Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-07-26
PIRDONING OF THE YOUNGERS.
A Formidable Petition Presented Gov
Hubbard Praying for Executive Glenn

A Formidable Petition Presented Gov.
Hubbard Praying for Executive Glenn
ency.
Perseverance is evidently one of the virtues
OF the Younger family. 1t was only few
weeks before the retirement of Gov. Pillsbury
from the executive Office of the
state, that he was waited upon
by Col. Littleton P. Younger
of Oregon, an uncle of the Younger brothers,
Cole, Bob and Jim, serving out life sentence
in the penitentiary at Saltwater, for the cow
ardly murder of young Haywood in the at
tempted Mortified bank robbery-to sound
him as to the possibilities of securing par
don for them. Col. Youngerihad the appearance
of being man of good character, and as such
Gov. Pillsbury gave him respectful hearing,
at the conclusion of which, however, the
governor tried to make Col. Younger under
stand that it would be worse than useless to
expect such a thing. Col. Younger listened
Gov. Pillsbury, for he Immediately returned
to Missouri and Immediately circulated petit
tons in jackson, Plat and Clay counties, to
which he secured between 8, 1000 and 1000 sig
natures, armed with which he returned to St.
Paul yesterday, and laid them before Gov.
Hubbard. The following is the heading to
the petition, which was in four sections, and
lully CApidiuo tuC upOu WHICH SOl
Younger bases his applications:
"To our Fellow Citizens, the People and Governor
of Minnesota:
"You have In confinement, under conviction for
grave ofense against the law, Coleman, Robert and
James Younger, natives and formerly citizens of
Missouri. We are citizens Of - county, No..
many of whom knew personally the father of the
Youngers, and also their grwndfathers, Col Charles
Younger and Judge Fristoe. They were all good
cit zens, socially of high standing and reputation
When the boys entered into the terrible civil strfe
which pervaded the whole country and which worked
the ruin of 30 many families, they were minors and
without established characters.
ave have not q word to say In excuse of their
crime; it can but have the unqualified condemns
ton Of all good citizens, but We would respectfully
suggest that the object Of punishment is not VEN
geance, but the reformation of the offenders, and
to deter others.
"The purpose of Maj. Littleton Younger, if he
can by lawful and proper means effect their release
is to take them with him to his home in egon, and
there make of them good and peaceable citizens,
which he gives us assurance he can and will do, and
We believe him, and honor him for the persevering
effort he is making to this end.
"They have now been imprisoned for years, long
enough to have its effect in lettering others disposed
to offend against the laws and if there is ground
for the belief that they are reformed and will CO ne
out to abide the laws and become good and pescsa-
bic citizens, the whole object of punishment has
been subserved. We believe it proper case for the
interpositon of executive clemency, and unite with
Col. Younger il his appeal for the governors par
don, and for partial rescue of once honored name
incarceration of three members Of the family.
Accompanying the petition were also a
number of personal appeals by old friends of
the father of the Younger boys, charging
upon the points set forth in the petition, AID
advancing reasons why, in their opinion, ex-
ecutive clemency at this time was demanded
in the interests of mercy and Christianity
These documents were personally placed in
the hands of Governor Hubbard by Col.
Younger, who received them, and who also
listened attentively to Col. Younger's plea,
which was earnest and at times really touch
ing. At the close, however, Governor
Hubbard informed his visitor that the
petition could not be entertained, and
again, as on the occasion of his visit to Gov.
ernor Pillsbury, the old gentleman retired
from the executive office, with no hope, ex-
cept as he CURLY expressed il: "As long as
there is life there's hope. AS long as the
boys are alive, there is hope that some day
they may have their liberty"