Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-04-11
,spror.r TELEGRAM TO THE DISPATCH,


HARRISBURG, April 10.-A large num-
Der of papers have been fled with the Board
of Pardons favorable to the application Of
Absalom NJ Bowser, who was convicted in
Allegheny county on August IA, 1884, and
sentenced to a term of ten years in the peni-
tentiary for killing Obadiah Haymaker in
the Murrysville riot. In the petition of the
prisoner, on which the application for
Executive clemency is based, it is main
tained that his conviction was wrong under
the Law, and the facts of the case, and the
sentence pronounced upon him by the Court,
unjustly disproportionate to tke nature of
his ofense, and was not imposed in accord
ance with legal forms and requirements.
1t is set forth that he is about 62 years old,
has wife and several children, and has
served about six years of his term. He was
convicted on ex parte testimony, and was,
under the law then in operation, incompetent
TO testify in his behalf If the law allowing de-
PENDANTS to give evidence, now on the statutes
had been in existence, he could have produced
statements which would have either resulted in
his acQuittal or extenuated his offense.
MADE THE sCAPEGoAT.
He was at great disadvantage because his
friends connected with him in the affair which
resulted in the death of Haymaker had all
been arrested, and consequently disqualified
as witnesses at the trial. Of nearly two dozen
men taken into custody for connection with
the Murrysyille riot all but two had escaped
punishment. himself and Milton Weston. An
other grievance of the prisoner is that he was
not asked by the Judge who imposed the SEN
tence on him whether he had anything to say
why the sentence of the law should not be pro-
nounced on him, and straightway was sent to
the penitentiary. He speaks of Milton Wes-
ton having received Executive clemency with
the universal approval of the public, leaving
linn alone to bear the punishment for the
whole offense. One petition filed in the inter-
est of the prisoner is signed by S6l4 and an
other by 99l people.
Eli Mccormick, Justice of the Peace at
Irwin for many years, in a letter, speaks of
Bowser not as murderer, but one of the most
sympathetic and benevolent of men, who
would divide his last crust with the destitute.
AS to his trial Mccormick says it was traves-
ty Of justice and his conviction due to public
frenzy.
A MUCH-wRoNGED MAN.
Ex-RepresentatiEe Beacon, Chairman of the
Republican Committee of Westmoreland
county, says he was a much-wronged man;
Heber Mcdowell, of Pittsburg, that his pardon
would meet with general appreciation; Mayor
Pearson, Of Allegheny that the sentiment pre-
vailing at the time of the conviction of the
prisoner was inhamed and embittered, and that
Il r. W.
vey, Superintendent of the Board Of Health,
that all persons with whom he has conversed
on the subject of the application of the prisoner
for pardon want Executive clemency ex-
tended to him: Representative Robson. of
Allegheny, that be has dearly paid the penalty
of his crime; Senator Upperman, that his iiber-
alton would meet with general approval; Repre-
sentative Mechesney, of Westmoreland that
the Murrysville affair was a contest between
two corporations, and that the prisoner had no
intention oil committing a murder.
w writ an 4oS u,
Board of Pardons for the favorable considera-
tion of the application for Executive clemency
are Representatives Lemon, Lafferty. Chalfant,
Bnlger and Richards, d. E. Weaver, Thomas
J. Hudson, John Rial, ProthonotRry of West
moreland county; D. K McGonegle. Clerk of
the Courts of Allegheny county; DR.. w. A.
Hamilton, ex-Mayor Wyman, Dr. A. J. Burch-
field, James Bradley and the publishers of sew
ersl papers in Pittsburg and Westmoreland
county.
A STRONG PLEA FOR CLARK.
In the case of George Clark. of Greene
county, the murderer of William McCausland,
number of letters have been written to the
Board Of Pardons asking for the Communication
of the death penalty to imprisonment for life.
Among them two were written by the late
Charles E. Boyle, of counsel for the prisoner.
One Of these bears date of April 2 1855, and
says: 1T is a remarkable verdict, verdict
which no just and courageous Judge dare let
stand" In the other letter ex-Congressman
Boyle says. in addressing one of the ATTORNEYS
for the defense: Tell Clark to stand up under
the terrible burden. Innocent men have been
hanged, in Pennsylvania on false testimony
but ne man was ever yet hanged when there
was an utter absence of evidence against him,
true or false" This letter was written Sep
tember 2, 1885.
In the petition of Robert NJ. Geary who was
convicted in Allegheny county in 1883 and SEN
fenced to the penitentiary for 20 years, it is
alleged that the prisoner had had no connection
with the burglary and robberies for which he
was convicted. L is also stated that the pris-'
oner supposed he was pleading guilty to but
one Indictment, whereas he was sentenced on
four, involving the burglarizing of house and
the assaulting and robbing Of persons on the
highway. In all these cases it is held that he
was sacrificed on the reputation of John Cor
don, with whom he associated, the mistaken
zeal OF private detectives whose reputation for
skill and efficiency were at stake, the public
clamor then existing and the eagerness of the
respective prosecutors to have the accused
punished. A number of persons have written
TO the Board IN vindication of the character of
the prisoner before his arrest.
The Board of Pardons. at its meeting to-day
considered the johnson murder case, but was
unable to reach decision on the application
for the Communication of the death penalty to
Imprisonment for life. The board will hold its
next meeting next Tuesday, meanwhile the
Governor will grant another respite to the
murderer, as his execution is fixed for next
Wednesday.