The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1885-04-16
Called Back.

A few days ago Governor Hughe,
issued pardon for Benjamin +. Taylor
q young man under sentence for severa
years on account Of crime committed
when he was boy Of l6. The exercise
| OF tue pardoning power is something
] which requires the utmost caution and
| the most careful consideration. It is Q
well-known fact that innocent men arc
often convicted and eentcuce3, and 1t Il
also beyond denial that men guilty IL
the eyes of the law may yet be deserving
OF clemency. This ia why the power
has been left In the hands of the govern.
or, and IL remains with him to discrimi
nate as to tho merits of the scores and
hundreds of prayers for pardon which
pour in upon him. The case of young
Taylor Is one which has attracted con.
siderable attention, and has been watched
with no small degree of interest. His
! story reads like romance. He was led
away by evil associates, and in his sey.
enteenth year found himself within the
walls of the State penitentiary with q
long term OF Imprisonment starring him
In the face. l'e was O daring little fol.
low, aud befor he had been long in the
stripes he maue o bold dash FOR liberty,
evaded the guards and takiuE to the
woods, succeeded In battling all pursuit.
His insight into prison life seems to have
had q most salutary effect upon him, for
he made his way into Texas and under
en- assumed name soon become identified
with one of the smaller towns, living IN
honest and industrious life. He was re-.
spected by the community, and when he
married one OF the bellies of the town
IpnGnd 70 n N - h,,x
match. he lived thus in peace aud se.
ou.,y several year, but ono bright
children at his knee, the officers of the
law came In upon him. His sin had
found him out, and be was torn from his
happy home and carried back in chains
to the Little Rock penitentiery. Heart.
broken, his loving wife followed him.
Petitions from leading citizens of hia new
home poured in. 1t was an unusual
case, and the Governor gave it his closest
attention. The young mans record at
the penitentiary, both before aud after
his escape, was commended by the au.
thorities. at last the decision was
reached, the paper was signed, aad the
patient wife received her happy husband,
once more free man. The governor
was highly commended for this action
on his part, and It was predicted that be
had been instrumental In restoring to tho
world man who would be an honor to
himself and his friends, and living
monument 10 justice and humanity.
The following letter from the poor fellow
shows his feelings when once more at
home
ldT. CALM, HALL County, TEXAS.
Kind friends at Little Rock: am
happy-very happy this morning. am
once moiD at home and free man for
evsrnore. How sad have been, shut
up in your prison there, away from my
family and those whom love SO dearly.
Once more am with that dear loving
wife who left her Texas home and fol.
lowed me to the prison door, never re-.
proachiDg me-, but striving all the time
that I might be freed. A kind governor
was he who treated her 80 courteous and
viewed my case 60 fairly. Never shall
he regret his clemency, and never shall
the justice Of his act be doubted. We
shall never forget him and our little ones
shall learn to breathe his namo in night.
ly prayer. Who can doubt that he had
most just ground for his action7 Tho
offe..se was committed years ago by a
mere boy, and most bitterly have the
faults of the youth been repented by the
man. Kind words of advice and admo-
milton he gave mo, and most carefully
have cherished them. Received In my
Texas home with wsrm.hearted friend
ship and freely forgiven; with the mem.
DRY of the kind sympathy I received in
Little Rock, how much tho more will I
strive to live life which shall repay It
all. Very respectfully.
BENJAMIN F. TAYLOR.