The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1897-01-21
DIR. LOGAN PARD0NED.
The Noted Warren County Raplst Secures
His Release From the Pen.

His Release From the Pen.
Nashville, Jan. 15.-The closing act
in the case of Eugene Logan, the rapist
from Warren county, was reached yes
terday by the pardon of this noted con
vict by Gov. Peter Turney.
Logan's friends endeavored for a
long time to secure his release through
executive clemency, but heretofore met
with no encouragement from the gov
ernor. They then resorted to legal
means and the case was brought before
Judge Anderson in the criminal court
in the shape of habeas corpus writ.
The proceedings were heard by Judge
Anderson last Saturday, and he took
the matter under advisement.
On account of the peculiar circum-
stances surrounding the conviction of
DIR. Logan, the result of the habeas
corpus proceeding was watched with
intense interest, as the case did not
seem to have parallel in the criminal
annals of the United States.
On Wednesday morning Judge An
derson had the prisoner brought into
court and in an able and exhaustive
! opinion denied the writ and had Logan
again returned to the state prison.
Although the decision again placed
Logan within the walls of the peni-
tentiary, it was the means by which he
finally secured a release. While de-
Gliding against DR., Logan, as the law
would not bear him out in ordering the
convict's release, Judge Anderson in
strong terms recommended the case to
the governor as one in which clemency
should be shown. Col. Baxter Smith,
counsel for the complainant, saw in
the mentioned recommendation fresh
hope for his client and went at once to
Winchester and laid the opinion before
Gov. Turney.
Yesterday Col. Smith returned with
the governor and the necessary papers
were obtained from the secretary of
state, the warden was notified and Lo-
gan was apprised of his release while
at work in the shoe factory at the peni-
tentiary. The text of Gov. Turney's
pardon is as follows:
Whereas, the said Eugene Logan has
been recommended to me as O fit sub
ject for executive clemency, the Judge
who tried the habeas corpus saying
81 am of the opinion that the conyic-
ton of the defendant had, as it was
shown in this case by the virtually ad.
mitted facts, should not be allowed tc
stand, and do respectfully and most
earnestly recommend this case to the
governor as one in which his clemency
should be shown and pardon granted
know nothing of defendants guilt
and do this not in the interest of the
defendant, but of the laws of the land
"The opinion shows most conclusive
ly that no trial was had according tt
the well understood and established
rules of law in this state that there
was in fact no trial, and it being th'
duty Of the governor to take care tina
the laws be faithfully executed.
Now, therefore, I, Peter Turney
governor of aforesaid, by virtue of thu
power and authority in me vested, dt
i hereby pardon the said Eugene Logan
of the said offense, so far as it relates
to the time of Imprisonment yet unex
pired, but in no other way interfering
with the Judgment and sentence of sale
convict; and [ do further authoriz,
that the said Eugene Logan be forth
with liberated and set at large. II
testimony whereof have hereunto Sc
my hand and caused the great seal t.
be affixed, at Nashville, on the 14th da.
af January, 1897. By the governor,
TURNEY.
VIM. S. Morgan, Sec. of State.
1t is needless to say that the prisone
d received the news with expressions @
q Joy. He was at once conducted to tn
! warden's office and after divesting him
s self of the conventional convict garh
q again put on the dress of a citizen. H
4 Immediately left the city, going out t
z the place of his brother-in laws, a MI
Patty, at Heights Station, five mile
s from this city.
Logan's wife, who has stood by th
prisoner SO faithfully through all of th
: trouble, was at the latter place. and
: fell to Logan's lot to notify his wife
person of his pardon.
: The prisoner before leaving the pen
: tentiary expressed determination
s Warden Elliott to again take up tt
Z practice of his profession in some otht
I state, where he will be removed fro
& all suggestive scenes of very unhapT
epoch of his life.