The Northern Pacific farmer., 1885-03-19
Governor Porter's Vision.

1uQanapOu6 D1spatcn 10 the boston Herald
Governor Porter practically comp!et-
ed MS 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, a convict
in the Michigan City prison, where he
is serving life sentence for murder
committed sixteen years ago. When he
had signed the pardon thu governor
said: II feel as though I had done an
act of Justice" Then speaking to his
private secretary, he added: II want
that pardon forwarded at once, and
here, Mr.. Blackledge," taking $50
from his purse, Enclose this with il.
Tell him that especially request him
to keep me advised as 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
been presented to me during my entire
term. first became acquainted with
the man three years ago when he was at
Jeffersonville. Warden Howard called
my attention to him while I was on a
visit to the prison. He had just made
an attempt at suicide, and had fright
full cash in his throat. I asked him if
he had any friends who might interest
themselves in his behalf, and the ques-
tion surprised him. He answered that
he did not know a soul in the world
outside the prison, where he had been
for thirteen years. There is one man,
said he, sadly, who might remember
me if he is living, but he is
the only one + know The man
is big, fine looking fellow, not
having the expression or look of a GRIM
inal at all, and I became greatly i'm
pressed with him. He told me of the
crime for which he was prisoner, and
referred me to the man mentioned to
substantiate Lis story. He had been EN-
ployed on a railroad contract, and,
while resenting the abusive treatment
Of the man in charge of the set in which
he was working, he used small pen
knife with fatal effect, but without any
intention of killing his adversary. He
was utterly friend]ess, while the man he
killed was we'll 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 prisoner. He was
little more than boy, and in time was
lost sight of entirely, and probably no
ono outside the prison ever remember
ed that he ever had an existence. Ihad
him removed to the Michigan City pri-
son, and took the trouble to hunt up the
man whose lame 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 pardon for him,
but the case appealed to me so strongly
that for three years I have been con-
sidering whether it 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 I lay doing fitfully, but una
bic to sleep, that mans figure appeared
at the foot of my bed, and I could see.
his tace as plainly as i see yours now. I
closed my eyes and tried to think of
something else, but when opened them
again, there stood Crawford, the most
beseeching and reproachful look imagi-
nable on his face, and there it remained
until I made up my mind, 4 will is
sue that pardon, I CRIED, and the appar-
ition, if apparition it was vanish
ed. Nothing ever made such an i'm
preston on my mind as that vision. ]
am firmly convinced that manhas suf-
tered enough, and therefore I GET him
Hee." +. .s SO