Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-10-26
ROMANCE OF PARDON.
A Strange Story of Mans Honor an
Woman's Devotion.

A Strange Story of Mans Honor and
Woman's Devotion.
One of the pardons which the Governor
granted some months ago, says an Albany
IN. W letter to the COurier-JOuTndt, has
never been published, nor did he, as is
usual with HIM, print the reasons. They
would not now be allowed to be gwen, II
there was any probability that the actual
names concerned, or even the places
where the incidents occurred, should De
correctly given. The story is true TO-
nance, probably seldom equaled in the
most emotional fiction. Early last spring
young man, named for the present pur-
pose Smith, was employed as a gardener
by very wealthy gentleman, to be called
for the present purpose Mr.. Jones, VINO
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
jewelry in his possession. and her bureau
drawer opened and rified. He was seized
and charged with burglary, and, after vain
endeaVOrs to escape, admitted his quit
and was imprisoned. Mrs. Jones was
greatly distressed when she heard OF IL,
and begged hard that he be not prosecuted,
as he was a great fayorite, being youth
only 10, of very handsome presence and
rather we'll educated. She pleaded so
strongly with Mr.. Jones that he sought to
hush the matter ur, but other servants
had been witnesses re- the disturbance at
his detection, and they began to talk
SO freely of young Smiths guilt that
the authorities compelled him to enter
a complaint. Smith was lodged in Jail,
had an early trial, promptly con-
fessed his guilt and was sentenced to
five years in Sing Sing. Mrs. Jones
was so overcome with grief that she was
too sick to attend the trial even to identify
the iewelrv. After he had been in Sing
Sing a few months, Smith was transferred,
at his own request, to Auburn. A few
months ago lady, heavily yelled, called
to see the Governor, and was received by
him at his public desk. Without unveil-
ing, she said she came to see him about a
pardon. He asked her the particulars of
the case, and she stated that of young
Smith, as above narrated.
son what grounds do you ask for par
DOM" asked the Governor.
"He is innocent" she said, family.
''Can you prove it? Nothing more is
needed than proof to that effect" an
sWered the Governor.
"Yes-I can prove it!'
"Then l could possibly grant him new
trial, but that would be the most l could
do. If your new evidence is sufficient,
that will be all you want. What evil
dence have yOu?'
she did not take the jewelry."
elf | remember rightly, he pleaded
guilty"
But he is not guilty, Governor, indeed
he is not guilty"
''Are you a relation of his?''
eyes, sir" she replied, 81 am his Sis
ter"
''Well, WE'LL" said the Governor, some
what bluffiy, ''you see the District Attor-
ney, lay your evidence before him, and on
application"
The lady fingered, and in a trembling
voice and low tone said:
"Can not speak to you alone upon the
Somewhat perplexed, the Governor es-
cOrted her into an inner room, when an
story was told him by a beau
tiful woman in 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 discovery OF their Sc
cret by the husband, there being 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 clue 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,
she has been suffering there for me, and l
can do nothing but beg for him."
1t was many moments before the Gov
10 &c
able man, and presently he said:
madame, if your story is true, it will
become my duty to pardon him as not
guilty of the crime with which he is
char ed. But L must have absolute
proof that it is true, and | must have
proof that you are the person you repre-
sent yourself to be.''
A few weeks later a yelled lady called
in a closed coupe upon the warden of
Auburn prison. Without the interchange
of word the warden conducted her to
small parlOr, where she was left entirely
alone. In a moment the door was
opened and young man clad IN an ordi-
nary citizens suit entered the room. No
one came with him and the door was
closed as soon as he entered. In a mo-
ment he recognized the figure before him.
He sprang forward.
For heavens sake" he said, "why are
you here? How reckless you are. You
may expose all the past. For your own
sake be careful. l do not care as long as
you are saved"
She fell fainting to the floor, and imme-
diately afterward the warden entered.
''YOu have made a mistake" said the
prisoner, with heavy sigh as he walked
back to his cell. 81 do not know the lady.
She is visitor for some one else."
Concealed behind screen at one end of
the room were two members Of
the Governors staff, sent there
to test the true nobility of the
soul. Five days afterwards the
prisoner was pardoned, conducted to a
steamer and shipped to Europe for five
years. He carried $1,000, which was
given him by the woman he had lost. On
the journal of the executive chamber this
pardon is entered ON book that is never
seen by the public,