Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1897-06-02
IN THE IDAHO PEN.
Mrs. kensler and Freel Escape
from Hanging.---Freel Con-
fides to a EeIInW-Prisnner.

mrs. kenSier ana freel Escape
from Hanging.---FreeI Con-
fides to a Feliow-Prisoner.
Last week we announced the con-
viction Of Alfred Freel for the muir
der of John Kensler, the verdict be-
ing in the second degree.
Josie Kensler's trial for the same
ofense Immediately followed that
of Freel. About the same evidence
as in the first trial was reproduced.
The case went to The jury Wednes-
day night at 1890, and after being
out five hours the jury returned
with verdict of guilty Of murder
in the second degree.
At half-past l o'clock Friday af-
ternoon Mrs. Kensler and Freel
were brought into court for sentence.
In reply to Judge Stockslager's
question if they had any legal rea-
son why sentence should not be
passed upon them, each answered
no." whereupon the judge SEN
fenced them each to hard work in
the penitentiary for their natural
lives.
w. NJ. Chapman and John Rey-
nolds, who plead gully to stealing,
were at the same time sentenced to
sixty days in the county Jail and
cost of suit.
Friday afternoon Judge Stock
slayer adjourned court for the term
and that evening he and District
Attorney Rogers departed for Chal-
lis, where the Custer county court
convened last Monday.
The term of the district court for
Gilmore county, just closed, has
been the longest and most expen-
sive since the organization of the
county-an unavoidable fact the
taxpayers will fully realize later on.
Freel Makes a Statement.
Friday night, in his cell in the
county Jail, Freel confessed to one
of the prisoners that he killed John
Kensler and exonerated Mrs. Kens-
Ter from all blanche alone being
the guilty one-and we are told
that interested parties have pro-
cured an affidavit from the inmate
of the Jail to this effect. If Freel
did make such a statement, of
course no sane man in this county
can believe him.
Arrive at Their Life Quarters.
Charlie Van Dorm, warden of the
Pen, came over from Boise Friday
evening and returned Saturday with
the convicts. OF their arrival in
that city the Statesman says:
The depot platform was crowded
with people who we're anxious to see
the convicts az they left the train.
The prisoners were Immediately taken
to the prison in the penitenciary car
riage.
Freel at once entered upon his prison
life by taking the midday meal with
the other convicts. Mrs. Kensler was
4 bdhSh W bil6 WdIu6n ilOuSC Oil Ills IN
vitation and ate with his famsly.
Mrs. Kensler is the first woman plis.
oner that has been incarcerated at the
pen since Mrs. Margaret Hardy, who
was transferred to the asylum at
Blackfoot in October, 1895. The war
den took the room on the second floor
of the new'cell house, that has been
| raad &c n ho rbor ehon for Tho oAp oaro
and changed it into a room for the
female convict A new bed, mat
tresses and pillows were purchased and
the room given an air of as much
comfort as possible. A matron will
be appointed in day or two who
will take sole charge of the new in
mate.
The warden is favorably impressed
with Mrs. Kensler. He thinks she will
not pc troublesome and will submit to
the penalty that has been placed upon
her for her misdeeds with fairly good
grace. She has told him she is will
ing to do whatever work he has about
the buildings that she can do and will
do it willingly. She claims TO be q
good cook and an excellent washer
AS she expects to become a mother in
about three months there will be nc
hard work imposed upon her unit
after that time.
Freel, as soon as he had had hi
dinner, was taken to the barber anc
his hair received a clipping and the
prison tailor fitted him with the regu
lation garb. He is a short man of only
5 feet and z inches in height and is 2t
years old, He is illiterate, not being
able to read or write his own name
He has no religious creed, received nj
religious instruction and never at
tended Sunday school. When hi
clothes were examined silver ring
gold watch and $675 in cash wer,
found.
II. w. Tanner departed THURSDAY
evening for Montana, to be absen
J about six weeks.