The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1891-05-08
FORLIFE
LentZ and Holden Have
Received Mercy
At the Hands of Governor Her.
riam-Their Death Sentences
COMMITTED to Life I'M
pris0nment.

The FREE PRESS received a special
from St. Paul Saturday noon announc-
ing the fact that Gov. Merriam had
committed to life imprisonment at
hard labor the sentences of death
passed upon William Lentz and Cliff
ton Holden.
The news. so far as LentZ is con-
cerned, is favorably received in Man
kato. While the circumstantial evil
dence produced on the trial tinctured
very strongly of guilt, and while many
believet that he isguilty. yet there is that
uncertainty in the case which gives
to the Governor excellent reasons for
taking the action he has. The efforts
put forth TO save LentZ from the gal
lows was almost irresistible. The
prosecuting attorney and the Judge
who sentenced him plead for execu-
tive cIemency, and this, combined
with the appeal from large number
of disinterested parties VINO felt that
there was a doubt of the guilt Of
Lentz, led the governor to commute
the sentence to life Imprisonment.
The crime for which VIM. Lentz
was tried and convicted was for the
murder of John SchwarZ, Of Amboy,
on the morning of July 10th, 1889.
VIM. LEM, who was the roommate
of the deceased. the night before the
occurrence. says that Schwartz arose
rather early, complaining that it was
warm. and sat on the edge of the bed.
LEM, who had occupied the inner side
of the bed. got up and dressed with
his back to Schwartz and just as he
started TO go down stairs Schwartz ran
into him and rushed on down stairs
ahead of him. LEM gave pursuit. He
had not noticed Schwartz in the room
but as the latter passed down stairs
he noticed blood on his shirt He says
that he noticed razor on the table
near the bed, but did not see Schwartz
touch it.
After the tragedy LEM and this girl
and another sister washed Schwartz
bloody shirt. and the bloody bed clothes
ETC.. having them clean by the time
the officer arrived. They did this
while VIM. Schwartz. father of the
deceased. went TO Amboy TO get a cof-
fin. LEM is reported TO have said TO
a neighbor last Sunday that IF he
went his way ne would get Schwartz
out of there"
LEM is about twenty years of age
and was taken in by Mr.. Schwartz TO
work for him. but was also compan-
ion. He has not a very progressing
countenance.
Schwartz wind-pipe was cut by the
razor, but the jugular vein was I'M
touched. The neck was cut with a
single thrust of the razor, which
started at one'ear and extended around
the throat to the neck on the other
side. There were no other injuries on
the man.
LEM INTERVIEWED.
VIM. LEM was seen by FREE
PRESS reporter this afternoon. who
showed him the dispatch containing
the to him COED news. LEM was not
yisibly affected, though during the
Interview his spirits seemed TO rise
somewhat. When ased if he had any
thing to say, replied that he didn't
know of anything that he could say.
sCan't you say that you are thankful
TO the governor for what he has done
for you?" the reporter asked. LEM
replied: II don't know that there is
much to be thankful to him for. but
am thankful to my attorneys. The
outlook for a life passed in prison is,
to an innocent man, little better than
death. If / had done anything like
what l was convicted of doing, it
would be different. Still, l might
say that I am thankful" 1t being
suggested that he might get out by
the time that he is forty, replied that
if he was in till then he would never
leave the prison. as he would break
down before then.
The court officers and citizens gen.
orally all state that they are satisfied
that it was best that LEM should not
hang. considering the doubt in the
evidence