The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1886-02-06
Rirdis Weast's Funeral.

| A most unusual order on U~hall Oh
criminal was that OF Governor Ogleshy
permitting Peter A. Weast, a convict at the
Illinois State Penitentiary, 10 attend the
funeral of his child at Streator on Sund"y'
The little girl, aged three and half years,
nied AZ the residence Of the notorious
mother, on Burten street, the Friday prevl-
Gus His attorneys, Messrs. Duncan and
Blake, were interviewed by Joe Weast NJ
IN getting a permit for Weast to attend the
funeral. Judge Blanchard signed II, and
after much persuasion States Attorney
Moloney appended his autograph c"ndi'
.ionally, as did also the former. Blake and
Weast then went 30 Joliet and laid the pa
ner before Warden McClaughrey, but that
official absolutely refused the request that
Weast be allowed 10 attend the child 8
funeral. Mr. Blake then held some
lengthy Geographic communication with
Governor Oglesby which had the desired
fleet. and for the first time 10 the history
NJ criminal annals In the state convicted
felon was granted privilege hitherto de-
MED any Of that class. The governor, un.
der date of Jan. 30, telegraphed MIR. Blake
AZ follows: Major McClaughrey, permit
Peter A. Weast, convict named in your
telegram, TO attend the funeral of his
daughter, under sufficient guard for his
safe return to the prison immediately after
eervices are over" The warden according
" issued his orders 10 that effect and de,
tailed Officer Rosie, of the prison force, ~
accompany Pete to Sueator and return and
keen him in custody during the trip. The
attorney, officer and convict arrived 10 OF
tgwa on the accommodation train Saturday
night, and Wea,t was placed IN his old
quarters in the county jail for safe keep
ing. In the morning the trio rode over to
Streator in a d0uhle.seated cutter and at
once drove 10 the Plumb House, where the
body Of his little dead child lay, which
had arrived saturday night 10 charge OF
i,s mother and Joe Weast, the latter Of
Cul!om, Ill. Learning that Weast would
attend the funeral "a large concourse Of
Streator people thronged the office and coz
ridurs of the Plumb House and hundreds
passed in and viewed the Remains of the
in the little white coffin in a room opp site
that i'm which its father shot down Thomas
B. Parks. Many ladies' of that city pressed
around Pete 10 shake hands and inquire
after his health. In the afternoon services
were held over the remains IN the Park
church, when the pastor, Rev. Pennalle-
gun, preached an eloquent and affecting
sermon, many in the vast audience being
moved to tears. Among the pail bearers
were }. r. Murdock and Walter Reeves.
After the sermon the lid of the coffin was
removed and the large multitude of people
| in the church passed by 10 view the little
dead girl Over one hundred sleighs fol,
| lowed Brides remains To- their resting
place in Riverside cemetery, the funeral
possession being over half II mile In length
II was unquestiOnably the largest chld's
| funeral ever held in this region. Previous
! 10 the beginning of the funeral ceremonies
sort Of reception was arranged whereby
| prte's friends and admirers were allowed
to pass by and congratulate him. 1t is es-
tmated that 900 persons shook hands
with him, fully one-half Of whom were
women. The meeting of Weast and his
wife Annie over the remains Of their child
was an affecting scene, and both wept cupi-
ously. He was greatly attached TO the lit.
tie one, who WIS his first and favorite.
The convict has aged greatly since his
incarceration in prison. He has lost in
weight twenty pounds during his months
stay In Joliet, where he has been engaged
In the marble polishing trade. The effect
of Weast's visit Ia StreatOr Is that it has
nude him hundreds of sympathizers where
he had bur one In an interview with his
wife, previous To his leaving for Joliet he
told her that ne might return 10 Streator
10 live after he had served his time, and
advised her 10 go To Wa,seka and live with
her folks, but this she emphatically re-
fused 10 do
To sum up the entire matter StreatOr
lionized the return of Peter A. Weast the
nun killer, in "a remarkable manner, as
evinCed by the hundreds who called to see
lin, and the large line of vehicles at the
funeral of poor little Birdie, who died ere
size could realize the disgrace Of having n
convict father.