Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1896-11-19
REPRIEVE FOR. KENT
HE WILL HAVE AT LEAST ANOTHER
WEEK TO LIVE.

| Wife Misunderstanding Mcconnell,
the Trial Judge, In Making ~
Great Effort to Have the Sentence
of Death COMMITTED
Bismarck. y. D., Nov. 13.--Gov. Allin
has granted Kent, sentenced to he
hanged to-day. Il reprieve until Nov.
10. This is done SO that Judge Nc
Cornell could appear before the gov
ernor in person. Last night Gov. Allin
wired Judge Mcconnell for his reasons
for asking executive clemency. The
j latter wired back:
",rherc is certainly enough in the
! Kent case to cause men of different
minds to reach different conclusions
; upon all the evidence and the cfrcum-
stances surrounding the case. am
busy here with a felony case on trial,
hut will reach Bismarck in the morn
ing il you deem it necessary. AS pre-
siding Judge ut the trial would never
/ ask for Il Communication unless I had
reac hed that conclusion after mature
deliberation and patient examination
of all the evidence, the circumstances
and the history of the case. My recon-
=, mendation was purely voluntary on
, my part and not influenced from any
outside source. You announced your
decision. heretofore filed, while was
absent and sooner than had expected.
This, in measure, is the cause OF my
not writing you sooner than l did,
Later Judge Mcconnell wired: ''That
the writing in the black hook should
be so infinitely done beforehand, the
absence of Erlichman on both trials
and possibility of his tampering with
the black book, and the lack of Kent's
motive. are some of the things that
caused me often to hesitate and doubt.
Many things occurred on the trial
prejudicial to the defendant, and it is
hard to tell their weight on the jury in
fixing the death penalty"
Coming, as these messages did. from
the man who presided over the trial,
| they may very probably influence the
governor.
Judge Mcconnell wired Attorney
it necessary for me to go to Bismarck
1 have just sent the following mes
sage to Gov. Allin:" Here he repeats
the message that is given above This
telegram undoubtedly Influenced the
governor to grant the respite. 1t is
generally believed that the sentence
will be committed to life imprison-
ment.
Takes 1t COolly.
Fargo. n. d., Nov. 13.-This morning
e. B. Pelton, resident of Fargo, came
to Mayor johnson and said he would
make affidavit that he had heard one
of the jurors at the Kent trial make
the statement, before being sworn in
as juror, that lie thought Kent
should hang. This was wired Gov.
Allin. The respite is great relief in
Fargo, where sympathy is almost ell
tirely with Kent. Hundreds Of tele-
grams and letters have been sent to
Gov Allin asking executive clenlency.
When Kent heard Of the respite he
took it as matter Of course, as he
has always expected something would
intervene and prevent his execution.
merely renarking: THANK God for
small favors.'
and firmly believes he won't hang. He
has hundreds OF friends all over the
state who are moving heaven and
earth TO prevent the execution.
Believes He Should Hang.
Minneapolis, Nov. 12.-It is probable
that the movement on foot to have
the sentence of NJ. r. Kent the Man
dan murderer. committed will receive
very little encouragement from this
city. as those who know anything
about the case believe the convicted
man to be guilty beyond shadow OF
doubt.
n short time ago several attorneys
came TO tlis city to see what could be
done with Robert Il. Laird and Frank
c. Laird, the brothers Of kcnt,s wife.
and they left without accomplishing
much. The attorneys. two Of whom
We're JUd La Moure and w. B. Hauser.
saw a prominent attorney and laid the
object Of their visit before him. He
told them that he could not do any
thing. but that they had better see
County Attorney Nye, who really rep-
resented the Lairds. Mr. Nyc was
seen, and an effort was made to hold
conference with the Lairds. The
visiting attorneys believed that there
might exist doubt rs to Kent's guilt.
and they thought that Kent should not
receive a heavier sentence than the
Polander. Swinenky, the actual muir
derer. 1t is known that County At
torney Nye is opposed to the death
penalty. but shat he would not take
any steps without the Lairds We're
willing. An effort was made to see the
14airds yesterday morning but without
success. 1t is understood, however,
that they would not consent to a CON
ference, and that the attorneys re-
turned to North Dakota without get
ting any satisfaction. 1t is further un-
derstood that they arc bitter against
Kent and believe that he should nav
the extreme penalty of the law for the
murder of their sister.
Eaxcn's Work
Washington. Nov. ID. - William p.