Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-03-08
GOODWIN A FREE MAN
THE HoCKBRIDGE BANK TELLER
GRANTED A PARDON.
The STORY OF HIS CONVICTION.
lie Was Made 10 Suffer for the Sins
Of His Sisters Husband, Who Car-
ried OF efsG,0OO of the Banks
Funds and Has Never Been Caught.

Governor Tyler yesterday granted a
pardon TO Robert K. Goodwin. OF Rock
bridge county, sentenced to the peniten-
tiary In 1895, convicted Of having been i'm
Lexington.
The cashier of the bank. Charles NJ.
f1ggatt, who was regarded as one OF
the most upright as well as most homo
rable men in Virginia, was found missing
one morning, with a shortage In his ac-
counts of $4,000. He was never heard of
again, except through vague rumors.
Goodwin frankly told the Board of d.
rectors he knew OF the shortage. which
was the result OF populations extending
over a period of nearly twenty years.
Hundreds of depositors from the county,
well-to-do farmers chiefly, crowded into
the little town as soon as the defalca-
ton was announced. and excitement was
at fever heat.
. Before it had subsidized Goodwin had been
arrested, tried, convicted, and sentenced
to four years in prison. He made no
effort to deny his knowledge OF the
shortage, though he had known 1t only
a few weeks. He said he thought his
brother-in-law, who was thought to be
man Of large means could easily make
good the shortage.
HE NEVER USED A CENT.
The worst enemy Of Goodwin never
charged that he had received a cent of
the stolen money. He gave up all his
property. which was considerable, TO the
depositors who had lost their money,
and went TO prison without a murmur.
Godwins friends tried to have Governor
TyIers predecessor issue a pardon, but
he refused. The pardon was asked by
Hon. William a. Anderson, the counsel
for the bank; Hon. William A. Glasgow,
Of Lexington; William A. Glasgow, Esq.
Of Roanoke; Frank r. Glasgow. of Lex
ington; Hon. Frank r. Glasgow, of this
city, and a number of the foremost citi-
zens of Rockbridge.
GOVERNOR TYLER'S REASONS.
In granting the pardon Governor Tyler
said:
This man has been victim of circum-
stances While he is no doubt guilty of
q technical violation of the law. IL does
not appear that he received any of the
funds taken from the bank. His only
crime was In sheltering the real criminal,
who was his sisters husband, and who
had been his benefactor
THE honorable counsel who represented
the bank states that while Godwin's law
yers apparently acted in manner which
was In their clients interest. as TO such
particular case. which was not intended
at the start to be a test case, he believes
that had they the case TO try over. they
would put him on the stand. and If his
statement had been taken down and pub
llshed, 4 believe that every Juror in the
case, every counsel, the Court and we'll
nigh every man and woman in Rock |
bridge county would have Joined in a like |
petition for his pardon.
He IS certainly not q criminal In the /
usual sense. His suffering has been vi /
carious and / unhesitatingly grant his /
pardon. after the first opportunity for |
examining the papers i'm the case, and |
restore him TO citizenship"
WILL NOT KNOW
The pardon was not issued until late /
asst night, and Goodwin will not |
know of il until this morning. He has
borne his punishment. without a murmur
and the prison officials say he has been a
perfect prisoner. so far as conduct is con-
cerned.
When the bank broke he was a man of
robust frame and perfect health. When
he was convicted his form was beginning
20 be bowed; to-day he is almost a wreck.
When he was arrested he was a man of
wealth; he will go out into the world to-
lay with his freedom, but not penny.
save the money sent him by his brother
10 pay his fare to Lexington.
He was one of the most popular men In
he county while he was In the bank to-
lay even those who would like to stand
,y him cannot forget that his head has
)een shaven; that the hideous stripes of
he convict have been his garb; that the
aw has set its stigma upon him, and that
I must rest there forever.
ANOTHER PARDON GRANTED.
Governor Tyler has granted a pardon
o Nat Robinson, convicted in Loudoun
ounty OF petit larceny and sentenced to
hree months in jail and to pay fine OF
20. He is pardoned on condition that he
pay the fine and costs