New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1897-07-14
Sentiment
Divided.
The Majority of New Uln1's Citizens al e
Opposed to Pardoning the Youngers.
They Express Themselves in Plain and
Unnistakab BILE Language.

! DeemlHS II OF interest," 10 lie puDl1s
to know the drift Of popular opinion II
New Ulm on the question Of pardoning
the notorious Younger brothers. the Re-
view has interviewed a number of the
! most prominent citizens. The question
asked invariably was: "Do you believe
in pardoning the Youngerss" The fol-
lowing are some of the answers:
W. G. Alvin: No, don't. have
seen the men recently, and, if pardoned,
wouldn't care to have them live in my
ne1ghborhood. ~. .........E..s -
Henry Loheyde: It seems to lie they
have been in prison long enough.
City Clerk Schilling: 1 am most en-
phatically opposed to their being par
doned.
Clerk of Court Larson: l think they
might as we'll be pardoned as to sit out
their declining years and die in prison.
| The sentence, 1t strikes me, has served its
purpose.
Attorney Jos. A. Eckstein: Were it
not for the face that they have shed so
much innocent blood, I would favor Civ
ing them their liberty.
Deputy. Auditor Jorgenson: The
Youngers should be treated on the same
principle as other criminals. While I
have no grudge against them and have
no doubt that, if pardoned, they would
make peaceable citizens, still I see no rea-
son for making any more ado over them
than over lots of other convicts.
Hubert Manderfeld: I believe they
have been in prison long enough. have
no fear that they will commit any more
crimes, and if there is any usefulness in
them they should be given a chance to
exercise it,.
Prof. Critchett: On general principles,
I do not believe in granting the pardon.
Once sentenced, prisoner should serve
out his time.
Fred Pfaender, register of deeds: I
believe the Youngers should be kept
right where they are. Pardoning such
men only tends to put premium on
crime. Punishment by Imprisonment
would soon lose its terrors If such con-
victs were allowed to 60 free.
John G. Rudolph: No, I don't believe
in pardoning them. I think that matter
should be left entirely to the people of
North6eld.
Alderman Henry Wehye: The Young
ers, it released, would make good citi-
zens. They were never natural crimi-
nails, but became so during the war. In
other words, they were the product of
persecution and system of bandit war
fare that chung to them after the war was
over. They have been in prison long
enough to live that spirit down, and I
believe they should be pardoned.
Supt. Runck: I hardly think it would
be fair to society to give them their free
dom.
Alderman Grusendorf: When a per-
son commits crime 1 believe he should
suffer for it, but I also believe that it is
possible for a criminal to repent and re-
form. That being the case, it is but just
that mercy should be shown. The
Youngers have been confined for ovel
twenty years and have shown tenden.
cy to be good citizens. For that reason
I would not be opposed to letting them
go free.
George Decline: am afraid they are
too young yet. When they get so ole
that it is impossible for them to return
to their bandit ways, then free them.
Rev. Eyrich: Candidly, I think they
are in the right place now. To be sure
it seems awful to keep man in prison
for life, but we should not forget that il
was also terrible crime on their part
to murder for the sake of robblng. Hey
wood loved his life, as well as they love
their liberty, and the question we must
settle for ourselves is whether our sym.
pathy is to go to the innocent man who
is killed or to the guilty man who is con.
victed.
| A, W. Bingham: When the supreme
judges and some of the best men in the
state petition for a pardon, | do not see
why I should object. It seems to me
they have received all the punishment
they deserve, and, If given liberty, would
make peaceful citizens.
Jacob Klossner Jr..:: No pardon, il
left to me. I do not believe in being
easy with criminals. We only create
them By being lenient.
/ G.. A. Ottomeyer: I am in favor Of