Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-09-24


ment of his pale face. In few hours
| should deliver him to the warden
to enter upon his solitary confinement
before execution of the death SEM
tence.
"We were standing alone just abaft
the wheel house, looking out upon the
moonlit waters, when turned, and,
standing before him with one hand
upon his shoulder, / reminded him
that he had been under my charge
for several months; that during all
that time his department. had been ua-
excepti0nable: that he had been
granted fair and impartial trial-he
had been defended by able and hon.
est counsel-and while doubted mis-
guilt, the presumption was too great
and the evidence, though circumstan>
tial, too strong for the jury to report
different verdict from the one an
nounced, and I said to him he coald
have no hope of executive clemency
in his behalf; that he was guilty be-
cause the jury had SO declared and
the court had so adjadged and moth
ing could be gained now by falsehood
or equivocation. / charged him to
tell me the truth relating to the fire,
and the poor condemned man turned
toward me, the light sea breeze fan
ming the gray locks back from his brow
while the reflection Of the pale moon
lent weirdness to his face, so full of
despair, and resting one hand upon
my shoulder, and with the other rais-
ed toward heaven he said.
Realizing the awful doom await
ing me-that after the year of anguish
and torture in my solitary cell, which
is a part of the sentence pronounced
upon me. am to suffer an igno1n
inious, dreadful death-by my hope
OF heaven, | swear to you that I know
no more how that fire originated than
yourself. Of what avail would false
hood be to me now2 I have received
but kindness from you during my
months of imprisonment. I can rot
say that my trial was not fair one.
[ fad no fault with the Judge or jury,
and my counsel were untiring in there
efforts in my behalf. Yet, repeat
and this is all that is left me now
that, as God hears me-that great
judge, before whom I am soon to stand
Il am innocent
1.-THE poor man staggered like one
blind. and sank to the deck. Never
shall forget the agony depicted upon
his upturned face at that moment.
His earnestness and his solemn words
impressed me with awe. I could no
longer doubt his innocence. and I
then made a VOW that I would do all
in my power to save him from the gal
lows.
Il delivered him, with the other
prisoners I had in charge, Is the ward
en- of the prison, with papers of COM
mitment. / could make make NO
stay, as the coach was waiting my re-
turn to the steamer. I hurriedly bade
hin goed-by, and to be brave, that I
would not forget him. It wa spit1ful
to see that strong man cling to me,
weeping like child, until he was
forclbly removed by the turnkey.
~ pom my return to Portland, at
once conferred With the county attor>
ney, and communicated to him nay
and my firm belief in Mr.
Mills innocence. He heartily second
ed my efforts, and we soon had petit
ton signed by the judge who presided
at the trial, eleven of the jury who
composed the trial panel, the county
attorney, and nearly all the county
and city officers, with large number
of prominent citizens. The prayer of
the petition was that the governor
commute his sentence to imprison~
ment for life. It was presented to his
counsel, the governor granted the
prayer, and the poor mans life was
saved.
''Some FIVE years later, at o'clock
IN the morning, white haired man,
weighed down with sorrow, came into
my Office and inquired for nae. An
stranger stood in the door
way. He looked earnestly for a mo-
ment, and, seeing no recognition in
my face, with sad, tremulous voice,
he said: "Is it possible that you have
forgotten meT Not until then did I
know that he was the same man who
five years before had beea sentenced
to death for crime he never cons
mittea. Noticing my establishment at
seeing him again in Portland, and at
liberty, he at once explained that the
warden had received telegram from
the governor ordering his Immediate
and unconditional release.
SIN explanation of this action by
the executive committee, I will simply
state that some years after Mills con
viction notorious character was ar
rested in the city for highway robbery,
for which he was indicted, tried, con-
victed, and sentenced to thirteen
years at hard labor and was confined
in the same penitentiary where Mills
had so long suffered.
ellis dissipated habits had already
destroyed his health, consequently he
soon broke down under the rigors of
prison discipline. Death was fast ap-
preaching him; its terrors aroused his
scared conscience to right terrible
Having sent for the warden,
the dying criminal confessed that it
was he who set fire to the dwelling by
throwing a roll of cloth saturated with
petroleum through the window and
under the bed of the sleeping Oceu>