The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1894-08-06
Her PLEA SAVED HIM.
Mrs. ssdgwick Sues for Pardon for
a Man Who Tried to Rob Her.
He Was Out OF Work and His
Family Starving.
Released by Recorder Smyth and
Employment Promised.

Although Shakespeare says that the
robbed that smiles steals something
from the thief" 1t is not often that the
robbed begs for mercy for the robber.
That was the situation. however. when
Francis Boyle" young fellow Of
twenty-seven years. was arraigned be-
fore Recorder Smyth. in Part /. of the
Court of General Sessions, this morning
to answer for grand larceny. second de-
gree, and the pleader was woman,
womanly, kindly, gentle hearted.
Francis Boyle" made an unsuccess-
full attempt to snatch Mrs. Ida Sedg-
wick's pocketbook, containing d small
watch and S, while she was passing the
Boulevard and Seventy-third street, at
noon on July II. His case reveals a sad
phase of the hard times.
When Assistant Distrfct-Attorney
O'Hare called Boyle" to bar, to-day.
1t was not to press him to trial and
conviction for grand larceny, second
degree, but to join with Mrs. Sedgwick
in asking mercy for him, more sinned
against by society than SHINING.
With the indictment and the sworn
complaint, Mr.. O'Hare handed up to
the grave-faced Recorder, several other
documents, curious documents in case
of this kind.
The largest and most important one
was signed by Mrs. Sedgwick. She had
investigated the case of Boyle and
had discovered that his real name was
Allan Mclean, and that he lived in
wretched poverty with young wife. a
babe and an aged father, at 642 West
Fifty-third street.
| Mrs. Sedgwick says in her plea fol-
Inquiries and Investigations since nude by ny
s1sfHs si al siss az ' r5ss ssa h rss
car employee. but has been out OF work for Z
long time Living with him and depending upor
and his wife and baby. two mouths old. The
| family had been on the verge OF starvation To-
eweks before Defendant arrest: VIE child an'
| ton. They all seem to be educated and respect
able.
The father Of defendant was formerly well Il
do and we'll known In Englewood, n. J. lie is
| a Union war veteran and draws pension OF III.
a month. now the sole means of subsistence FOL
| the entire family. They about to be evictec
! for ron-payment Of rent. Mr.. sedgwlck ana
and friends have contributed money to defend.
| ants family since we learned their true condi
| ton I respectfully pray for the utmost stretch
' of leniency In his behalf. which In the wisdom
and merry OF the Court and the District-Attorney
/ may seem consistent with the ends OF Justice.
| The wan. little wife of Mclean sat In
| the box nursing the baby. Her cheeks
were sunken, her eyes hollow. her whole
Ford, lawyer. argued for clemency. The
lawyers most eloquent argument CON
sisted of forty pawn tickets, represent.
ing every article which the, family could
pledge for the wherewithal to stave of
gaunt starvation.
John L. Reilly. Of the New York Life
IL Paey an ae Mass5 dsns
street, each wrote a letter of commenda-
ton of Mclean as an honest. upright
Industrious man when. he was given q
been employed for long periods by each
| or these concerns.
Prosecutor O'Hare recommended the
dismissal of the indictment, indorsing
the paper as follows:
The distress which impelled this defendant Il
attempt the commission OF the crime charged
against him. the narrowing destitution OF hi
family and the abundant evidence OF his preyiou
! good character, showing that this condition wa
' the result OF sheer misfortune and not bal
. character, seem to show that he was not In
condition OF mind to form the intent necessar!
! to . crime. The paliation is so extreme as Il
Justify the dismissal OF this indictment.
Mr.. O'Hare was Joined in the recon-
mendation by Harry Macedonia, Acting
In discussing the indictment Recorder
Smyth said:
condition and that of your family Dor
| dered upon starvation, and that condt
ton was due to misfortune, not &c
whiskey. The good woman, whom you
tried to rob writes a long letter which
leads me to believe that you are an hon
est man."
While the Recorder spoke the fright,
need little wife and mother could not
contain herself. She left her chair and
paced up and down the narrow enclosur,
with her baby girl In her arms. and
rushed forward and fell into his arms
and cried and laughed all at the same
time. And so they went away.
Mclean has been promised employ
dozen sympathetic strangers as he left
the Court House.