Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-06-02
AFTER YEARS OF BUTTONHOL-
ING,
Mrs. Bruce Wins Pardon for her Hus-
band as the Result of Tireless Lobby
ing.

Mrs. Bruce Wins Pardon for her Hus-
band as the Result of Tireless Lobby
ing.
A singular instance or a wOman's per-
sistency and success as a lobbyist, says
a Des Moines Iowa special, to the New
York San, has just come to light here. In
1876 Edward Bruce, wholesale liquor
dealer of KeokUk, tailed in business and
became dissipated. He had some business
dealings with z. Mcnamara, a grocer.
The latter had loaned him money on
several occasions, but when he refused to
accommodate Bruce any further quarrel
ensued. Bruce finally drew revolver
and tried to shoot, but bystanders pre-
vented, and policeman cOntiscated his
weapon. Going home, Bruce took nap,
and on waking he went down town, bought
another pistol, and ON going to McNama-
ra's house shot him dead.
The tragedy caused intense excitement
in KeOkuk and vicinity, for it was con-
sidered one of the most wanton and I'M
provoked murders ever perpetrated in the
State. Bruce was tried, convicted, and
sentenced TO the penitentiary for life, and
everybody supposed that he would re-
main there.
His wife set at work, however, without
delay to secure his pardon. She is an
attractive woman, of great force of
character and perseverance, and she has
not from the first entertained doubt of
her ultimate success. When she an
nounced her intention of applying for his
release it was thought that she must be
crazy, for the difficulties to be overcome
seemed insuperable. In this State the
Governor cannot pardon a murderer
unless the Legislature recommends it.
To the members of the General Assembly
Mrs Bruce turned attention.
At the outset she received little encOur-
agement, but as session followed session
and she appeared regularly each time,
fearful eyed. but apparently confident,
and seeming never to imagine that she
was asking more than a mere personal
favor, it was noticed that her strength
increased. She was persistency itself.
No legislator could escape her. She
was everywhere that the SOlons were,
always implOring. When the Legisla-
ture was not in session, she was busy
soliciIing signatures to a petition, and
almost every man of prominence in the
State has at some time or other been
urged to add his name to her list.
At the last session, when it became
apparent that her gradually increasing
support had become formidable, the
friends of the murdered man bestirred
themselves, and in few weeks they
rolled up petition against her that was
Il We times the length Of hers, for it was
thu, general belief that her husband was
sufi,ering a well-merited punishment.
Petit ions did not count much, however,
AGAIN, It her buttonholing tactics. The
hin for the release OF Bruce was intro
duced. a nd she haunted the capitol at all
hours EN- she could find any one there
and pleaded for its passage.
When it was reached on the calendar
many effective speeches were made
AGAINST it, but on the announcement of
tba vote it was found to have been car
ried bv 50 against 40. In the Senate
less difficulty was experienced, though
the littIe woman was on hand all the
time until he measure was disposed of.
She won in the higher body by vote OF
26 against 10,
disappeared fir, I'm the capitol, and the
opponents of the pardon who had rolled up
the monster petit IONS against IL lett tnem
with the Governor ana maze up tnelf
minds that he would ignore the action
of the Assembly, as he legally could no.
In this they were mist AIKEN.
It is learned here now that Bruce
walked out of the Fort Madison prison
the other day clad in tItlzen's clothes;
that he was driven to small station on
mo Burlington road, where MRS. Bruce,
equipped with many trunks Tor traVellng,
ioIned him, and that they took an evening
train bound for the North. Ihey were
out Of the State long before the news OF
the Governors action was known. WINE
there is some disposition to crltdelse MIN,
nearly every body is willing to admib that
the wife has earned some sort OF reward
for her devotion and perSeverance.lC Is sup
posed that the reunited couple have gone
to Dakota, where Bruce's father hVes'