Morning journal and courier., 1883-03-13
Sunrnal xll0 Guurier.
SINGLE COPIES THREE GENTS.
Tuesday, March 13. 1883.
eREAT WRONG,


 Governor Begole of Michigan has just par doned Samuel Ulman, who was sentenced to the Michigan penitentiary for life in 1855. UIman's fate has been sad one and the wrong which has been done him is one which cannot be repaired.
 In 1853 Vermont bachelor named Esta- brook decided that he would marry, his choice being Miss Woods, who lived near Leonidas, in the southwest part of Michigan. Estabrook sold his farm, put the money he got in his pocket, and started for Miss Woods home, intending to be married and live there On November 12 he had reached started te drive there. On his way he stop ped at small tavern, three or four miles from his journeys end, and this is the last time that he was seen. He sent his team back to the man from whom he hired it, and one of the proprietors of the tavern sent his baggage to Miss Woods with the information that it belonged to stranger who would be along in 8 few days.
 Inquiry was soon made concerning the fate of Estabrook, and man named Giles Hard ing, who lived in the vicinity, declared that he knew what had become of him. He charged Ulman and man named White with killing him, and did not shrink from con fessing that he also took part in the crime. He said that he saw EstRbrook walking to Miss Woods house, that UIman and White came along and asked him (Estabrook) to ride, and drose into the woods and killed him, and that he (Harding) got into the wagon as it moved along. Harding was in iaiI for theft when ho made this confession, and it was shown at the trial that he was weak minded and liar, and had 8 grudge against both Ulnan and White. Yet his story was believed, and he, Ulnan and White were convicted and sentenced to prison for life.
 It seems strange that the trial could have had this result, for there was no proof even that a murder had been commit ed. and no evidence to support Harding's astonishing and improbable tale. And it was not long before officers of the court and others realiz- ed that wrong had been done. But with singular and unexplained neglect the inno- csnt men were allowed to stay in prison year after year. Harding died after making an affidavit declaring his whole testimony false. White also died and declared to the last that he was innocent. Nobody appears to have thought it worth while to pay much atten- tion to Ulman until last fall, and even then no very vigorous effort was made, and it is stated that Governor Begole's attention was called to the matter by his clerk, who ''acci- dentally'' came across the application for Ulmans pardon.
 So Ulman, after suffering most cruel wrong for more than twenty-five years, was finally allowed to leave the prison to which he never ought to have been consigned. Of course his life is not worth much to him now. The best part of it.ssat hes spsnt as a condemned criminal, conscious of his innocence, yet un- able to do anything for himself and appar- ently without influential friends to do any thing for him. He must feel that the justice of this world is melancholy affair. It is to be hoped that the State which has ruined him will do what it can to repair the wrong done him, but after what he has suffered from it, he is probably not very hopeful that he will receive fair treatment.