The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1899-12-05
Was Sentenced From This County to a
Life Term In Prison
FOR MURDER OF HIS FATHER
his GOOD Conduct and Exemplary Deport
ment in Prison Life Assist In
Securing Clemency-
VIII Return to
Canton.
4 special from Columbus says:


All interest in the Ohio penitentiary
On this Thanksgiving centered in the
pardon that came unexpectedly tc
Joseph A. Kline. More than 1000 pris-
Bners and hundreds of visitors were
packed into every available foot OF
space in the prison chapel at 9:45 o'clock
yesterday morning, when Chaplain
Wright called the name of Kline and
asked the owner thereof to step to the
platform. Amid thunders of applause
Kline stood forth and received the doc
ument bearing the big seal of the gov
Rrnor of Ohio. There were tears in his
eyes and he could utter not word, as
after IS years behind prison bars he
felt freedom in his grasp.
Kline is a small thin faced man with
"A most remarkable record. He was re-
feived at the prison in July, 1881, on a
fife sentence from Stark county on a
charge of poisoning his father 1t was
supposed he did this by administering
arsenic from time to time in his fathers
coffee. Finally the old man died and it
Nas under such suspicious circumstan-
aes that an autopsy was held and it
showed death to have been due to poi
son. Suspicion rested on Joseph who
was then 25 years old, and he was ar
rested.
In all the IS years of his imprison-
nent there has never been a single
mark or a single report for misconduct
made against him. He was convicted
OF poisoning his father, the claim of the
prosecution being that he sought to
gain possession of the little home
This home was mortgaged for 81, 800
and when sold only brought 81, ,45O, and
Warden Coffin. who is familiar with
The history Of the case says the prosecu-
non made a weak case in presenting
The motive for the crime. The legal
contest developed into a fight between
dhe doctors on both sides, and the iurv
Vas out "A hours before a verdict of
guilty was returned.
Kline comes of PRESBYTERIAN stock in
Pennsylvania, and was educated for the
RW. After entering prison he professed
conversion and Joined the church. His
exemplary record was held up before
1he other prisoners both by the chaplain
aud Warden Coffin, as a model for the
imitation Of all. Warden Coffin said it
gas this spOtless record that finally
decided Governor Bushnell to issue the
pardon to Kline. Kline was invited bv
Dr. c. S. Carr to go home with him
20 lu0 HOFFMAN avenue and be his guest
fa NA,
Kline modestly accepted. DR.. Carr said
IN short speech to the prisoners that
he considered it an honor to have a man
with such a record as his guest. DR.,
Carr stated that he would go to the city
prison, as was his annual custom. and
select a couple of prisoners there and
Eake them home with him also, pre-
herring to do good to these poor unfor-
dunates rather than to invite in his
%ell-to-do neighbors. He said he al
ways tried to get train jumpers who
we're arrested for trying to beat their
way on the railroads. After dinner his
custom is to ascertain their desired des-
buy them a ticket and put
Them on their trains. Kline will return
20 Canton.
STORY OF THE CRIME.
A NeWs-Democrat reporter called on
Mr. Daniel w. Stabler, an elderly gen.
heman residing at oil East Fourth
street, Friday morning, and secured an
interview from him with reference to
ahe crime committed by Kline and also
relative to the trial and other matters
respecting Kline's life in this city pre-
reding the crime. He said:
Il think 1t was in the fall of 1880 that
nhe crime was committed. Joe Klinss
iather had been working for me off and
OF iOr about ten years. 1 was a con-
tractor then and had implicit faith in
ahe elder Kline's honesty and alwavs
ahought him good man. Joe was
kiine's only child, and it seemed to me
ne was desperate fellow. | kind of
thought or knew that some difficulty
mad presented itself at the Kline home
irom the manner in which the father
often talked and acted. His mother
often said she was afraid of him when |
ever her husband left the house to 90 |
10 work. Joe had been a law student |
and he was about 21 or = ore wears Of |
age. He had been married. but bis |
flIe secured a divorce from him and |
she now lives in Youngstown, / believe.
it was late in the fall Of the year. The
old man : had been sick at different
Dimes One Friday morning / went to
him and asked him to go 10 do some
york Tor me- He was rendering lard
aud said he couldn't leave his work.
The following day, Saturday, went up
street In the evening, when learned
Ehat old man Kline was dead / was