Grand Rapids morning telegram., 1885-02-12
ROMANTIC, BUT TRUE.
,wsc SOLELY FOR Ms aEvTacE.
Remarkable Case Of a Man Wac Was Pun
f.hsd for the Alleged Commissioo Of .
Crime OF Which He Mas To-
QoesLteasbly IaDoeeDl-
tErie pa, speciall

formed, scif-p0Ssossed gcnttoinaas knoSkr1
at the door Of the humble cottage occupied
by the widow Gates, who lives in the back
country, some twenty miles south Of this
city, and inquired concerning the widows
son, who had left home ten years ago. Ia
a short time the Strangers identity was
revealed, and tbs widows long-lost son
was la her arms. The name OF the gentle
man is Charles Stafford. Ten years ago
be was a rough, uncultured, back woods
lad. His life since then has been passed,
until Wednesday last, in the penitentiary
~ Allegheny, and the story Of the trsnsE
tion from a boorish 20 a refined condition
discounts the fiction which was the prima-
~ cause OF the change. Last "Wednesday
Governor Pattisoa signed Staford's par
don aud liberated him, after serving ten
OF the fifteen years 10 which he had been
sentenced for crime that had shocked
this part OF the State The victim of ths
crime is now a young matron, living In the
vicinity, and morbidly sensitive on the
subject. Stafford, the ignorant, uncult-
ured wood cutter, was arrested and was
convicted upon strong circumstantisl evil
dence. The strongest link in the chain
was the fact taat when arrested he wore
the red vest which the victim Of the crime
noticed upon her masked assailant in the
woods. The lads assertion that he had
tsen induced TO swap vests with q man
named McGahm, who said he was
going West, was uncoToborated. and
when number Of other links were sup
piled by SONS witnesses named Rockwell
and one Rseder Moore. there was no doubt
in the minds of the jury, and they con-
victed him in less than ten minutes.
Four years ago the man named by Stat.
ford as the person who snapped vests with
him died in the charcoal woods OF Michi.
gan, and before dying confessed to the
truth of the prisoners story. He denied
being the actual perpetrator, but said
Stafford was as innocent as an unborn
babe. The confession was du'y attested
and sent on here, but was considered too
obscure by the authorities. Two years
later Reeder Moore, the witness who gave
the most damaging testimony, committed
suicide, and while in the throes of death
he confessed and exonerated Stafford.
The community began to fear that an in.
nocent lad was languishing in prison.
Lawyers of eminence and citizens OF
prominence profPered their services, and
by degrees mass of evidence was cb-
tanned that conclusively establtied Stat
ford's limo cence. Through the tedious
process of the State Pardon Board his
release was finally eff scted on Wednesday,.
Being interviewed by your correspond
ent, he stated that when he arrived at the
penitentiary and reflected upon the fifteen
years to lie passed there he almost went
mad. His Ignorance, be saw, was against
him. Toe judge who sentenced him had
adverted TO his unintellectual condition as
being in harmony with the british na.ure
of the crime, and he had seen the approx
Ing mods of the jury. He felt that he
could never hope 20 help himself or prove
his innocence without education, and so
ne resolved TO possess the power which
knowledge gives. Through the kindness
of the officials he learned how to read and
write, and then he launched into the study
of mankind az reflected In the daily press.
The newspapers furnished TO the convicts
were devoured by him with avidity, and
soon he knew more of the world and its
doings than thousands outside the prison
walls One day he procured Dumas's
"Count of Monte Cisto," aud upon that
work of fiction his future life was shaped.
Stafford, after reading this book, was
more than ever determined to acquire that
knowledge which gives power. There was
no learned able in the penitentiary to dig
into his cell, but for cell companions he
once had minister who had gone wrong
From these be obtained much useful infor-
nation. He lived now for revenge. Upon
his knees be swore by the eternal God that
each of the wre ches who had sworn away
his b5rty shoul. bs made TO suffer as he
was suffering. By the force of his newly.
acquired intelligence he reasoned out a
theory which plainly indicated the guilty
party, and laid bare the cunning plot OF
the consprators. What was dark to him
when an ignorant lad was now clear as
daylight. The perspicuity of the letters
he sent to his lawyers was remarkab bic,
and materially aided them in their search
for che facts. United States Detective
Benson followed up the clews thus fur
sishsd, and succeeded in arresting four O,
the alleged perjurers.
Ssfford's plan for revenge is 10 make
the law his instrument in crushing them.
Some of them have grown wealthy in ths
meantime. one being rich banker, but he
proposes 70 devote the remainder Of his
life to the purpose OF establishing their
guilt. The wife of the man whom he
charges with being the actual perpe rator
OF the crime has made damaging admis-
sions, which Stafford was engaged in
copying when the reporter found him.
When he real Of the dsath OF she man in
Michigan and the suicide OF Reedsr Moore,
he says he cried with passion and rallied
against the King ~ Terrors for robbing
him of his prey. The death Of the Judge
who senfe him was regarded bv him
ss the fulillment Of the curse which his
old mother huf,ed at The court after he,
sons sentence vas pronounced. Taken
altogether it is one Of the most remarka.
bic OF kindred cases.