney General Brewster's little son
Benny made q plea-"Give the poor fellow a
chance"-in behalf of Edward Kelly, who was
condemned to be hung in Santa Fe n NJ, on
the nth of February, and who was first respited
until March 18th, and later until April 18th, in
order that due consideration might be given BY
the Attorney General to the applications for
communication of his sentence.
Little Benny had been receiving kilograms
from his father during the Attorney Generals
absence in Philadelphia in February, and when
one came to WOrmley's on the evening of the
10th of that month, his own name being the
same as his fathers, he insisted it also was for
him. But for this the telegram might not have
been opened until too late. for it was within a
few hours of the time for the condemned man
to be hung when the child demanded that his
mother should open and read the dispatch to
him. So it was due to the Attorney Generals
great love of his only child which led him to tel
egraph to him during his absence that this dis
patch was promptly opened by his wife. or it
would not have been sent him in time to be
acted upon and answered before the hour for
the execution.
Mrs. Brewster quickly comprehended the stu
alton, and that no time was to be lost, so. her
husband being still absent. she gave the dispatch
to her maid to take at once to the White House.
where the President was then entertaining at
dinner the ladies and gentlemen of the diplo-
matte corps. Benny insisted that card on
which he had written ''giye the poor fellow
chance and signed Ben" should also be taken
with the telegram. AS his handwriting is in
childish character, his mother wrote a transla-
ton of his words on the same card, which was
shown the Attorney General by Mr.. Phillips, the
Presidents secretary, when he took the telegram
to him at his Office. to which Mr.. Brewster went
at once on his return that evening from Phiia-
delphia. The Pardon Clerk"-Judge Grey
was summoned and conference held and it was
decided that there were grounds apart from
Bennys plea for giving "the poor fellow
chance" and respite for thirty days was sent
him just in time to prevent his execution on
February 17th. Other powerful pleas for delay.
stating new facts in favor of Edward Kelly, and
the pardon clerk urging that an Irishman ought
not to be hung on st. Patrick's day. March nth
caused the second respite to be granted, and
other developments having since been forwarded
to the Attorney General it is now thought
probable that the sentence may be committed to
Imprisonment for life
A lady in this city wishing him to know how
an innocent child had interceded for him. sent
Kelly a copy of the published narrative of
Benny Brewsters plea in his behalf. and has.
although no answer was requested, received
beautiful letter from him. in which he thus re-
fers to the child: 10 that manly little man
pray may come year of happiness and peace
for every honr that has been spared 70 me
through his earnest little plea, Give the poor
fellow a chance and in his walk through life
may he encounter no greater want of joy than
experienced when, In the eleventh hour, those
glad tidings came. Can the joy of such mo-
ment be measured? Alas! too few have eXpe-
rienced it''
The killing occurred in street fight, when
both Jack Reardon, who was slain, and Kelly
were intoxicated. and the evidence now before
the Attorney General gives ground for belief
that the killing was done in the heat of passion
and was not premed:tated, so was not murder
to have been done in self-defense, as Kelly
claims that ReardOn had threatened to kill him,
and had revolver in his hand at the time he
was killed. Wherefore the resptes have not
been granted purely for sentimental coGsidera-
tons, though little Benny has declared that Ibis
man should not be hung" MISS GRUMPY