The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-12-23
$500 ACCOMPLISHED 1T
HAD SERVED ONLY ONE-FIFTH
OF HIS TERN.
ADJUDGED GUILTY BY THREE COURTS
John Goslee, Of Kinston, Also Pardoned by The
Governor. He Was Convicted of Big
amy Year ago, but Since
Proved his lnnocense.


Money is the golden key that unlocks
the prison cell and changes the convict's
stripes.
At least Tom Robertson, a thrice con-
victed seducer of this county, has found
it so.
After serving thirteen months OF
fiye-years' sentence on the county roads
for the ruin of Miss Julia Hester, he
has taken $500 and with it, has secured
from the Governor pardon.
The money, of course, does not go
into His Excellencys pocket, for that
would be open and fragrant bribery. 1t
was used in the purchase of compro-
Mise with the injured young woman.
through her attorneys. to which compro
mise the Governor has given his official
endorsement by pardoning the criminal.
The pardon was granted late Wednes-
day afternoon. but it was not generally
known until yesterday morning. Pri-
yate Secretary Cade, being questioned as
to the reasons assigned by the Governor
for the pardon. said there were no real
sons whatever, except that Robertson had
agreed to pay Miss Hester $500 if re-
leased and that the young lady had
consented to the arrangement.
The story of Robertsons crime was
told in the columns of this paper when
the trials occurred which convicted him.
Both Robertson and Miss Hester are
natives of this county and reside in the
same neighborhood. several miles from
this city.
After seducing Miss Hester, he left
for Texas He returned and married in
this county. and Miss Hester at once
instituted a civil action in the courts
against him. Notwithstanding the fact
that Robertson arrayeav witnesses who
perjured themselves, Miss Hester gained
her suit and the jury awarded her YER
dict of ST, 800 damages. Robertson re-
fusing to pay the damages was com
mitted to Wake jail. He did not remain
behind the bars long. however. as lie
took the insolvent debtors oath and was
released. To meet this turn in the af
fair. Miss Hester instituted criminal
suit against Robertson. With the result
that he was again convicted of seduction
and sentenced to the county roads for
five years. He took an appeal to the
Supreme court and that court sustained
the decision of the lower court, and
Robertson was sent TO the roads. I'M
mediately, thereafter, his attorneys COM
menced efforts TO secure his pardon for
monetary consideration, as above indi-
Gated 1t is understood that in this last
effort, which was successful, the att9f-
neys for the prosecution joined aaa1s
with Robertson's attorneys in the de-
mand for the pardon, and it is this last
acquisition of pleaders that fetched
the persimmon.
Another noteworthy fact connected with
this scandalous affair is, that although
Robertson has been on the roads for
thirteen months, he has been given
soft place by Superintendent Ray with
many privileges. among which was allow
ed him to doff his convict stripes. don
his citizens clothes and visit his hame
on Saturday nights returning the follow
ing Monday. And now in addition 70 the
leniency given him the Governor turns
him loose after serving only one.iifth OF
his sentence. This act of the Governor
in lberating convict guilty of one of
the most atrocious crimes. is n gross OUT
rage and will be csnsured by the respec-
table element OF the Si.lts.
Another pardon granted was that of
.J0hIl G0Slce. VINO was sent IN from
Lenoir county for four years for bigamy.
G0slee is a mechanic, the son of n
man who was for eight years captain
of the Old Bay Line steamer George
Leary." He was born in Baltimore and
his parents now reside in Wilmington,
Del.
When convicted Goslee was living in
Kinston, in charge of sash, blind and
door factory. Subsequent TO this time
he had resided in Virginia and married
there. His welded life was not happy
and he left his wife and came to North
Carolina. Later he wrote to lawyer
in Virginia, he says, to get a divorce for
him. The lawyer wrote back that the
divorce had been secured IT seems,
however, that it had not and Goslee's
marrying again violated the law of the
land and Of society. And for this he was
tried. convicted and sentenced by Judge
.. III. Allen to four years in the peniten-
tiary. His second wife was, of course,
Immediately divorced.
Since then it has been clearly shown
that GOsiee was innocent in that he
really believed he had been divorced
from his first wife. and on this account
his pardon has been strongly recon-
mended.
He was pardoned and released We'd
nesday after serving thirteen months and
twenty days of his four years sentence
He left immediately for his home in
Kinston.