New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1891-05-06
HOLDEN WILL NOT HANG.

! lle Governor O0mmuCeS MS sentence 70
Life Imprisonment.
New Evidence Introduced Which Excites
Executive Clemency.
The Prisoner Manifests Little Concern
Over the News.
He Says it is only a Little and Still
Asserts his Innocence
On Saturday the governor commuted
the sentence of Clifton Holden to life
Imprisonment. This is about what was
expected, and under the circumstances
it is hard to see how he could have done
otherwise without laying himself liable
to severe criticism. When the news
was telegraphed to this city, a repre-
sentative of the Review at once sought
| Sheriff Schmelz and after some effort
succeeded in gaining admittance to the
Jail. At the time, Holden sat in his cell,
glum and unconcerned. When the re-
porter approached him and told him
that he had news for him, he rose from
his chair, drew near to the window,
and without any anxiety listened to the
message of communication, his face all
the while showing no change. No look
of cheer or of relief lightened up the
pallor that has settled upon his counte-
nance from close confinement, and
when asked how the news struck him he
only said, "Well, it's a only little. If I
were guilty of the crime with which I
am charged, it might make me feel
lighter, but [ am innocent, and
after all have endured, l can only
say that it's but little.' Asked
as to whether he knew who Lad inter-
ceded for him, he admitted that he did,
adding that he was thankful to his
friends for what they had done for him.
He realized, he said, that he had ene-
mics who were trying to down hin and
that he hal never been allowed to prove
his innocence or speak in his own be-
half, but he was not ready to attach
blame to any one, believing that in time
when his innncence had been estab
lished their conscience would strike them
sufficiently. He talked freely all the
while, but like one who ha d des paired
of life.
The communication was the result Of
new evidence introduced on Friday,
when delegation waited upon the gov
ernor, consisting of Judge Baldwin of
Redwood Falls, G. G. Wilson, F. H.
Dyckman and A. L. Stebbins of Ro-
chester. W.F. Holden of Luverne, Frank
B. Kellogg, of Davis, Kellog&Severance
cf St. Paul, and Hon. Albert Scheffer
The new evidence was in the line of af-
fdavits from six members of the jury
that convicted Holden, and who depose
on their oath that had they known that
the death sentence would be inflicted at
the time the verdict was agreed upon,
they would have disagreed with the other
members of the jury. Affidavits were
alsopresented from several persons who
was the buggy in which Dodge was
claimed to have been killed, the morn
ing after his death, deposing that the
stains on the buggy, which were alleged
to have been stains of blood were only
stains of tobacco juice. Those pleading
the case claimed that a man should
not be executed on such circum.
stantial evidence as presented to
the jury, and furthermore, as another
reason why the Governor should inter.
fere, that the prosecution has failed to
show proper motive for the crime.
Never in the history OF the republican
party, has it's followers been so enthusi.
l