Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1884-09-27
miscellaneous
A Modern Monte CristO.

REMARKABLE CASE OF PUNISHED INNo-
I REVENGE.
Three DAYS ago well-dressed, finely
formed, self-possessed gentleman knocked
at the door of the humble cottage occupied
by the Widow Gates. who lives in the
back country. some twenty miles south OF
this city, and enquired concerning the
widows son, who had left home some ten
years ago. In short time the strangers
identity was revealed, and the widows
long lost son was in her arms. The name
of the gentleman was Charles Stafford.
Ten years ago he was rough ,uncultured
back woods lad His life since then has
been passed, until Wednesday last in the
penetentiary at Allegheny. and the story
of the transition from boorish to refined
|. conditian discounts the fiction which was
the primary cause of the change. Last
Wednesday Gov. Patterson signed Stat
! ford's pardon and liberated him, after serv-
ing ten of the fifteen years for crime that
has shocked this part of the State The
victim of the crime is now a young matrOn
living in the vicinity, and morbidly SEN
sitiye on the subject. Stafford. the igno-
rant uncultivated young wood-cutter was
arrested, and was convicted upon strong
circumstancial evidence. The strongest
link in the chain was that when arrested
he wore the red vest which the victim of
the crime had noticed upon her masked
assalant in the woods. The lads asser-
ton that he had been induced to swap
vests with man named McGham. who
said he was going west was uncorrobo
rated. and when number of other links
were supplied by some witnesses named
Rockwell and one Reeder Moore, there
was no doubt in the minds of the jury,
and they convicted him in less than ten
minutes.
Four years ago the man named by Stat
ford as the person who snapped vests
with him, died in the charcoal woods OF
Michigan. and before dying confessed to
the truth of the prisoners story. He
denied being the actual perpetrator, but
said Stafford was as innocent as an I'M
born babe. The confession was duly at
!, tested and sent on here, but it was consd
cred too obscure by the authorities. Two
years later Reeder Moore. the witness
who gave the most damaging testimony,
committed suicide, and while in the throes
of death he confessed, and eXonerated
Stafford. The community began to fear
that an innocent lad was languishing in
prison, Lawyers of eminence, and citizens
of prominence proffered their services,
and by degrees mass of evidence was
5 obtained that conclusively established
: Stafford's innocence. Through the tedious
, process of the State pardon board his
} release was finally effected on Wednesday,
Being interviewed by your correspon-
! dent, he stated that when he arrived at
the penitentiary and reflected upon the
fifteen years to be passed there, he almost
went mad. His ignorance he saw was
, against him. The Judge who sentenced
him had adverted to his unintetlectual
{ condition, as being in harmony with the
, british nature of the crime, and had seen
the approving mods of the jury. He felt
, that he could never hope to help himself,
, or prove his innocence without education,
!, and so he resolved to possess the power
which knowledge gives. Through the
kindness of the officials he learned how to
read and write, and then he launched into
the study of mankind as reflected in the
daily press. The newspapers furnished to
the convicts were devoured by HIM with
; avidity. and soon he knew more of the
world and its dongs than thousands out
side his prison walls. One day he pro-
2 cured Dumas Count of Monte Cristo, :"
Y and npon that work of fiction his future
life was shaped.
| Stafford, after reading this book, was
more than ever determined to acquire that
t knowledge which gives power. There
was no learned able in the penitentiary to
f dig into his cell, but for cell companions
; he once had a minister who had gone
a wrong and a lawyer who had not done
5 right. From these he obtained much use
: full information. He lived now for re-
! venge. Upon his knees he swore by the
| eternal God that each Of the wretches who
had sworn away his liberty should be
made to suffer as he was suffering. By
the force of his newly acquired intelli-
, gence, he reasoned out theory which
. plainly indicated the guilty party and laid
bare the cunning plot OF the conspirators.
What was dark to him when an ignorant
q lad was now clear as daylight. The pers-
picuitv of the letters he sent to his law
yerS was remarkable and materially aided
!, them in their search for facts United
States Detective Benson followed up the
clues thus furnished and succeeded in ar
resting four of the alleged periurers.
Statford's plan for revenge is to make
: the law his instrument in crushing them.
some OF them nave grown wealthy in the
meantime, one being a rich banker. but
he proposes to devote the remainder of his
life to the purpose of establishing their
guilt. The wife of the man whom he
charges with being The actual perpetrator
OF the crime has made damaging adms-
sons, which Stafford was engaged in COPY
ing when the reporter found him. When
he read of the death of the man in Micbi-
? L Il. -.
says he cried with passion and rallied
against the king of ierrors for robbing
: him OF his prey. The death of the Judge
who sentenced him was regarded BY him
as the fuIfillment of the curse which his
old mother hurled at the court after her
; sons sentence was pronounced. Taken
altogether it is one of the most remarka-
Bile OF kindred cases.-Erie, Pa, Cor
N. Y. World.