The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-05-27
WHY MERCY IS
ASKED FOR W0ROEN
Governor Budd Petitioned
by the American Rail-
way Union.
II Presents Ten Reasons as
Sufficient for His Com.
mutation.
Committeeman Crossley and Harry
Knox Plead for the Con.
vict's Life.

The following communication has peen
forwarded to Governor Budd by commit
tee of the American Railway Union:
We favor the Communication of the sentence
of S. D. Worden, who was convicted OF causing
the train wreck near Sacramento IN Julv'
1894, and sentenced to be hanged June 4,
1897.
First-If we, the A. R. U. No. 345 of San
Francisco, CAL, are allowed we can produce
the affdavits OF at least SIX witnesses VINO
were called upon the next day alter the wreck
by the parties who claimed TO have wrecked
the train and asked for money to get out OF
the country-and IL was not Worden.
Second-We can also produce the CONCESSION
of the same parties in writing, whose feelings
were so worked up after leaving the country
to think that an innocent man was 10 De
hanged for the crime that they commltteo,
that they wrote to Sacramento, thinking that
this would go TO clear s. d. Morden OF a crime
he never committed.
Third-He (W orden) was permitted to waive
his legal rig his, being kept drunk right along,
evidently for q purpose and in the interest OF
the prosecution by corrupt colIuslons with
officials Without such collisions man IN
Jail could not get access to liquor
Fourth-Had he been guilty, if there is any
thing in the adage ''VIno yeritas," he would
surely have blurted it out, for he seemed to be
chemically indiscreet Ii he were in his right
mind he would hardly have acted the way he
did to the extent of signing confession, or OF
making one statement 10 his lawyer ana
another TO the prosecution.
Fifth-Those who were tried for the same
crime and who, il Worden is guilty, are also
guilty. were acquitted upon practically the
same evidence.
Sixth-Althoug further evidence in Wor-
den's favor had been obtained after his trial
rehearing WAS denied by the Supreme Court
on technical grounds. Such grounds should
never cut any figure where mans lie Is at
stake.
Seventh-The principal witness against
Worden was youth in state of deSt1tutlon,
discovered by the railroad agents who induced
n lint facf inv AlIhnnQh admittedly
guilty of the grossest perjury, he was allowed
TO leave the court against the protests Oh the
attorneys for the defense, when his detention
might have unearthed plot 10 convict an
innocent man.
Eighth-Immediately after his conviction S.
D. Worden was placed in solitary confinement
and denied any communication with the out
side world. The public good required no
such course, and the fact that 1t was adopted
is presumptive evidence that the prosecution
did not have good case and were determined
10 hang him, whether innocent or guilty, as
an awful example.
Nlnth-Such eminently conservative and
law-abiding citizens as ex-President Cleveland
and c. P Huntington favor WOrden's commute
ton because they believe he was insane. This
attitude on the part of c. P. Huntin gton indi-
Gates that Worden's vindictive prosecution was
not prompted by the railroad magnates them
selves, but that it was the result of superser-
viceabIeness on the part of detectives in the
railroads employ who cared more to confirm
q theory and thereby advance themselves than
to find the real criminal.
Tenth-Under the circums tances we believe
that Wordens execution would be judicial
murder in the first degree.
Therefore, we beg ana plead to our honora-
BILE Governor to please commute S. D. Worden's
sentence, no matter what the confessions
the poor hslf-witted man might have made to
get his whisky and drugs which have about
put his neck in the moose. And we call upon
all citizens to please to see il justice can be
done this man. GEORGE J. CRossLEY,
HARRY A. KNOX,
Committee.