The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1888-01-27
A CUNNING CONVICT.
How He Forged His Way Out of
Auburn Prison.

The Tribune q few days ago pub
lished the following dispatch from
indianapolis:
When District-Attorney Sellers opened his
mail last night he was astounded to find COM
munication referred to him by the President
embodyng petition for thepardon of William
Teal, notorious criminal who has served three
terms in prison for countarfeiting. The petit
ton bore the names Of all tho United ates
Court officials, including the district-attorney
himself, besides those of William Fl. English,
Joseph f. Mcdonald and many other of the
most prominent citizens OF Indianapolis. On
investigation it was found that all the sigma
lures hai been forged, together with letters
making special pleas for the convict. The
PRESIDENT had given favorable consideration to
the petition on account Of its strength OF sigma
lures, bat his reference for inquiry into the
matter will result in making more trouble for
real ana the persons associated with him."
The incident above narrated recalls
a similar one that happened in this
State. 1t was q score or more wears
ago that an application was received
at the Executive chamber at Albany for
the pardon of a convict, one of whose
many aliases was 'Jack Flam, ;" from
Auburn prison. Jack had spent a
large portion of his life in enforced
confinement and had well earned the
reputation OF being one of the most
desperate Of unhung villains. His ILL
fame was known to the Governor, and
accordingly he opened the application
for clemency extremely disinclined to
Interfere, lie very properly felt that
1t would be crime against the public,
a blow Mt peace and good order to turn
loose so relentless foe to society.
However he also felt that it was his
duty to see on what grounds the ap-
plication was based. The result was
that ON finishing the papers he rang
for the pardon clerk and directed that
document should be prepared for his
official signature releasing Jack Flam.
The pardon clerk had also heard OF
jacks bad eminence, so being on ex-
coIlent terms with his chief, he turned
to him and remarked, with face the
picture OF amazement:
lis it possible, Governor, that YOU
are going to pardon so notorious a char
acteras Flam?"
Eyes, " answered the Governor, with
a smile. That's what I'm going to
do-unless you interpose your veto.
After you've made ont the pardon
glance your eye over the application
and see if haven't done as you would
dom similar circumstances enyou're
Governor
The pardon clerk promptly did as
he was commanded. Having made
out the pardon, he eagerly read the
application; and when he got through
he went in to the Governor and said
in an abashed way, as he laid down the
pardon for signature: you couldn't
have done any thing else; that's the
most irresistible application for par
don that has ever met my gaze" The
Governor smiled again, affixed his
signature, and the pardon was mailed
to Auburn. And yet nobody had asked
for the pardon of Jack Flam except
Jack himselfi
But rs the pardon clerk said, it was an
irresistible application. 1t bore the
signature of the warden, the doctor
and the chaplain of the prison. They
united in testifying that Flam's con-
duct during his Incarceration had been
IN all respects satisfactory, quite with
out reproach; that he was very sick
man, Worn to skeleton and sinking
fast; that he was the victim of an in
durable disease. It was physical I'M
possibility that he ever would be well
again; the chances were that lie would
die within a month, and ii was the acon-
izing desire ofhis venerable and heart
broken mother that he might have his
last hours soothed by her abiding af-
lection, outside the prison walls. The
warden dwell upon Flam's fidelity and
efficiency in the discharge Of his prison
sdaties, The doctor demonstrated that
he could, mot possibly recover his
&healths The chaplain expressed his
conviction that FIam was thoroughly
fashamettsof his past and would die in
4the faith. Nor were these the only
Sapphcants for Flam's pardon. The
district attorney who had convicted
him was another He wrote that he
was heartily in favor of his release,
holding that Justice did not require
that a dying man should be pursued
with the rigors of the law. The fore
man of the jury that found Flam guilty
also made an eloquentappeal in behalf
of the truly good dying felon, quoting
to the Governor respectfully, but still
with the words underscored: He shall
have justice without mercy that
showed no mercy H.
As soon as the mail train could carry
it the pardon reached Auburn. The
Warden was paralyzed. Jack Flam
pardoned! Great Scott! What was the
Governor thinking of? However, there
the pardon was, duly signed and sealed,
and F - n stepped out Of prison q free