The Saint Paul globe., 1899-08-03
Liberty AFTER MANY YEARS
JESSE NEVILLE, OF WINONA COUN-
TY, HAS HIS LIFE SENTENCE
REDUCED
TVenty-Six Years Will Satisfy JUS
tice for the killing of PauIsOn-
He VIII Probably Be ParOIed in
ii Few Days.

Jesse Neville, of Winona county, after
serving thirteen years in the state peni-
tentiary for murder is to have his liberty
lie was sentenced for life for the murder
OF a bartender named Paulson, while in
tOXicated.
Inc board of pardons met yesterday
ana largely upon the recommendation of
Chief Justice Start, who was the trial
Juuge ana now member of the pardon
ing board, commuted his sentence to
tWenty-s1X years, which gives Neville his
liberty at once, as he is eligible to parole.
The story of the crime and the circum-
stances surrounding it is best told in the
communication which was presented to
the board by Chief Justice Start. as fol-
lows:
In the matter of the application of
Jesse Neville for a Communication of his
lie sentence to a term Of years. it seems
proper that, in as much as | was the
Juqge who presided at his trial, 1 should
submit Tor your consideration the state
ment following:
The petitioner was, on Nov. 13, 1885. con-
NicteQ IN the district court of the county
OF Wlnona Of the crime of murder in the
Hfst degree. L was then of the opinion
and so certified of record, that by reason
OF exceptional circumstances the death
penalty ought not to be imposed, and l
accordingly sentenced him 10 imDriSon-
ment for life. The evidence as | now re-
call it, tended to show that he was at the
oha llne OF the homicide young man of
aoout @ twenty-five years of age, of good
pafentage. He had acquired the drink
haDlt to some extent and a taste for
VICIOUS reading matter. Stories of the
exports OF Pug1lists and cowboys seem to
nave been his delight. He affected a
reckless braVadO, but prior to the homi-
c!de ne mad not been guilty of any viola
ton OF the law except disorderly conduct
WIlen Qfunk. During the day of the
homicide Neville and TAFT a comrade
had been visiting the saloons of the citV
OF Wnona and by II o'clock p. M they
were both drunk, when they started for
! the railway station, where Neville intend
ed to take the train for his home. a few
mlIes Ihd below the city; They stopped at
! the saloon of Nels Paulson, across the
! street from the station. Neville stood
! leaning on the bar. TAFT sat down in a
! chalr and commenced to make a noise
ra9is9n ren1is9 told him to keep still Neville
nave to, ThereupOn Paulson ran behind
ms par, stopped down, when Neville
reached over and shot him twice with a
revolver. There was no evidence or claim
that Neville and Paulson had ever seen
each other before or that there was anv
other motive for the shooting except as I
nave stated. The plea of insanity was in
terpoSed on his behalf which was sun
ported by evidence that one or more Of
ms ancestors had been insane. He was
not witness at his trial and have never
heard his version of the affair The Jury
rightly found him sane under the rules
submitted to them by the court but in
! - Ol'lAitll lllC 6NlU6nC6 1uStlflHd YER
| dict of a lower degree of criminaIitv than
that Of murder in the first degree. It
| seems quite clear that the shooting Of
| PauSOn was rot done with the nremedi-
! tated purpose If taking human life
Ine act. as Judge Snow. who assisted
| In the prosecution, well saws in his letter
! recommending Communication. "smacked
| or COWBOY bravadO rather than calcuIat-
! ing murderOus intent" I was satisfied n f
| the time Of the trial that If Neville had
| not been drunk he would not have fired
! the fatal shots. In view of the facts of
| this case, I an Of the opinion that public
! justice would be conserved bv a com
| mutation of the netitioners sentence to a
| term Of not less than twenty-six years.
Neville's people have spent a fortune
! trying TO secure the young mans release
! His sisters tramped over the whole Of
! Winona county circulating a petition sew
eral years ago for his release, and from a
| cold contracted while on this mission.
they were taken down with pneumonia
within a short time of each other and
died. Neville's father also died of a
| broken heart. The parents We're highly
respected, and well known in Winona
county.
The board denied the application of
| James Markey. of Minneapolis. The ap-
! plicatiOn of H. Meyers. of Cottonwood
county, was continued until the October
meeting.