River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1885-03-19

Indianapolis Dispatch to the Boston Herald
Governor Porter practically contpot
ed mis- official work as governor last
night, although Governor Gray will not
be inaugurated until noon tomorrow.
The last official act of Governor Porter
was the pardon of Peter Crawford
known as "Jack" Crawford convict
in the Michigan City prison, where he
is serving a life sentence for q murder
committed sixteen yearsag When he
had signed the pardon the governor
said: 81 feel as though had done an
act of justice" Then speaking TO his
private secretary, he added; 81 want
that pardon forwarded at once, and
here, Mr.. Blackledge," taking $50
from his purse, Enclose this with it.
Tell him that I especially request him
to keep me advised MS to his future
movements, and the governor gave a
story of most romantic interest. He
said "The case of that man has
worked on my mind more than all the
other applications for pardon that have
oeen presented to me during my entire
,erm ! first became acquainted with
,he man three years ago when he was nj
Jacksonville Warden Howard called
nv attention to him while ! was on u
visit to the prison He had Just made
an attempt at suicide, and had fright
'ul cash in his throat l asked him if
ne had any friends who might interest
themselves in his behalf, and the ques-
ion surprised him. He answered that
ne did not know q soul in the world
outside the prison, where he had been
or thirteen years. There is ono man,
,aid he, sadly, who might remember
ne if he is living, hut he IS
bhe only one know The man
is a big, fine looking fellow, not
having the expression or look Of Grim
nal Mt all. and | became greatly im-
dressed with him. He told me of tho
crime for which he was prls pner, and
referred me to the man mentioned to
,ubstantiate Lis story. He had been EN-
oloyed on a railroad contract and,
while resenting the abusive treatment
If the man in charge Of the set in which
be was working, he used small pen
knife with fatal effect, but without any
intention of killing his adversary He
was utterly friendless, while the man he
killed was well known, and the case
was prosecuted with vigor by the ablest
LAWYERS in Clark county. The result
was his conviction, and for sixteen
years he has been a prisoner. He was
littls more than a boy, and in time was
lost sight of entirely, and probably no
one outside the prison ever remember
ed that he ever had an existence. had
him removed to the Michigan City pri-
son. and took the trouble to hunt up the
man whose name he had given, finally
found him. and from him heard
the story of the killing even
more favorably than Crawford
had told me himself There was
no one to apply for d pardon for him,
but the case appealed 60 me so strongly
that for three years / have been con
siderino whether il was not best to set
him free in the absence Of any petition.
I never had any case work on my mind
as this one did, and it seemed almost
impossible to drive it away The other
night, as / lay doing titful!y, but una
bic to sleep, that mans figure appeared
at tie foot of my bed, and | could see
his face rs plainly as ] see yours now. |
closed my eyes and tried to think Of
something else, but when I opened them
again, there stood Crawford the most
beseeching and reproachful look, imagi
nable on bis fare, and there it remained
until made up my mind / will is
sue that pardon, ] cried and the appar-
ton. if aDparitiOn 10 was vanish
ed. Nothing ever made such an i'm
preston on my mind as that vision
am firmly convinced that manhas euf-
fered enough, and therefore / set him
free