Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-10-23


you will advice me IF the action taken by
you III the promises,
have the honor to remain, your obedi-
ant servant,I
G. D. O'BR1EN, Mayor of st. Paul.
In reply to the foregoing letter, Mayor
OBrien received the following letter from
Judge Baker:
CAIRO, Ill, Sept. "a, 1888 Hon. G. D
favor of Sept. 10th, with testimony and
Daniel O'Connell, deceased, received in
Cairo while 1 was absent from home hold
ing court.
ton, at considerable length, in regard to
the application for the pardon of George
Washington and VIM. Nelson, alias Under
hill, concluded my letter with the re-
mark that 81 am clearly of opinion the case
presented is one which calls for the exer-
else of the pardoning power, in order that,
thereby, these men may bs placed upon
trial for the henious crime of which they
appear to be guilty."
In the absence of any directions, I have
also forwarded to the governor the certified
copy OF testimony taken at coroner's iu-
quest, and the dispositions taken before
you. Ihave the honor to be, your obedient
servant, DANIEri J. BAKER.
Judge 15t Circuit, Ills.
In reply to the foregoing letter Mayor
OBrien responded as follows, under the
date of September %:
"Hon. David j. Baker, Ca ro, I'LL have
the honor to acknowledge the receipt OF
your esteemed favor of the 24ih inst. anG
also to tender you the THANKS OF the citi-
zens of this city, as well as my personal
thanks, for your politeness in giving the
matter such early attention, ard the great
assistance which your Official action in
writing to Governor Hamilton will be to
us in our efforts to bring these two Grim
inels to trial for the highes. ofisnse known
to the law. Our city author. les have snent
much time and money in their prosecution
of this matter, and we now have reason to
believe that it is only matter of time IN
til our efforts will be rewarded by the COZ
viction of these two murderers. I remain,
Your obedient servant,
CD. O'BR1EN,
Mayor of st. Paul"
Mayor O'Brien also wrote tho following
letter to Governor Hamilton, under date
To his Excellency, John M. Hamilton, Gov
ernor of Illinois:
Sir received a letter yesterday from
Hon. David j. Baker, judge of the circuit
court at Cairo. Illinois, before whom
George Washington and William Nelson
were tried, in which he stated thas he had
fully considered the testimony which We
sent him, and that he had written to you
strongly recommending that you issue a
pardon to each of these men in order that
they might be brought to this city for
trial.
These men have been indicted here for
murder in the first degree, and took the
liberty of relegraphing you yesterday
asking you if you would issue the pardons.
The court is now in session, and We desire,
if possible, to try these o;en at this term
of court. We will send you certified copies
of the indictments, and If you conclude TO
issue the pardons, We have to ask you TO
favor MS by sending the pardons, and such
other papers as our messenger would re-
ceive, if he went to SpTipg 8eld, to B. W.
Armstrong, at Chicago, care of Grand Pa
cifc hotel, and telegraph US when it is
done.
Our time is short, If these men are to be
tried at this term, and We won!d save the
tims that would necessarily be consumed
by Mr.. Armstrong in going from Chicago
to Springfield, as he would go direct to
Chester from Chicago.
I trust you will not consider mo pre-
sumptuous in urging these requests; I
only make them because am anxious to
have as much time a. 20 sibe, end, if pos
81 10 h ftacl 10 lr.n Of -.
term of court, whiie our witnesses are all
here.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
@. D. O'BR1EN,
Mayor of ST. Paul.
Under date of Oct. 4, Mayor UBrien
again writes Gov. Hamilton as follows:
''Sir: I have the honor to transmit
herewith certified copy of the indict-
ments presented by the grand jury of this
country against George Washington and
AL. UnderhIll for the crime of murder.
AS you are advised by our other CORES
pondence, these men are convicts in the
Chester pententiary, Underhill's alias be-
ing Bill Nelson. For the reasons already
urged we are exceedingly anxious that you
should give our application for their par
don and surrender to the authorities OF
this city as early consideration as will be
consistent With your other public duties.
I again take the liberty OF requesting your
excellency to advise me, when final action
is taken.
Very respectfully your obsdient servant,
G. D. O'RRIzN,
Ma, CT of st. Paul.
To his e1cellency. Governor Hamilton"
Mayor O'Brien's next letter to Governor
Hamilton, under date of Oct. 18th, was as
follows:
Hon. John M. Hamilton, Governor of
Illinois, Springfield, Illinois, Dear sir: You
will permit me to express some surprise
that my several last letters and dispatches
relative to Underhill and Washington re-
main unanswered and to enquire respect
fully the reason why they are not. I have
tried to bring the case within ell the terms
laid down IN your letter; tt g men have been
duly indicted, the Judge who tried them
has recommended their pardon, our term
of court is now in session, aud I have not
had the honor of a word from your excel
lency in response to repeated and urgent
inquiries on my part.
beg to say to you that my principal
witness against these men IS dying of con-
sumption and will not live until spring and
is daily requesting permission TO go south,
as our cold fall weather affects him.
have asked him to wait ten days longer,