Birmingham state herald., 1897-04-17
AN APPEAL FOR PARDON Mother and Step-father lmpriS-
 oned for Life FOR A HEINOUS DEFENSE  After Nine Years in Prison Mercy Is Asked for by the Supposed Injured-Mr. Trapp
 Unfolds Tale.

A pa thetic scene was witnessed at the state capitol yesterday eliminating from an investigati ton by the governor of an applica tion by a Mrs. Collier for the par don of her mother and stepfather, Mr and Mrs. Joe Meyer, who were convicted in the circuit court of Calhoun county in 1888 of a heinous offense upon Mrs. Col lisr then only ten years old, and sen- fenced to life imprisonment.
 The story as told by the prisoners and corroborated by Mrs. Collier Is in effect as follows: The mother of Mrs. Meyers objected to h=r marriage and failing to prevent the nuptials concocted plan to have them arrested on the serious charge of the mother holding the little girl Whilo the father committed a brutal of fense. The girl was we'll drilled under threats of punishment what she should say when the parties were arrested and brought into court. And to further maks sure the evidence, a short while prior to giving the alarm that a crime had been committed the grandmother bruised the person of the child and again threatened her and told her to say her stepfather did 1t. The cRild was examined by physi- clans all of whom refused to testify that a crime had been committed though th=re were evidences of an attempt.
 Recognizing that the case had taken much more serious turn than was con- templated and repenting of her deed the mother set about to secur- petition for pardon and also related the story as here told, which was not believed
 After Mir and Mrs. Meyer were sent to th+ penitentiary the grandmother took charge of the child and the two driftsd to other sections and out of the minds of the community where the tragedy was supposed to have occurred.
 MT. s. B. Trapp, member of tha board of convict inspectors, and who is a citi- zen of Calhoun county, on making an official visit to the prison met MT. and Mrs Meyer who made virtually the above statement of the case and plead with him to find the daughter. Mr. Trapp de- clded to do SC and at his own expense. After several weeks search she was To- cated in the southern portion of Ta1la- dega county and had married MT. Col 1i=r whose name she bears, and herself a mother.
 Mrs. Collier was carried by Mr. Trapp before the governor and her statement was about as above given. She said her grandmother removed to Georgia several years ago but she did not know what part. She Is quite ignorant and cannot read nor write and appeared as Innocent and helpless as the child she carried in h=r arms in the charge of MT. Trapp. and her personal risk in the busy whirl of Q great city far away from the sClituda of the backwoods home seemed the impulse of nature responding to the weird cry of a distressed mother unconscious and care less of personal consequences.
 Gov. Johnston took the case under ad- visement; in the meantime Mrs. Collier was allowed to visit her parents at Spig- nor whsre she arrived yesterday in com pany with MT. Trapp and pr, Blake of the board of inspectors.
 MT. Tiapp says that MT, Meyer re- ceived injuries several years ago that 1 f@,. rnt.ly and h dIIf ffaGo tn look after the lights in the factory, whils Mrs Meyer is almost a confirmed invalid.