The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-30

investigation. I ask for nothing more for am
convinced that facts will show that have
reached maturity free from the traits that
~ You 81 may SS; p Ivd MAJ P M, s q ssP pq 10 soS sna e 10 t he
crime I committed, and that / also realize how
my responsibility to. society and to myself.
opportunity TO prove 10 tho world my capability
Of becoming n good citizen.
This impressed tho editor ms q rather remark
able communication to come from q 19-year-old
convict who had spont eight years In the peni-
Tertiary. The letter was shown to THE Sun
correspondent. who knew nothing OF the case,
and who was inclined to DO skeptical OF the real
originality of the communication. II seemed
natural to suspect that. even II there was no
conscious plagiarism in the letter. the boy might
have read and heard so much about his own
case that bo had absorbed the arguments and
theories expressed by others. and was now re-
peatinQ them with parrot-likc. II unconscious,
exactncss.
In order to investigate more closely tho APP
parent intellectual development OF the young
convict, two or three interested people went TO
Ananosa last week and spent several hours In
the jail. They found young Elkins In the chapel.
lie has been librarian for several years and now
has additional duty in the chapel. As he came
forward In response to the Warden's call he WINS
seen to be slight but sturdily built. easy in bear
ing. but somewhat dihldent when presented 10
his visitors. He hasn's n bad face ut all; on tho
contrary. he has n good forehead and deep-eet
eyes which do not try to elude your gaze. He
has the prison pallor, aggravated perhaps by
the character Of his duties. 1t was with q good
deal OF reluctance that he talked about the
crime no committed. Ho had no cheap and gar.
rulous willingness to rehearse the story. When
persistently questioned he answered frankly.
81 did not realize the enormity Of my offence
then" he protested. II did not realize 1t until
long after I had been in prison. lido realize It
now
He admitted that the deed was premeditated.
He said he had been thinking about 1t for O
week. but had given 1t up the day before tho
murder. That evening his stepmother whipped
him and he made up his mind to do 1t before
morning. He said that. from his present point
OF view, the act was without any adequate prov.
~ocation.
In a letter written by young Elkins last April
to Prof. Harlan Of Cornell College tIowa). who
has been much interested In the case and has
carefully investigated tho young mans record
and is in favor Of q pardon. he Gays:
have been in correspondence with a lady
Ter she speaks of the God and the devil in man,
and the predominancy of one over the other.
unconsciously to picture a contrast. Ny lady
correspondent says: Il am not Interested in the
pyykysicai man; my n mission is the htsr higher ne 50 self H.
higher SELF" you seem to recognize the neces-
sity OF removing as far as possible the conditions
that arc unfavorahle to the development OF the
/ am led TO the conclusion, by a study Of the
in my possession. that while we may be excited
TO effort by finely worded sentences. the only
force that is a powsr for good and + that gives es
sympathy. 1t is q mistake to assume that j am
incapable. being a boy. OF appreciatipg the con.
f bistef tsaeS 81 sa% nnd Il ha | feil to a give mas my U eont T.
dcnee to every PSsseT,,6y IT. It. d is not rot to on be won won
a aon' ,6 aei reet cn alns Isin adm alnnk th nha 1 oR Rans ~i al.
most reached the limit Of progress here.
desire liberty, Can you, blame moi
II my life Is to be turned into an avenue Of
usefulness it becomes necessary to change sur.
rounding conditions, for. when incentive to ac-
leaving behind It a weary. hopeless wreck OF
what might have been.'
Elkins has written n letter to the General
Assembly. In it he says:
Some possibly will oppose me on tho ground
that my crime was most terrible. While /. too.
realize his now, l also realize the fact that i
am speaking to a man who represents the in
that ,hitG. e child hlS"o Of II %s Years Of age should not be
held fully responsible for q crime committed ut
that age. It needs no reasoning to convince you
but can regret or Imprisonment recall the dead :
! would gladly give my life 4 / could 70 recall
InGLn, u lHdl hit w. can L uot
! was SO young when the crime was committed
that tho question of punishment Is removed en-
tlrS S9 DECIDED erG% y ST ro s0 is: shm / ca une au OF bon
coming a safe and useful member Of society ."
1 am convinced that II this question were given
satisfactory answer i would be released. In tho
long years l have spent in this prison l have
stood alone. l have carried a weight Of preju.
dice that at times was almost too heavy to bear,
yet, Notwithstanding all this. I was buoyed up
by hope. l felt that the time would come when
justice !, would 70 impe iy men b to set a, aside ishse, the . sen en-
incentive. I have struggled alone and unaided
to develop and cultivate my mind. SO as to fit
After one has demonstrated his fitness to be
released and shown beyond all doubt that his
! can further Imprisonment result in goodi Must
not the result DO directly contrary
am nov young, strong and hopeful Of the
just, to keep me imprisoned until / shall have
become a wreck. mentally and physically
and right, to grant mo my liberty now while l
am capable Of putting 1t to good usei
Ihave had this letter under consideration for
weeks. My purpose is to appeal to your reason
and sense Of justice, avoiding sent but !
am impelled to ask this question; Would you. il
your child had offended and been punished,
continue the punishment of that child after re-
p~entance had come. no matter what the child
The question is often asked me, What are your
capacities. what. would you do II you were re.
Leased : have have |, ,aid IT the foundation UNI z lone Of "a a good
my way through. college. l have a sister. as
good and true q sister as q boy ever possessed;
should make my home with her. After am 70.
leased l shall not expect any further help from
any one. nor will TASK it. I wish to make my
own way in the world. and ] will do all In my
power to triumph over the past and prove
worthy Of those who may put their confidence
in me.
Ex-Warden Barr. who was in charge when the
boy was put in prison. supports the petition for
a pardon. He writes:
When Wesley was received his physical con-
dition was peculiar. He looked thin. pale. and
weak. but did not complain, and had y fairly
good appetite. and / do not now remember of
his being under the doctors care. during the
time he was with me. He had a slight twitch-
ing of the head and eyes. looked sad. when
spoken to would answer promptly and intelli-
gently, but seldom commenced Q conversation
Morally he was a mystery, and had 1t not been
for the fact that he had pleaded guilty to a helm.
Gus crime my answer would be morally good.
I never know him TO use profane or obscene Ian
guage.
He Impressed me as q child who had been
sadly neglected, and perhaps had received harsh
treatment, all of which might have caused him
to become mOrose and perhaps revengeful. ! do
not pretend to say this was the case with him,
but let that be as II may. after careful looking
after hin, for over two years J. became fully