St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-03-21
AMBITIOUS ADDIE.

Miss Boyd, Pete Barrett's Sweet.
heart, Fails to Get an Audience
With the Governor.
The would-be Nina Van Zandt of the
Barrett case sought Gov. Merriam yes
terday morning with the hope of obtain
ing mercy for her lover, Pete Barrett
When Secretary Elliott found that the
girls fresh young face and sentimental
faith in the innocence of the condemned
man were the only plea for pardon she
brought, he interposed himself between
her and the object of her visit.
The governor positively declines to see
any one interested in committing the
death sentence, unless he or she can
present some new evidence. Miss Addie
Boyd, Pete'S sweetheart, was obliged to
pour her tale of love, trust, remon-
STRANGE and woe into Secretary Elliott's
left ear, which inclined to her as SYM
path etically and politically as it does to
the innumerable other crankS from
whom he protects the governor. The
girl, who is between fifteen and sixteen
years OF age, was unaccompanled, and
in her half-hour's conversation with the
governors proxy she said little but to
denounce in general way the injus-
tice of hanging an innocent man. She
to cry to make MIR. Elliott nervous; and
out of charity to himself and to her, he
aimed to choke off her flow of
eloquence before she had time and
chance to show her full capacity
for tears and make scene. In antici-
patton of such an event, number of
persons had gathered in the governors
room, and their disappointment was ap-
parent when they saw the girl depart
without having gnashed single tooth
or torn single hair. The mere cir
cumStance OF her presence in view of her
mission was sufficient to make her in
teresting and bit pitiable. Her youth
and ineXperience render her incapable
of appreciating the
MAWKISHNESS OF HER SYMPATHY;
but for the mother who encourages her
folly. as she admits she does. there is no
excuse. Secretary Elliott was full of
charity for the girl, and would have
protected her from publicity if he could
have done so, assuming that in few
months she will realize her folly and be
ashamed of it. But, since the path of
modern feminine folly leads only to the
stage, it is quite as likely to assume
that few months hence Pete Bar
rett'S sweetheart will either be lectur-
ing on some phase of social reform or
playing Juliet.
~ Miss Boyd was the sole visitor who
presented herself for admittance TO the
governor Oh behalf of the Barrett boys
yesterday. Secretary Elliott denied
that the governors mind is made up in
the matter of their execution, and would
not even admit that in event of no new
evidence being produced he will allow
the law to have it's course. The i'm
preston conveyed by the secretary was
calculated to inspire with hope parties
interested in the condemned men, but
echoes from table talk of the governor
at his home leave small doubt that he
will take no step to set aside the decree
of the court. A member OF his family
showed herself grounded in the belief
that both men should be hanged on gen.
eral principles, and gave the intelli-
gence of the governors determination,
quoting in support of his attitude the
Old Testament doctrine of a life
for life. Mrs. Merriam attaches
as little importance to the numerous
anonymous letters, threatening the
governors life, as does the governor
himself, though he exercises a few wise
precautions and refuses to open his door
to an unknown person after midnight,
and is attended by. body servant on
his way home from the capitol at night.
1t is largely precautionary motives, too,
that have induced him to refuse to ad-
nit to his immediate presence the des-
perate, unprincipled advocates of the
condemned men.