The Helena independent., 1894-09-22
ACCIDENT, NOT MURDER.
Gov Richards Gives His Reasons for
Granting q Pardon TO Al
fred Boyer
He Was Sent TO Dsor Lodge for
Life, Having Killed His
Wife
The State senAtoFa Apd Many Members
OF tho Lower House Asked Tor
Executive clsmsnoy,

Gov, Rioksrds yesterday granted frOs
and unconditional pardon TO Alfred Boyer.
now serving life sentences In the poDi.sn-
tihEy al Deer Lodge for muTdor Bower
was convicted In Deer Lodge county In 1885
OF murder In the a 81 degree for baviuR
killed his wife. Hs applied for and was
granted new trial. This time he was
convicted Of murder In the second degree
aud sentenced 10 tho psnitentiary for life'
The governors action Is subjeo. 10 The APP
proyAl OF the board of psrdonG In his
letter 10 the board the governor says
"This man hss been inoarosTated In the
ptnitontiary at Dser Lodge for nine years.
on a life sentences for murder In the second
degree. A oonoebaua OF opinion among
those familiar with tho circumstances
bearing on the case is 10 tho offec, that
Boyer is being uniuaily punished, aud that
9 Rrisvoua wrong 10 being inflicted upon
him. Among the parers hereunto attached.
and TO which your attention is respectfully
called. 10 a petition which alleges: From
credible and reliable information we nrs
satisfied tina, the killing was accidental and
not wilful.' This petition is signed BY
every member Of the state senate OF Mon.
tana and a large number OF members Of
the lower house OF the legislative assembly.
"AmonR the prominent mon who have in-
terested themselves In this unfortunate
conyicts behalf, and who declare from
their knowledge OF the case that the kill
ing was accidental and not wilful. arc
Hon. william MsDermott, Hon. Charles
=
Clark. Hon. ID. j. Honnessey, Hon. w. X.
Kenyon. Hon. Jas. ii. Lynch. Hon. II. A.
D'Ach,u al and many othor gentlemen who
are Leading citizens OF Silver Bow count .
Among the prominent mon In other Sec
tions of the state who have fnmiliarizsd I'd
themselves with the facts. and, being con-
WINGED OF the riehts of Boyei's case. join In
the prayer for executive clemency. arc O.
+. Goddard. Paris Gibson, IL. ID. Malta. ID.
l.. Folsom. Ed Cardwell, John W. Power.
Alex Mstzel. and many others. Nearly
every county ia the state is represented in
this appeal for the pardon OF Alfred Boyer,
and leaders In nearly every walk In life
have written letters In his behalf, or signed
strong petitions asking that the ends OF
justice be conserved by the release OF this
convict.
Your attention Ia called TO lst-
te's flom Judge Pembsrton md from
Judge Galbraith. who presided at the
trial OF BoJer, from John +. Forbia, II. l..
Frank. and others. Judge Hiram Knowles.
Who defended Boyer in court. submits n
long statement OF the case from the stand
point of a jurist. and as an attofney who
enjoyed the confidence of his client. He Is
of the firm belief that Boser shot his wife
accidentally, and that there was no c,imi-
nal intent in the act. Ho cites numbef
OF circumstances connected with the case
to warrant strong presumption that Boyer
is being unjustly punished for the crime of
murder, aud concludes his statsment with
a plen for his pardon.
"In the investigation Of the facts bearing
on this unfortunate mans case as pre-
sented In the papers hereunto attached, i
can each no other conc, usion thnn that ID
Ia my duty to exercise executive oiemency
in his behalf"