Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-09-03
4 NEW lDMuNp D1NTEs.
SERVING Ten Years when innoeens- Eduea.
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SERVING Ten Years when innocent- Edueu'
dra Himself and Preparing for Revenge.
An Erie pal special says: Three day.
| ago welI-dIessed. Gnely-formcd. seif.pos
sessed gentleman knocked at the door o.
the humble cottage occupied by the Widow
Gates, who lives In the back country som'
twenty miles south OF this city, and IN
CURED concerning the widows son, who
| Ind left home some ten years ago. In shor
| time The Strangers identity was revealed
and the widows long-lost sou was Ia bel
arms. The name OF the gentleman i
Charles Stafford. Ten years ago be was Q
rough, uncnItlvated backwoods lad. The
whole % his life sine, then has been passed
until Wednesday last In the penitentiary
ri Allegheny, and the story OF the transi'
ton from a boorish 10 n refined condition
discounts the fiction which was The primary
cause Of the change.
Last Wednesday Governor Pattison
signed Sislord's pardon. and liberated
him after serving ten OF the fifteen years TO
which he bad been sentenced for crime
that shocked the whole OF this part OF the
STATE. the details Of which II Is unnecessary
TO relate here from the fact that the fearful
story has been told in the trial reports.
StafloTd. iic ignorant. Cncultured wood
cutter. was arrested. and was conVi ted
upon strong circumstantial evidence. The
strongest link IT, the chain OF evidence was
the fact that when arrested he wore the
red vest. The lad's assertion that he had
been induced 10 change vests with mln
named McGahin, who said he WAS going
West. was uncoTroboratcd. and when
number Of other links were supplied By
some witnesses named Rockwell and
Recder Moore there was no dorbt IN the
minds Of the jury, and they convicted him
IN less than ten minutes.
HIS INNOCENCE ESTABLISHED.
Four wears ago the man named by STAT
ford as the person who snapped vests with
him died IN the charcoal woods of Mich.
gan. and before dying confessed to the
truth OF the prisoners story. lie denied
Icing the actual perpetrator, but said StH-
ford WAS as innocent rs an unborn babe.
The confession was duly attested and sent
on here, but was considered too obscure
by the authorities. Two years later Reeder
Moore, the witness who gave the most dam
aging testimony, committed suicide, and
while in the tbroes Of death he confessed
ard cxoneratcd Stafford. Public excite
mcnt cnsucd and the community began ID
fear that an innocent lad was Ian Suishingin
prison. Lawyers ~ cminence and citizens
Of prominence proflCred their services, and
by degrees mass Of evidence was obtained
that concusive!y established Staiford's in
nocencc. Through the tedious process OF
the State Pardon Board his release was
finally Effected on Wednesday.
IVhgp no arrival ot tho fapitont,orr
reflected upon the fifteen years TO be passed
there, Stafford says be almost went mad.
His ignorance, he saw, was against him.
The Judge who sentenced him had adyerted
10 hi. unlntellectral condition rs being in
with the british nature OF the
crime. and he had seen the approving mods
Di the jury. He felt that he could never
hope 10 help himself or prove his innocence
without education, and 80 he resolved 10
possess the power which knowledge gives.
Through The kindness Of the officials he
earned how 10 read and write, and then
be launched into the study Of mankind
rs reflected in the daily press. The
newspapers furnished 10 the convicts were
levoured by him with ayidity and soon he
Knew mere OF the world and its doings
han thousands outside Of bis prison walls.
me day he procured a novel from the pen
Il Alexander DumaS-"The Count Of
Monte Christie and upon that work Of
ictiCn his future life was shared. There
vas no learned able in the penilcntiary to
liz into his cell, rs in the case of Edmund
)antes, but for cell companions he once had /.
minister who had gone wrong and a law ,
er who had not done right. From these |
e obtained much usefu! information.
LIVING FOR REVENGE.
He lived now for revenge. Upon his |
nees he SWore that each Of the wretchcs /
.ho bad sworn away his liberty should he |
lade 10 suffer as he was sullering-year
Dr year, tear for tear. sroan for grOan.
~ the force OF his newly-acquired ntcIi-
ence be reasoned out a theory which plainly |
idicated The guilty party and laid bare the
mining plot Of the cOnspirators. What
as dark 10 him when an ignorant lad was
Ow clear rs daylight. The perspicuity OF
le letters he sent TO his lawyers was re-
arkable aud materially aided them in their
arch for the facts. United States Detec-
We Benson followed up the clues thus
Finished and succeeded in arresting four
the alleged perjurerS.
Stallord's plan for revenge Is to make the
W his instrument IN crushing them. Some
them have grown wealthy in the mean
me, one being a rich banker, but ne pro-
oses to devote the remainder OF his life TO
&c purpose Of establishing their guilt.
he wife OF the man whom he charges to
= the actual perpetrator OF the crime has
ade damaging admissions. which Stafford
aS engaged in copying when the reporter
ind him. When he read OF the death OF
c man in Michigan and OF the suicide OF
reder Moore he says he cried with pa.
)n, and rallied against the king OF terrOrs
r robbing him Of his prey. The death OF
c judge who sentenced him vas regarded
him as the fulfiment OF the curse which
: old mother hurled at the Court after
r sons sentence was pronounced.