Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-12-26
+. A. ALDRICH PARDONED.
Romantic story of a wife's Effort to Prove
Her Husbands Innocence.


PITTsBURG, December 25. - Frank
A. Aldrich, of Stanford, Kan, hung up
his stocking in his cell at the Western
Pennsylvania Penitentiary last night.
The State Board of Pardons decided
that Aldrich was an innocent man, and
recommended that the Governor release
him from the more than five years OF a
seven years term which he had to serve.
Almost three years ago, John X.
Lemon, an aged and wealthy citizen Of
Allegheny, was drawn into bunco
game. He drew the grand prize and
from a bank secured $4,000 cash TO
show that he was a substantial citizen.
The buncoers promptly knocked Mr..
Lemon down, seized the $4,000, and
fed.
Mat PinkertOn, of the Chicago agency,
soon after proposed to capture the
Sharpers for 81 900 and expenses. Lemon
accepted the terms, and the result was
the arrest of Aldrich at Windsor, Can
ada.
Aldrich gave Pinkerton 4 stiff legal
fight, but was finally brought to Pitts
burg on March 90, 1889 After much
delay he was tried for robbery. Upon
Lemons positive Identification he was
convicted, though Banker Frank Cox,
of Stamford: Congressman Anderson, of
the Fifth Kansas District, and other
reputable citizens testified that Aldrich
was i'm Kansas when the robbery was
committed. Judge Collier sentenced
the accused TO seven years imprison-
ln IN lon n RiNarSiHn
Penitentiary.
Throughout all his troubles Aldrich's
young and handsome wife persisted in
declaring his innocence. She had q
millinery store worth $1,000, jewels to
the value of 81, 500. and an amount OF
pluck and perseverance worth many
times the value of her material posses
sicnS. She retained Attorney John
Marion and gave up all else to set her
husband free. The Pardon Board had
assigned fifteen minutes to hear the case
at Harrisburg yesterday, but the story
told them was so romantic and con-
vincing that for two hours they listened
10 its recital.
Letters were produced from Mat
Pinkerton to Superintendent of Police
O'Mara, of this city, and Warden
Wright, of the penitentiary, tending TO
show the PinkertonS knew Aldrich TO
be innocent. There was also letter
from United States Senator ingalls,, of
Kansas, affirming his personal knowl-
edge Of the credibility of the Kansas
of the Kansas witnesses who came here
TO prove an alibi for the accused man.
United States Senator Qnay also be-
came convinced of Aldrich'S innocence,
and wrote q letter in his behalf, as
did Congressman Anderson, Warden
Wright, Superintendent O'Mara, OF the
Pittsburg police, and others. Mrs. Al
drich, in addition, secured a letter from
Lemon, the buncoed man, who seems
not to have identified Aldrich until De-
tectiveS Pinkerton and Quinn, OF Chi
cago, talked him into the belief that
Aldrich was really the man who had
robbed him.
Aldrich's faithful wife has labored
untiringly day and night for two years,
and has expended all her means gather
ing together every scrap OF testimony
tending TO prove her husbands inno-
cence. She had the case so complete
that there was no doubt in the minds
of the august members OF the Pardon
Board. and on Christmas day Aldrich
was free