Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-12-23
FREE FOR CHRISTMAS.
GOVERNOR TYLER wILl MAKE A
NUMBER or coNvIcTs BAPPY.
FOUR QUITE INTERESTING CASES.
A Woman who killed Her Husband,
n Mincraiogist Who Killed the Man
Who Thought Him Detective
Two Other Cases.

men who have never been immured within
prison walls.
lie will issue pardons TO az least -four
convicts to-day. II IS probable that one
or two more will also receive the Gov
ernor's pardon for crimes against the
peace and dignity Of the Commonwealth
one woman is among the number In
1897 Mrs Sarah Deckert. Of Wise county.
killed her husband. She was tried, con-
vicied Of murder in the second degree,
and sentenced 10 FIVE years in the state
Ponitentiary. She has been an exemplary
prisoner.
a BRUTAL HUSBAND.
Governor Tyler was much interested in
the case Letters from prominent men
In Wise county convinced n.m the verdle'
was too harsh. The Commonwealth's
Attorney OF Wise county voluntarily
wrote the Governor that for twenty
years the man had been brutal 20 his
wife. "He was terror 10 her." writes
the official She had been married TO
him twenty years. Twenty years ago he
beat her with "a horsewhip until the blood
drippod from her body. He would hit
her with his fist or any weapon conve-
nient lie has been known 90 knock her
down with "a t0bacco-stick The Com
monwealth's Attorney says she believed
her life I'm danger 40 the time she struck
her husband the fatal blow The ulaI
Judge the Commonwealth Attorney
and all the jury united in the plea Tor
pardon. The woman Is upwards OF ~
years OF age.
a ROMANTIC CASE.
Charles +. Cox, of Missouri. man OF
excellent family. educated and travelled
and an expert minoralOgist, who has
served four years Of an cighteen-year
sentence will be set free to-day.
In 1896 Cox went into Grayson county
prospecting for irOn-ore. Several per-
sons I'm the county seem % have suspect
ed him Of being a revenue officer Ia search
of Illicit distillers. one man i'm the
community, whose name was Roberts
was especially violent. He had the
reputation. according 10 the gentleman
on whose place the encounter in when
he was killed took place, Of being "A
terror TO the community, q reckless
drinking man." who forced the fighting
upon Cox.
Cox and Roberts met at the house Of
a well-known man in the county ho-
berts told Cox he had sworn TO XIII him
before the sun went down, and had come
twelve miles TO do 1t. hsht ehsueu'
Cox shot Roberts and killed him.
Judge ID. W. Boien, former judge OF the
Circuit Court OF Grayson, in letter to
the Governor concerning the case. says:
"The trial took place at time when
number Of other homicides had recently
been committed and public excitement
was at a high pitch. and as Cox was
stranger it was openly talked that he
would be a good man TO make an eN-
ample Of Had l been n member OF the
Jury L would have contended for verdict
of not guilty. In any view l can take
OF the case. l believe he has been pun
ished enough" Cox has been an ex-
emplary prisoner.
a MURDER on SUNDAY.
The Governor will also pardon Mar
shall Owens of Washington county, who,
I'm 1897. was sentenced TO fourteen years
I'm the penitentiary for the murder Of
John DOdson. Owens and his younger
brother were passing along by DodsoL s
home one Sunday morning on their way
to church. Marshall owens invited bod
son, who was I'm his yard, to accompany
them. Dodson replied he thought he
would not do so. The two brothers passed
younger remarked that Dodson made him
very angry by not speaking to him
when they met. The remark was heard
by Dodson. a quarrel ensued. DOdsOn fol-
lowed the boys until they crossed over the
fence and got into the road. He had a
large rock in his hand. Marshall owens
had drawn his knife "a small Barlow.
Dodson said something about lighting
Owens recrOssed the fence and said ne
would fight If DOdson would throw away
the rock At the same time he replaced
his knife in his pocket. AS he did so bod
son rushed at him. holding the rock in
his hand. owens pulled his knife back
out of his pocket, and. hastily opening
H. slashed DodsOn on the breast Dodson
dropped. and died soon afterwards.
In giving his reasons for granting the
pardon. Governor Tyler says: This
young man committed the crime for
which he was sentenced I'm the heat of
passion. and acted, as stated by the Judge
and commemorative Attorney. under
impulse rather than malice, and did the
killing because he felt his younger
brother. "a mere child. had been imposed
upon. lie has suffered great mental an
guish and Is deeply repentant His father
has spent his all in the defence of his
son. and now has an opportunity 10 go TO
the State Of Washington with his boy.
The health Of the prisoner is bad and his
trouble IS aggravated by confinement.
He has served nearly four years of MS
term, and I'm view OF an the facts of the
case. 7 think has been sufficiently pun
ished."
TWO MINOR CASES.
Governor Tyler has granted a pardon
to Walter Y. Keen, sent from buchanan
county In 1895 for murder i'm the second
degree. The surgeons certihcate said nc
was dying Of consumption
Governor Tyler has granted pardon
10 John Carter. a colorcd butcher of Pc
tersburg who was conviction in the Cor
poration Court of feloniOusly assauluns
John Thurman. OF Baltimore, with beer
bottle. and whose punishment was liked
AZ one year In the penitenuary The sem
fence was subsequently committed by tho
Governor TO six months In the city jail.
A CHAPTER or SORROW AND CRIME
II Is possible that the Governor will
also pardon William Farmer, of Wise
county. who IS serving an eishteen-year
term for the murder of a friend over a
game OF cards on Sunday. 4 man named
BENTLEY Is also In the penitentiary for
having killed Farmers sister After
Young Farmer had been convicted and
his sister slain. his two brOthers-one on
Norfolk and Western and the other on
The Chesapeake and OhiO-were killed.
An this grief killed the aged mother. A
sister is now lying at the point of death.
The old father has come 10 Richmond
and visits the Governor daily In behalf