The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-01-01
ISAAC REED PARDONED
Wellington Lawyer Sentenced to
Hang Goes Free.

Governor Stanley has pardoned ISAAC
G. Reed of Wellington who was sent to
the penitentiary five years ago under
sentence to hang which in Kansas
means life Imprisonment.
Governor Stanley has made a condi-
ton that the judge before whom a per-
son is convicted and the prosecuting at
torney must sign the petition for par
don before he will even consider the ap-
plication but in this case this condi-
ton was not complied with. Governor
Leedy refused to pardon Reed.
1t is given out that Reed can not live
but pardons have been known to nave
acted as a wonderful life giving tonic
in cases Of convicts suffering from fatal
maladies.
Reed has been at the penitentiary five
years and five months under a sentence
of death for the murder of Isaac Hop
per- When he was first brought to the
penitentiary he was made clerk in the
hospital. a desirable place for prison
er. During the last three years h. has
been acting as the druggist He has
never infringed any of the prison rules
and has an excellent record.
The pardon of Judge Isaac G. Reed
by Governor Stanley recalls one of the
most sensational murder cases of Kan
sas. Reed was a practicing attorney Of
the Sumner county bar, a man of edu-
cation and culture prominent in local
affairs and of growing fame in state
politics. His victim, Isaac Hopper, was
of humber walk of life, of little or Yso
education, surly of disposition and COM
bative but conservative. Hopper's wife
was an attractive woman who aspired
to better society than her husband s
means or opportunities could give her.
Reed was equally unhappy in his do
nestle relations. His wife refused to
live in tho rUI ho no do He,v
a nome, and he saw little of her, visit
ing her at her fathers home near Bos-
ton about once a year.
Soon Reed came into the Hopper wo-
mans life. Each knew the others story
and then followed a guilty infatuation
that resulted in the death of the wo-
mans husband at the hands of Reed
May q, 1892. The tragedy occurred in
front of Reeds law office in the main
street of the town of wellington Hop
per had frequently warned Reed to
cease his attentions to Mrs. Hopper,
but Reeds infatuation carried him BE-
yond the bounds of discretion and te
continued to meet her clandestineIy, e
woman encouraging him. Lucas Ne
becker, who is now a lawyer Of Coving-
ton, Ind, was Reeds partner at the
time, and In letter to the governor
briefly tells the story of the killing.
He says Reed had been across the
street on an errand, and returning was
accoSted by Hopper, who was approach
ing in a threatening manner. Reed
warned him to stand back. Hopper
continued to advance and Reed fired.
killing his adversary. The woman, Mr.
Nebecker says in his plea to the gover-
nor, was no less to blame than Reed.
She disliked her husband and encour-
aged Reeds attentions. Before the kills
ing Hopper was unpopular in the COM
munity, but the circumstances leading
to the tragedy caused Indignation
against Reed, which was intensified by
the woman'S devotion to his cause af-
ter the murder, and he was convicted.
The case was taken to CoWley county
on change of venue. There were two
trials. both before Judge A. NJ. Jackson.
The first resulted in a verdict of guilty
of a minor degree of murder and Reed
was sentenced to ten years in the peni-
Tertiary. Reed carried the case to the
supreme court, which granted a new
trial. The second resulted in a verdict
Of guilty of murder in the first degree
and judge Jackson gave him the ex-
IRENE sentence, death, which in Kansas
amounts to life Imprisonment.
By this time Reeds resources were
exhausted, but his father raised $500 by
mortgaging his home and sent it to him
to pay the expenses of another lease
made" for the supreme court The
money was given to a lawyer to pre-
pare the case, but instead of using it for
that purpose the attorney appropriated
it to pay himself for services rendered
too late under the law regulating prac-
tice in the supreme court to begin
again and Reed, without hope and
without money, could make no more
fight and was taken to the peniten-
tiary.