The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-08-04
ROBERT WILLIS PARDON
THE GOVERNOR GIVES HIS REASONS FOR
GRANTING IT.
Once Sentenced to Death, the Sentence Com
muted TO Life Imprisonment--HiS
Return to His Home.

headers Of this paper VIII remember
that last week Gov. Russell pardoned
Robert Z. Willis, Of Buncombe county,
who was then serving life sentence in
the penitentiary. He was convicted of
/ burglary at the spring term, 1889, of
/ rutherford superior court and sentenced
( to he hanged. In February, 1890 this
/ sentence was committed to life imprison-
ment.
Yesterday, for the first time Gov. Rus
sci gave out his reasons for granting this
pardon. They are as follows:
The recommendation in this case
are very strong, coming from n large
number of goodpeople in Rutherford. Mad
lson and Bunc0mbe counties. Governor
toWle in committing the sentence found
/ mat there was no actual breaking in
the house The official physician GER
tines that the prisoner has had n malig-
llaht case of typhoid fever from which no
mas never recovered. That he now snf
ters from chronic inflammation which
makes him almost helpless and that he
IS permanently incapacitated for labor
Ills father and mother are living and tho
evidence shows that they are good neo-
PIE Burglary is and ought to he q
capltal ofense, but considering the phv.
slcal condition of the prisoner. the nm
ishment ne has already suffered. his nre-
Vlous good character, the request of hun
! ureds OF the best citizens of two or
Ihree counties, the recommendation of the
prosecuting attorney, Hon L. I. Os
oofne' and the pitiful appeal of his
friends, L grant this pardon"
Inc pardoned mans history reads like
leaf torn out of a dime novel. # wos
IN the spring of 1888, young Willis. who
/ IS a native of Madison county. this State
but then living Mt Del Rio. Cooke conn,
/ ~ Tenn, was arrested along with
Samuel Halford, the charge against Them
beng burglary. The men. it was alIno-
ed, went to the home Of the Elliott fom-
! liF-tWo old men and three elderlv Ia
dles-in Rutherford county. N q forco1
tnen to give up 5000 at the .aint Of
r-%j0i' me weapon being held by Young
l,ils. Inc men We're sentenced to nav
'he death penalty, but afterwards the
sentence was committed to imprisonment
lat bard labor for life.
" ms is the son Of Mr.. and Mrs w
n. Willis. and the family had novor
"eIofes mad n blot upon its escntcbeon
IL was urged in behalf of the som
VINO was nc the time about II wears Of
age, that Halford, who was k;nen,or,
/ OF The Elliott family, had gone to Ten
! nessee, got into the good graces of WI
IS ana under the claim that the FIIiott
Iamly owed him a certain sum indnoa1
+ me Iennessean to accompany him IN
rutherford. 1t was also said that Hal
lord had given Willis liquor. the first
Aquor be had ever drank. and that #
was while both were drunk that the crime
was committed.
An unsuccessful effort was made in
/ 1898 to secure pardon. Through her
constant grief over the case Mrs. VIII
lis had wasted away to mere sknI-
/ eton, and lately the father renewed his
efforts for pardon for the son. hoDing
mat the sorrOwing mothers life might
ne thus prolonged. Petitions, numerouslv
signed, were gotten up in Tennessee and
/ IN Madison county, and with the aid of
justice IL. j. StOkely, an old friend Of
the family. petition was circulated in
AsheYllle, being signed by county off
Gals and a number of prominent citi-
Zens. when all was ready, Postmaster
| W. w. Rollins, who has known the fam
/ ly for many years, and handled Willis
on ms knee when boy, readily consent
ed to go to Raleigh and present the peti-
tons to Governor Russell in person.
Monday morning, says the Asheville
! Citizen, while Mr.. Willis the father, was
Flowing in the field near his house he
was startled by a sudden shouting from
the residence. His heart stood still as
he saw one of the children running to-
/ md 4
to the case of his son, and he stood shak-
ing between hope and fear. because in a
letter written to Maj. Rollins on the
10Th he said, with the force of a heart
broken man, 81 have lost all hopew Ina
CINE then, the feelings of the father as
his tear-flled eyes perused these few
words sent by Maj. Rollins:
Robert pardoned to-day. Meet us to-
night at Glen Rock hotel Asheville.'
The plowman wept, but they were
tears of joy. 1t was but few minutes
to train time and, laughing and crying
alternately, the happy father unhitched
his mule, sprang upon its back and be-
gan a race to the station such as no
Tennessee mule ever before made. Mr..
Willis reached it just in time and came
to Asheville, calling first upon Justice
Stokely, to whom he gave the good
news.
| The hours of waiting were days in
length to the anxious father. but at last
the midnight train came in, and with
| it Maj. Rollins and young Willis. Father
and son grasped each other tightly, and
stood absolutely speechless as the tears
raced down their faces unchecked, while
those who watched the meeting were not
ashamed that they had to brush away
mist that gathered in their eyes.
Father and son spent the nigh5 at the
Glen Rock and early Tuesday morning
left for their Tennessee home, where
the happy mother was awaiting them.
Maj. Rollins says young Willis had
a splendid record in the penitentiary,
being leader of the Sunday school and
prayer meeting. Maj. Rollins attended
the chapel service Sunday, and before
the meeting opened informed Willis of
Governor Russel1s action. The prayer