The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-02-27
MRS. TURNER'S MISFORTUNES.
Facts of Almost Incredible Nature Following
Romance in Her Sons Life.

Mrs. Harriet Turney is spending several
days In the city. making arrangements for
proposed lecture tour in this aud neigh
boring States. She will probably be heard
in this city. 'Mrs. TurDey's topic of discus
sion before the public is the story of her
own wrongs and those of her son. These
two went to Iowa to live III 1882. after the
death of the husband and father. and
settled near the village of Preston. in Jack
son county. The son Chester was bound
ont to family by the name of Osborn.
and the mother, after trying to get some
employment there suitable TO her condition
IN life, moved away. The son worked for
the Osborn family for something over q
year, and while they compelled him to
labor hard and constantly, were not really
unkind. Trouble began when it was
learned that an adopted daughter of theirs
was very much In love with young Turney,
and prosecutions against him began. He
was treated with brutality and compelled
90 work at such unseemly hours that his
health gave out. and he was
which he obtained in the neighbor-
hood. But he was not allowed to rest
in peace. A charge Of theft was
trumped up against HIM, and he was sent
ed three of them. however. the jsIler
been falsely imprisoned. When released
he tried TO get work. but the minds OF the
community had been set against bum. and
he was turned from every door. Cut to the
quick, he fled to nelghboring wood. and
hid himself there for several days. Hunger
finally drove him out, and In search of food
he went to the house OF the Osborn fami-
1y, at which he had been employed. See
ing no one about, he helped himself
TO some edibles be saw on the Ia
BILE. and that night slept In the barn.
He returned TO the woods III the morning
and took with him an old buffalo-robe q
protection against the cold. The Osporns
discovered that he had been there. and
that the robe was gone. and at once organ
lied q mob to hunt him down. He was
found lying In q thicket half frozen, and
was dragged to town. Once he succeeded
IN making his escape from his Infatuated
captOrs. but they soon recaptured him.
In the struggle he was shot In the
leg and badly wounded. He was only
saved from being lynched by the heroic
stand of one or two law and order loving
citizens, but even they could not save him
from being sentenced to seventeen years In
the Anamosa, L.. penitentiary. There
were fourteen indictments returned against
HIM, and the trial and conviction lasted
but half an hour. In fact, he was allowed
TO say nothing In his own defense, but he
was bundled off To prison the same day.
Then follows the mothers valiant efforts
for her sons release. She went from place
TO place OH foot, If she could 90 no other
way, telling the story of her wrongs. she
succeeded in at last rousing public senti-
ment In her behalf. The newspapers took
hold of 1t and published the story in
all of its shocking details. petitions
began TO pour in on the Governor of the
State, William Larrabee. and the whole of
that section of the country became inter-
ested in securing the release of Chester
Turney. As the mothers efforts began TO
show signs OF success the men that had
been instrumental in sending the boy to
prison. fearing az expose, began to bestir
themselves. Letters rejecting on the
character of the mother were sent out
broadcast, and the influence of these men
was brought TO bear on the Governor He
could be induced to take no steps until the
beginning OF the next campaign when his
opponent. Governor Boies promised TO see
that the boy got Justice Governor LARA
bee then pardOned him conditionalIy.
Before that, however, Governor Larrabee
had issued a pamphlet which told what he
thought of the case. and q result of It.
was his arrest for criminal libel on Mrs.
Turney. He was acquitted a. the trial.
impeachment proceedings were also insti-
tuted against Judge W. :. Hayes, the man
who bad sentenced Turney. and he was re-
moved from the bench. The story of the
IndIgnities that were hesped on the
young man while at the prison. as told by
the mother, and which were at the instigs-
ton Of the Governor. she says. would
fill volume. and contains many sad and
almost incredible incidents. One was that
after he had been engaged in scrubbing
ont the dlnlD groom and had laid down on
q bench for q few moments. the guards of
the prison turned into the same room with
him a burly and vicious negro for the pur-
pose of at least manning him and it is the
mothers belief to kill him. A terrific
struggle ensued in which Turney succeeded
IN getting the best OF his assailant. He
was. however. seized by the guards.
and was thrown into the dungeon and
put to prison torture for several days.
The negro was not puDis shed. lt was IN
1886 that the young man received his SEN
fence. and IN 1890 when he was pardoned.
He was never a strong man. and his we
years of penal servitude have made him q
physical wreck. He Is now living on q
farm in the neighborhood of Des Moines
Ia Mrs. Turney came to Chicago some
time ago expecting 10 close with lecture
bureau there. but failed In her purpose.
She was taken sick. and being out of mon
ey came TO Columbus Ind, where she has
some friends. From there she came TO
indianapolis
I<rrs (s.ss Gf..J. yE<.k.