New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1891-08-26
MERCY FOR WILLIAM ROSE.
Vigorous Effort Being Made to Have the
Death Sentence Changed to
Prominent Men Back Petitions to the
Governor in His Behalf.
Imprisonment.

pie OF Redwood, Lyon and Murray coun-
ties asking for Communication of the SEN
tence of William Rose to life imprison.
ment have been received by the COVER.
nor, but have not yet been acted upon.
:. The formal petition is supplemented
by numerous letters, and all plead fer
vently for the life of the unhappy man.
The petition reads: -. .e...-
To Hon. W. R. Merriam, Governor
of the State of Minnesota Sir: Stand
ing as do, convicted of the highest
crime known to the law. and being de-.
sirous of communication of sentence, [
make this petition and pray for elem
ency. I am wholly innocent of the
crime of killing Moses L. Lufkin, AND
believe that in time will be able to es-
tablish my innocence before the world.
In order that may do so humbly ask
that the sentence Of the court be COM
muted to imprisonment.
WILLIAM ROSE.
New Ulm, Aug. 10, 1891.
Then follows the formal petition of
the jury that found the prisoner guilty,
asking that a life sentence be imposed.
This is signed by W. d. Smith, Lewis
Halznagel, S. S. Dalson, G. T. Water
man, H. G. Christopherson, D. L. Fla
zier, James Arnold, Ale> Mcleod, T.
l.. Hiatt and A. H. Anderson. A note
is appended explaining that Juror Sever
Ferring has gone to California and that
.. A. Hines refused to sign.
Subjoined are the separate petitions
of the residents of Redwood county,
Murray county, Lyon county, one from
each county. These petitions are large.
ly signed by representative citizens, and
all claim acquaintance with Rose.
NEW LIGHT.
One of the most interesting communi-
cations received by his excellency upon
this theme comes from F. Thayer, an
architect of Mankato. Thayer asserts
that he owned lands adjacent to the
homes of Lufkin and Rose, and that he
was we'll acquainted with both. Indeed,
Rose had been in his employ for long
time, and had lived at Thayer's house.
Therefore this petitioner felt we'll quail
fed to vouch for the young mans char
acter. Mr.. Thayer unequivocally pro-
nounces him ''good, kind-hearted
young man, and protests against the
possibility that he could have been gull
ty of the crime. He was also gener-
Gus, the communication pursues, and
there are many who doubt his guilt.
Lufkin was man who was universal
ly dlstrusted and despised," writes Mr.
Thayer. ''He had family difficulties,
and his wife left him before he came
from the state of Maine, where he form
| erlv lived. cannot remember all of
the particulars of his history that he re-
lated to me at different times when /
| staid with him on my way to and from
| my place, but I do remember it was a
mixture of fast horses, legal difficulties
and troubles concerning his wife.
remember distinctly how he told me
years before he had any difficulty with
the Rose family that he expected to die
a violent death, and understood from
his talk he was afraid some of his old
enemies would kill him. He also made
the statement that if it were not for the
girl, as he called his daughter Minnie,
he would put an end 10 his existance."
The letter goes on to narrate the vile.
ness of Lufkin's nature, expose his low
moral condition and the fact that he
was considered dangerous man, anc
then relates:
Lufkin was a disturber of the peace
of the community, and that he was
killed by some other person whom he
had more deeply wronged than he had
Will Rose, seems to me very probable
The marriage of his daughter, Grace, t.
a young man in the neighborhood, hi.
desertion of her and disappearance
from the country on account Of some
family difficulty previous 20 the murder
and her suicide after the murder, art
things that might throw light on tn,
murder if carefully Investigated.
A LAWYERS OPINION.
j.. M. Thompson, a Sleepy Eye law
yer, writes at length reviewing the his
tory Of the case quite carefully. He ties
tilted that from his position and init
macy with the facts and the people h
was in q position to give correct dag
nosis of the public temper. He knew
that great majority of the people o
Redwood county s'would be glad Il
know that the death penalty in this cas-,
was not to be executed"
He recites the fact that Rose was tried
three times before conviction was had
The last trial occurred during the mos
Intense excitement over the murder O
| Dodge. The jury in the first case stooe