Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1889-07-10

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his pardon now releases him only two
months earlier than the date fixed by the
jury.
The Governor, in signing the pardon Of
Mackin, refers ut considerable length to
the offcnso for which he was imprisoned,
| and says his perjury was not destined to
affect tho life, liberty or property of any,
body, aud had it not been committed in
trying to escape from the conse.
1uences OF another otfense of which he was
accused, and which the people Justly
regard with alarm, it is not fair
to presume that it would have attracted
any more attention than any ordinary case
of perjury, and his punishment would have
hccn, in all probability, less than that fixed
by the jury: In his petition for pardon
Mackin processes sorrow for his crime, and
makes earnest pledges of an upright life for
the future. The Governor continues:
| ut is doubtful if any petition for pardon was
| ever presented to the executive authority Of
this State more strongly iDdorsed than the
| present one. Immediate pardon is recon-
mended by Judge Moran, who presided at the
trial, and who now writes a strong letter urg-
| ing that the sentence was excessive Par
| don is also recommended by States Attor-
ney, now Judge Grinnell, who prosecuted
the case. Likewise by the grand Jurors
who indicted and nearly all OF the petit
| jurors who convicted Mackin; by the chairman
| and many OF the most influential members Of
| the citizens committee that aided the prose.
! cution, and, in short, by nearly every body
! who had any thing to do with the arrest, in
! dictment and conviction OF the defendant. In
| dred worthy citizens, lawyers, doctors, infu
entail ministers OF the Gospel, editors
and proprietors Of newspapers congressman
| members OF the Legislature and practical bus.
| ness men, representing all the industries OF
| the State, have asked that executive clemency
| be shown. Nearly all who have had any
| thing to say the subject, instead
! Of signing the ordinary petition, have
| written letters wherein they have urged
with so much earuestness and ap-
| parent candor why the law, the penalties OF
| which Mackin has long borne, should now give
| way to mercy. 1t is insisted that greater good
will be accomplished by this course than would
! be by holding on to Machin 10 the last hour OF
his sentence. The warden Of the prison
! certifies that Mackin's conduct as a
! prisoner has been good: that he has never
| been punished or reported for any inirac tiou
OF the prison rules. have given this case
much thought and consideration and have
finally concluded to remit small portion OF
| the prisoners sentence by granting him a
pardon at this time, and 1 do so in
the hope that he may yet become a
| useful member Of society aud prove himself
worthy the love and affection OF the devoted
wife who has in the hour Of his misfortune
| stood by him so faithfully and who has so long
| and patiently waited for his coming Whether
Mackin ought to be pardoned or not it is very
| evident that great many good and thoughtful
people think 500
HISTORY OF THE CRIME
| Mackin went to the penitentiary on a five.
year sentence for completely in the ballot-box
frauds of 1884. A few days after the election
IN November OF that year it was apparent that
| the strength OF the two leading political par
ties would be about equal in the Legisla-
| ture, so nearly so that single vote in
either the Senate or House might con-
| troll the election OF United States Senator,
| In the Sixth Senatorial district, which in
cluded the Eighteenth ward OF this city,
Henry w. Leman, Republican, was apparently
elected Senator over Rudolph Brand, Demo-
! Graf, by few hundred votes as shown by the
unofficial returns on election night
When, however, the official canvass
was made, it was found that the
! tally-sheets and certificate from the sec.
ond precinct OF the Eighteenth ward had been
altered and forged and made to show a de-
creased vote for Leman and an increased vote
for Brand sufficient to elect the latter by
majority OF about ten votes. On the sworn
| returns OF the United States supervisors as
we'll as from other collateral evidence
it was so evidently a fraud that
the Federal grand jury OF Chicago, then in ses-
| sion. tool. jurisdiction OF and investigated the
matter. Meantime the county canvassing
board, being powerless to 20 behind the re-
turns distracted the vote as it appeared and
returned the same to the State canvassing
board. This body heard such evil
dence as was available and proper,
and, following their action. the Gov
ern0r decided to issue a certificate of
election to Leman as being the actually elect
ID
several Indictments but after that body had
adjourned new and important additional proofs
OF the fraud were discovered, and Mackin,
William j. Gallagher and Arthur Gleason
were tried and convicted of conspiracy
on charge brought by information instead OF
to two years in prison. The case was then
taken by writ OF error before Justice Harlan
OF the United States Supreme Court and Cir
cult Judge Gresham sitting together. Upon dis
agreement between them it was certified to the
United States Supreme Court mainly upon the
question of the legality OF the prosecution OF
the Information.
The.State court took up the matter and in
dicted Mackin and Gallagher for violation OF
the State law. Macktn testified before the
State grand jury and for the Testimony gwen
there he was indicted for perjury. His trial
began on June 20, 1885, before Judge Moran.
He was found guilty and sentenced to
| me pCnlCcNClaFy lot UV0 years, IllS TAX
ing place July z, 1885. He was taken to
Joliet November 10, 1885. His wife made
strenuous effort to secure his pardon after he
had served about two years, but Governor
Oglesby refused to interfere Lately other at
tempts have been made, which resulted In the
pardon issued Tuesday. BY reason of good
time'' .Mackin would have been out next
month by the expiration of his sentence. BY
reason Of his pardon his citizenship is re-
stored.
A Thief Enters the Ligonier Bank Mt Noon
and Gets Away with $1,000.
L1aoN1ER, Ind, July ga bold bank rob-
berry was perpetrated here Tuesday While
the cashier of Sol Myers bank was at din
ner some bold thief entered the bank
through side window and ritied the cash
drawer. Fortunately the vault was locked
and the thief had to be content with some-
thing less than 81 1000, which he hurriedly
gathered up The window through which
entrance was effected is but few feet
from the street and in plain view of every
passer by. The thief got away undetected
Four business blocks were burned Tues
day in HALEY, /, T., enta.ling loss of $780,
no. :...s
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