The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1884-11-04
THE ROMANCE OF A PARDON.
How a Man Became Convict 20
Save a Woman's Reputation.
From the Louisville Courier-Journal.

mas TSluccu W Sidnt. III A@SI1 LIZ
decides against granting pardons
every day, but these do not usually
get iato print. One of them, however,
which he did grant some months ago
has never been published, nor did he,
as is usual with him, print the reasons.
They would not now be allowed to be
given, if there was any probability
that the actual names concerned, or
even the places where the Incidents
occurred, should be carrectly given.
The story is true romance. probably
seldom equaled in the most emotional
fiction.
Early last spring a young man,
name for present purposes Smith, was
employed as a gardener by a very
wealthy gentleman to be called for the
present purpose Mr.. Jones, who lived
we will say on the Hudson, near New
York. He was discovered one after
noon bv Mr.. Jones, on his unexpected
return from the city, in the very act
of stealing from Mrs. Jones room
with some of her jewerly in his
possession and her bureau drawer
opened and rlfed. He was seized and
charged with burglary, and, after
vain endeavors to escape, admitted
his guilt and was imprisoned. Mrs.
Jones was greatly distressed when she
heard of it, and begged hard that he
be not prosecuted, as he was great
favorite, being youth only 19, of a
very handsome presence and rather
well educated Sac pleaded SO strong
ly with Mr. Jones that he sought to
hush the matter up, but other ser
wants had been witnesses to the dis
.nrbance at his detection and they
began to talk SO freely of young
Smiths guilt that the authorizes com
PEELED him to enter a complaint.
smith was lodged in Jail, had au early
trial, promptly confessed his guilt,
and was sentenced 10 five years in
Sing Sing. Mrs. Jones was SO over
come with gfisf trat she was too sick
to attend the trial even TO identify
the jewelry. After he bad been il
Sing Sing few months, Smith Was
transferred, at his own request, f.
Auburn.
A few months ago lady, hesvily
veiled, called TO see the governor,
and was received by him at his public
desk. Without unvilieng, she said
that she came 10 see him about 8
pardon. He asked her the particu
lars of the case, and she stated that
of young Smith, as above narrated
Son what grounds do you ask for a
pardon" said the governor.
"He is innocent" she said, family
"Can you prove that ? Nothing
more is needed than proof to that
effect" answered the governor.
"Yes-I can prove it ]"
"Then / could possibly grant him
new trial, but that would be the most
1 could do. IF your new evidence is
sufficient, that will be all you want.
What evidence have your"
s.He did not take the jewelry."
eff remember rightly, he pleaded
guilty"
But he is not guilty, governor
indeed, he is not guilty"
"Are you a relation of his?
"Yes, sir" she replied. Il am his
sister"
"Well, we'll !" said the governor,
somewhat bluffiy, "You see the dis
trict attorney, lay your evidence be-
fore him, and on his sending it to me
/ will consider the application"
Th, lady fingered, and, in tremb-
ling voice and low tone, said:
"Can l not speak TO you alone
upon the matter?"
Somewhat perplexed. the governor
escorted her into an inner room, when |
an astounding story was told him by a |
beautiful woman 10 great mental
anguish. She, too. was guilty. She
loved the handsome gardener, and she
was the wife whose jewels had been
stolen. Upon the verge of a discovery |
of their secret by the husband, no
means of egress for the young lover
which would not be seen and excite
suspicion if not be proof, she had
hastily hidden herself in closet while
he had broken open the drawer of the
bureau and seized the jewels just in
time to give the astonished husband a
wrong clew to the meaning of his
presence there. The lady told her
story with her face buried in her
hands and trembling violently.
For all these months" he said at
last getting down on her knees. che
has been suffering there for me, and
can do nothing but beg for him."
1t was many moments before the
governor could reply. He is an i'm