Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-12-18
REASONS FOR A PARDON.
somance of Youthful Stage Robber.

From the Neao YORK Herald
There is now lying on the Presidents desk
an application for the pardon OF Robert
Doughty, United States prisoner at the
Chester tIll.) Penitentiary. The report which
accompanies the application is very interest
ing, and combines the elements Of frst-class
romance. Argument of Rangers was formed
ABOUT Tour years ago TO repel the INVASION or
lnulans along the western border OF Texas.
one OF the enlisted men was Robert Doughty,
then youth OF 49, A few months later,
when the troops dlsbanded, Doughty found
hlmsen penuiless and several hun
dred miles from home. He
was wild, harum -scarum fellow, with
a heart as big as his wide sombrero. and with
hCIle respect for that kind Of justice which
punlshes a man who robs his neighbor. es
peclally when the neighbor has all the luxu-
res and the robber none. So 1t happened
that one night Doughty aud three of his com
panions as reckless as himself stationed them
selves along the highway, and. IN the Ian
guage or the rerort, "heid up" the Laredo
and Corpus Christi stage. IT Is thought that
the boys executed the robbery more In a spirit
OF adventure than anything else. They openly
poasted OF their exploit and evidently re-
garded It as something to be proud of
blt the coach. it appears, carried the
United States mails, and the Federal author
tiles were instructed to look into the matter,
winch they did with SO much alacrity that
within week the young men found them
selves within the walls of the county jail at
san Diego. One day letter reached Doughty
from his hone in the eastern part of the
State. 1t contained the intelligence that his
mother was dangerously i'll and wished to see
him before she died. Doughty made repeated
efforts to secure bail and obey his mothers
dying request. He was unsuccessful. how
ever, until the Sheriff, 81 mpathzing with the
boys distress, said:
IF permit you to go home will you return
and deliver yourself up within the next ten
days?
Doughty promised solemnly that he would
return The Sheriff handed him $50 and he
started at once. He reached home in time to
receive his mothers blessing. After the
funeral he started to return to San Diego
Upon being questioned as 10 his reasons for
leaving home so suddenly Doughty explained
to his family the circumstances of his arrest
and liberation. He was told that he was
foolish in a matter of SO much Importance TO
himself to be influenced by sentimental con-
siderations.
1--WE will furnish you the necessary outfit to
carry you across the border into Mexico"
they said. ''where you Will be safe from pur
suit and capture"
But Doughty refused to be Influenced. He
had given his word of honor. The Sheriff had
made himself responsible for his safe return,
and he could not and would not go back on
MIN. lie accordingly returned to San Diego
ana delivered himself again into custody. He
was tried at the October term of 1852 and sem
fenced to eight years in the penitentiary.
The application for his pardon is based upon
his youth at the time the robbery was COM
mltted and his manliness in keeping his
promise to the friend whose generosity en-
abled him to visit his dying mother.