Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1883-04-21
AN EDITORS STORY.
BY A RETIRED EDITOR.

BY A RETIRED EDITOR.
1t was in the year 1877. | was
then managing editor of the Times
perhaps the most influential daily
papers in one of the largest cities OF
the west, which l shall designate as
Burkee. One day l wanted Ger
man to do some work for me among
the German population of the city,
and employed trustworthy young
man whom knew and who was at
the time working in the postofnce.
He did an occasional job tor me for
several weeks.
About this time mysterious rob-
berry of the mails occurred at the
postoffice. Perhaps YOU remember
1.-THE thief was believed to have
torn the letters in small pieces and
swallowed them in order to cover
up all traces of his crime. 1t made
considerable talk at the time in the
newspapers. TO my surprise my
Young German-SchWarZ was his
name-was arrested on suspicion OF
being concerned in the crime, and so
far as | had time to examine, CIR
eumstances pointed strongly to him
as the guilty man.
Well, was extremely busy, and
let the matter drop and tried anoth-
er man to look after items in the
German quarter of the city. L had
forgotten pretty much all ABOUT ~
until. looking over the court record
of the Times one morning some
time after, 1 noticed that Schwar2
had been found guilty and sentenced
to ten wears in the state prison
well. that's the last of that fellow
too bad,' l thought to myself, ano
turned to my desk
I hadn't worked an hour wher
there entered my sanctum a pretty
woman. one Of those German blonds
She was evidently worked up aoou
something, for she was crying ane
wringing her hands as she exclalm
ed in broken English:
'Oh, Meester Brown, Meeste
Brown, vat shall l do? Vat shall
do? Oh, my children-my thre'
little children-their father must g
to prison-and he is innocent-he l
innocent! Oh Meester Brown va
shall do?
managed to get her seated, ant
speedily found that she was tn
wife of Schwarz that she ha,
three children without any WIS.,
Bile means of support; and tina
she firmly believed her husband In
nocent, for she kept interruptlng IN
with
He is innOcent-I know he is In
nocent. He is the victim OF a cor
spiracy! -,
Iouestioned her further, and 500
made up my mind that there wa
something wrong about the case.
whistled down the speaking tube ft
, the law reporter. He appeared in
moment.
sWhat is it about this Schwal
case p asked him.
well, sir, it is a very serious a
, fair. | believe there is consplrac
to get Schwarz into the state prison
in order to shield the guilty partie
7 think he is perfectly innocent, an
T am convinced that the prOsecutin
attorney and thejudge think so too
was the law reporter'r reply.
The affair began to look very II
> teresting, and / determined to fo
low 1t up.
= / told Mrs. Schwarz to remain
: nv Office and / would see VIII
t could be done. Then / ran dow
t around the corner to see the pros
e cutting attorney in the Casa lay
l yer by the way, who figured in Il
5 Guiteau trial last spring.
s what is there wrong about tn
f Sehwarz case, Mr.. Dole" linqulr'
of him.
: well the evidence was Gle
s enough he said, yet fear 1t was
p conspiracy against the poor feiio'
: I felt sure when we convicted nj
8 that he was the victim of a myst
j. rious train of circumstances that
o was impossible to fathOm. We a
j. going to move for his pardon rig
It away
e ! then called on the judge w
J. had presided at the the trial, and
,e said he was so nearly of the att'
d news opinion that he was ready
1t sign a request for the mans pardC
" He also believed that SchWarz "
,r the victim of a vile consplra'
Ie though it would be impossible
Ie prove it.
s- hurried back to the Office wht
m Mrs. Schwarz was awaiting II
Of with fearful, anxious face.
h. well. madam, / believe we v
le have YOUR husband out OF Jail
~ short notice. | am sure ne Is HI
or cent
Here she interrupted me with
at sorts of exclamations OF Joy q
n thankfulness.
ne 0Time for that after we get n
lis ont said |, "and you've got to
IS most of the work. Now | will WI
1T. a petition to the President OF
United States for your husban
J. pardon, and you take it to the |
sons whose names | give you.
get them to sign it. Do this
9uick as you can and then ca
here. for YOU must start to Washi
ton with it this afternoon.
Then l wrote brief statemen
no. the case, petitiOning for the ms
Id pardon, and gave the woman
in note. (Written on my office pal
nv and signed my name as manae
,ez editorl. requesting the persons
DIV whom it was addressed-2O OF
ne most influential citizens of Bur
ON 10 sign the petition as a special Ia
ss- to me.
is The woman took the papers
nd was off like shot. In two or u
he hours she returned with the ma
ich all signed to the petition. L fol
re- the paper in proper form, and W
me- on the back in red ink:
the sMr. President: / believe
ars Schwarz to be thoroughly innoC
old If you will grant his pardon, he
ere be Immediately restored to his
as mer position on the Burkee Til
on / shall esteem your pardon a
great personal favor. Yours