The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1891-03-25
PARDONED TWO CONVICTS.
SATURDAYS ACTS OF cLEMENcY.
Mary A. Adams Is Restored to Her Daugh.
ter After n Separation of TN enty Years
The Gaze of David Jacobs
A Bond Reuitted.

The governor Saturday exercised execu-
tive clemency in three cases which had
been appealed to him.
Mrs. Mary A. Adams was sentenced to
the women's prison from Jennings county
in 1870. She was charged with poisoning
Adams, her second husband, and at the
trial before Judge Berkshire, who was
then circuit judge for that dis
trict, she was condemned and received a
life sentence. However, a doubt existed
as to her guilt in the minds OF many, and
many years ago petition was forwarded
TO the governors Office in her behalf,
signed by Judge Berkshire, members of
the jury that sat in the case, and numbers
OF prominent citizens OF the county. The
theory advanced by the petition
ers to account for the poisoning was that
Adams bad accidentally taken it. and so
lost his life not through human instru-
mentality. This theory seemed plausible
enough, since he was accustomed TO keep
quantities. of arsenic and other poisonous
drugs on hand to be used for tine destruc-
ton of rats, mice and vermin.
However, the petition was filed away
amidst the archives of state, and Mrs.
Adams remained prisoner with a fair
prospect OF dying one, as she has now
reached her SEVENTEEN year. A train of
circumstances reca led the case. ana Sc
cured a release for the woman who has
passed weary years behind prison bars.
Mrs. Adams had three daughters by her
former husband, and the youngest or
these, Emma, was at the time OF the
mothers conviction a child Of five years.
The little daughter WIS bound out to
family that went to st. Louis. She grew
up and was married, but thought both
her parents and near relatives dead. She
finally heard of the sis ers who still lived
in Jennings county, and came back to
Indiana at the death of one OF them about
a week since. She then learned for the
first time of her mothers fate and came
TO indianapolis yesterday, and at once
went to the prison TO see the mother. A
most affecting scene was Witnessed when
the daughter made herself known. The
gray-haired mother exclaimed: Can 10
be you, my baby Emma2 and bursting
into tears threw herse in the daughters
arms. But that daughter, prompted by
governor and secured a pardon for her
mother. Last night both left on the even
ing train for st. Louis, where Mrs. Adams
will spend her declining days with her
daughter.
The other pardon was granted to David
Jacobs OF Steuben county, who had been
an inmate of the northern prison since
1885, at which time he was sentenced to
twenty.one years for manslaughter. The
history of the case was somewhat peculiar.
One day, in October, 1873, Jacobs was
driving a team along the public highway,
in Steu ben county. He stopped the team
near a hickory tree and began TO club the
nuts off the tree, viii resting his
team. The owner of the land, Milo Bixler,
came out of his house and ordered Jacobs
~ desist. coupling his order with threat
Jacobs invited Bixler TO come on and
shave the tar knocked out OF him." Blk.
Ter accepted the invitation and when with
in striking distance was lit over the head
by board welded by the indignant
Jacobs. Bixler's skull was fractured and
he died from the wound. Jacobs Is mid
die aged, married and will return 10 mis-
family in Steuben county.
The governor RENTED a recognizance
bond for Hiram Eddngs OF kendallville.
The latter went surety for Samuel Bloom
field OF that place, who was arrested on
charge OF selling liquor 10 minor. There
was strong evidence, however, that
Bloomfield did not sell, but gave tho
LIQUOR away. But he forfeited the bond
and fed. This was in 1887. Eddings
was poor and unable TO lose the money.