Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1898-03-10
MOTHER LOVE WON.
NEARLY TEN YEARS SECURING A PAR.
DON FOR HER BOY.

The signature of President Mckinley
to the pardon of Clyde Mattox was the
sequel of pathetic story of heroism
devotion and self-sacrifice unparalleled
save in the field of fiction. For eight
years a woman has worked unremit-
tingly to save an only son from an
ignominious death on the gallows or a
| life condemned to be passed within the
walls Of state prison. From the first
trial in the United States Court for
Kansas to the Supreme Court of the
United States, and finally to the high
est power in the land, she has gone
with her prayers and her tears for mer-
cy. Wives of lawyers and judges who
| prosecuted and sentenced her son have
aided her with money and influence,
and eminent lawyers championed her
cause with no hope or expectation of
reward. So great is a mothers love,
so powerful are mothers tears. And
this is the story:
With the first rush of settlers into
Oklahoma on the opening of that coun-
try there came from the South Mrs,
Hatch, widow of DR.. Hatch, post sur
geon in the Union army, and her only
son, Clyde, then high-spirited, hand
some boy of Is, possessing, largely by
inheritance, all the characteristics of
the Southern race. Mrs. Hatch and
was then rent in twain by fierce fac
tional township fight. Excitement ran
high. Young Maddox was appointed a
deputy marshal, and, like many of his
older brother officers, went armed.
One night in the fall of 1889 he was
out with boon companion, a young
physician from the South. There was
rousing, and a colored man was shot
and killed. His companion made his
escape, but Mattox was arrested and
taken to Wichita, Kan, where year
later he was tried in the United States
Court, convicted and sentenced to
death. An appeal was taken to the
United States Supreme Court, which af
firmed the judgment of the lower court,
three of the judges Of the Supreme
Court dissenting from the decision in
an opinion which has attracted the at
tention of the legal profession through
out the country, and by many is re-
garded as much stronger and clearer
exposition of the case than the ma
jority decision.
Upon the decision of the Supreme
Court Mattox was resentenced to death,
and was removed from Wichita to the
Topeka Jail to await his execution.
Thither his despairing and heartbroken
mother, whose meagre fortune had al
ready become exhausted in the heroic
but futile struggle made to save her
boy, removed, and went bravely to
work on the almost hopeless task ff
securing a pardon from President
Cleveland. Being a woman Of refine
ment, with beautiful face framed in
premature white hair, she aroused
sympathy for her great sorrow from all.
She secured petitions from the leading
people of Oklahoma, and letters and
recommendations from the judges and
attorneys who had been instrumental
in the conviction of her unfortunate
by the wives of the State officials of
Kansas, she came to Washington to
see President Cleveland
Upon her arrival here she learned
that the President was at Buzzard's
Pay, and thither she went, with her
great sorrow. She secured an audi
ence with Mr.. Cleveland, and told him
with tears, the pitiful story of her mis-
sio.l. She pleaded, in extenuation, her
sons extreme youth when the killing
occurred, and the peculiar conditions
of his surroundings. The President |
listened attentively and gave her assur-
ance that the case should receive his
earliest consideration, and she was
forced to return West in doubt as to |
the result of her mission.
Weeks passed, and no word came
from Buzzard's Bay. The day fixed for
the execution drew near, and still no
sign that her plea for mercy would be
needed. The gallows was erected, and
all the dreadful preparations completed |
for the awful event that would forever
blast her life. Twelve hours before
the time set for the execution, when all |
hope had been abandoned, q message |
came from Buzzards Bay committing |
the sentence to life Imprisonment.
Mattox was removed to the peniten-
tiary at Leavenworth and began his
career as life convict Then his de-
voted mother followed him and took
up her residence within the shadow of
the great building which held her only
child. How she lived is best told in the
deep lines on her once beautiful but
now pinched and careworn face, and
in the faded mourning she still wore
for the husband who slept in South
ern grave. The story of her devotion
and self-sacrifice interested the minis
tiers and Christian women of Leaven-
worth, and a second effort was made
for the pardon of Clyde Mattox When
the new administration came into pow
er, Mrs. Hatch, armed with additional
letters, came to Washington. Through
the influence of Mrs. j. j. Frey, wife
of the general manager of the Santa
Fe Railway, she secured pass to Chi.
cage; her friends bought her a ticket
the remainder of the distance. She
was without money and entered the
home of one of her attorneys, where
she was kindly sheltered. She secured
the services of one of the eminent law
firms of Washington, and the legal pro-