Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1884-11-05
THE ROMANCE OF A PARDON.

How Man Became a Convict to Save a
WOmau's Reputation.
From the Louisville Courier-Journal.]
Some discussion has recently taken
place regarding pardon which the
Governor has refused to grant. In fact,
he decides against granting pardons ev-
cry day, but these do not usually get
into 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 correctly given. The story
is true romance, probably seldom
equaled in the most emotional fiction.
Early last spring young man, name
for present purposes Smith, was en-
ployed as gardener by very wealthy
gentleman 10 be called for the present
purpose Mr.. Jones, who lived we will
say on the Hudson, near New York. He
was discovered one afternoon by Mr..
Jones, on his unexpected return from
the city, in the very act of stealing from
Mrs. Jones' room with some of her Jew
elry in his possession and her bureau
drawer opened and rifed. 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 favor
tie, being youth only 10, of very
handsome presence and rather we'll ed
ucated. She pleaded so strongly with
Mr.. Jones that he sought to hush the
matter up, but other servants had been
witnesses to his disturbance at his &C.
lection and they began to talk so freely
of young Smiths guilt that the authori-
ties compelled him to enter COM
plant. Smith was lodged in jail, had
an early trial, promptly confessed his
guilt, and was sentenced to five years in
Sing Sing. Mrs. Jones was so over
come with grief that she was too sick to
attend the trial even to identify the
iewelry. After he had been in Sing
Sing a few months, Smith was trans
ferred at his own request, to Auburn.
A few months ago lady heavily vail
ed called to see the Governor, and was
received by him at his public desk.
Without unvailing, she said she came to
see him about pardon. He asked her
the particulars of the case, and she
stated that of young Smith, as above
narrated.
con what grounds do you ask for
pardon?" said the Governor.
He is innocent" she said family.
"Can you prove that? Nothing more
is needed than proof to that effect" an
swered the governor.
"Yes-I can prove i'll"
"Then I could possibly grant him a
new trial, but that would be the most I
could do. If your new evidence is suf
fcient, that will be all you want. What
evidence have you?"
"He did not take the iewelry."
"If remember rightly he pleaded
guilty"
But he is not guilty, Governor; in
deed, he is not guilty"
"Are you a relation of his 2"
Eyes, sir" she replied. II am his
sister"
well, WE'LL" said the governor, some
what blufiy, "You see the District
Attorney, lay your evidence before him,
and on his sending it to me [ will con-
slider the application
The lady fingered, and, in trem-
bling voice and low tone, said:
"Can I not speak to you alone upon
the matter?"
Somewhat perplexed, the Governor
escorted her into an inner room, when
an astounding story IVES told him by
beautiful woman Ill great mental an
guish. 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 her
self 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" she said
at last, getting down on her knees, she
has been suffering there for me, and I
can do nothing but beg for him."
Lit was many moments before the Gov
ernor could reply. He is an impress
sionable man, and this case of distress
moved him very much. Presently he
said:
Madam, if your story is true, it will
become my duty to pardon him as not
guilty of the crime for which he is
charged. But l must have absolute
proof that it is true, and I must have
proof that you are the person you rep
resent yourself to be"
She made gesture.
Waits moment. I must also require
him if pardoned, to absent himself from