The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-03-15
WINNER AND M'NUTT.
ANOTHER ATTEMPT TO SECURE
THEIR RELEASE.
Their Life in Prison--The Story OF the
Most Famous Crime in the His
tory Of Kansas

Their Gl16 IN frlSOQ--Tn0 story OF Luo |
Most Famous Crime in the His
tory of Kansas.
Mr.. Winner, of Kansas City, was in
town yesterday. The first time he was
here was some eighteen years ago. Then
the snow of years had not touched his
hair in sorrow nor in age, but to the con-
trary, he was at his prime, full OF vlgor
and life, q well-appointed target for the
steel toothed canker arrow Of sorrow A
neatly dressed gentleman with comfort
able shoes and unruffied and shining silk
plug hat, his face is a strong one and
betokens individuality and intelligence.
He has undergone good deal in his time
and his face is wrinkled with care but his
rugose hands, long wrung in woe still
labor a redemption and washing away
of the bitter blight Of happiness, that has
sent a mother to her grave, father to
premature feebleness and wrapt whole
family in woe. While the western country
has been growing and developing: while
there has been no action, but that or
progress no words, but those of encourage
| ment: no deeds but of unselfshness and
| reciprocal assistance while the whole west
has drawn its belt to the highest and
with every sinew taut and every muscle
strained, forged its mightest never mend
| ing, always making, always for
ward. never backward, the dread pail
of misfortune has hung about the life of
this old man and his family. In the wax
| ing hours they have breathed the air OF
freedom, and then only wish that he
| might breathe it. In the hours OF sleep,
in sweetest dreams, their only hope that
he might see visions such that are strang-
ers to convict's cell. They have never
seen a picture, or beautiful sunset, or
felt the thrill of the verdant spring that
they did not bemoan his fate-that he
could neither see pictures other than the
occidental silhouettes marked in the rude
| stones of prison wall; no sunsets but the
dissipated dissolute glory of the zenith; no
spring, where not single blade of grass
can lift its head above the stony floor,
and where the fitting bird disdains to
build his nest.
Hope, that cannot be imprisoned, but
rather grows in splendor with confne-
ment and misfortune, has again sprung
into play, like fountain. and every effort
is again being made TO lift the load. Mr..
Winner is down from Kansas City, where
he resides. and with the help Of Senator
Bentley is getting up petition of the old
citizens of Wichita praying for "McNutt
and Winners" relief from the state peni-
Tertiary at Lansing, near Leavenworth.
The documents accompanying this
prayer comprise letters from prominent
individuals giving their reasons for sub
stantial supplications, also a synopsis of
the trial and its history. Frequently sim
liar movements have been put on foot,
but have all proven unsuccessful. most of
the people of the city and the state officials
shielding their pity and mercy from a
crime so atrocious and letting the accus-
ing spirit in them give sway over their
opinions Governor after governor has
been solicited, board of pardons after
board of pardons besought, administration
after administration pleaded with, but
there has been no JOY, no final success.
The stories of how near to the goal, the
father in his attempts to rescue his son
have come are thrilling. He has even
once touched the mark and lost, once en-
braced success that vanished as he grasped
it. 1t is related that once during Govern
or Clicks administration a pretty
thorough case had been made and the i'm
portunities for executive clemency had
been entertained. The thing at last settled.
The governor promised to sign the
pardon Nobody can tell the JOY
that danced in the fathers breast. The
fateful day came. The old man waited IN
the ante room of the executive chamber
for the little paper that was to renstate
happiness to his own bosom, freedom tc
his son, and grasp the mother from the
clutch of death 1t would be done in q
trice A prominent politician from Atchi
son, the governors home, stepped in. The
, governor nodded his head good day" dip
ped his pen in his ink, pointed out the
vacant line for his signature and set hi:
pen on it. How near McNutt and Winner
were to libertyl A scratch of steel across
piece of paper-that was the liberatine
stroke How quick every man can sigI
his own name The PRISONS bars were tc
drop; the stone-clad surroundings of the
, grey dizziness of the Gagged man to change
to scenes of brightness and the fresh air o
freedom The tiny liquid filled instru
ment started on its fateful journey across
the paper The first initial made-th
second the pen sputtered. wv hat are yol
doing, governor" said the man who hat
just stepped in. The governor raised hi
pen, and that instant the lroi
bars and stone walls were strengthened
by long, weary years of dull, dreadful
hours, lingering, wasting days and servile
8 logged months in wretchedness and woe
: IT am signing McNutt and Winner
pardon" answered the governor to hi
: friends question. Don't do it," quickl
!, retorted the man; there's politics in ii
You will want to run for governor sec
ond time. remember" The pen droppe
f from Clicks hands The thing was SET
tied. The unfinished signature RENAME
: AS it was, and the father was put ava
o with some excuse of delay.
This is how nes- these men have come
freedom. There are other cases where th
fabric of fate is almost as closely wover
9 It has often been said that the question {
q money has bad a good deal TO do with tn
q failure of these men to secure pardon
q Winners brother Is very rich citizen
p Kansas City, Mo-, being multi million
Y aire. 1t has been said that the boards {
nardon would not release them because {
the fear that bribery would be charged
e and that on one occasion $4,000 had bee
n proffered A J. Felt, who is now lieuter
y ant governor and was formerly chairma
e of the state board of pardons says to II
- EAGLE reporter that the question of none
never entered into this case at all-that
Y the board could have agreed on pardonin
b them if it would have done so in face of a
Il fear of elimination. Governor Felt SAY
,s saws he has always felt AT interest in IL
fate of these two men and in the final a
tempt on which the convicts' and the