The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-02-13

hoping for acquital as any man would, /
was prepared for the worst.
my feelings may be exempliaed by
what l said to the judge after the judge
had passed sentence, and said: May God
have mercy upon your soul I replied:
May God in heaven have mercy and show
kindness to all those who have committed
this monstrous wrong
Another thing that gave me courage
was the fact that there had been so many
errors In the prosecution, and the belief
that the supreme court would reverse the
decision.
Then, too, the sentence Of death IN
Kansas doesn't mean the same as II would
here. did not experience the awful con-
temptation of hearing the building Of my
gallows or fancying myself being hurled
into eternity. In Kansas the death SEN
tence has never been carried out since
Kansas was admitted TO the Union. There
have been executions under the Federal
Courts but never under the state author
ity. No governor dares to execute a pris-
oner. There has now been an accumula-
ton OF convictions. and II would be
wholesale murder Of people to issue war
rants now The death sentence in Kan
sas means imprisonment Tor life. When
sentence is passed, one is taken to the
state penitentiary TO be confined at hard
labor for one year. or until such further
time as the governor OF the state may
appoint day for your execution.
Life Imprisonment IS harder than the
hanging. Give me hanging II have 10 be
shut up for life. This question OF capital
punishment should be put upon other
grounds. 1 have never been in favor of It.
1 don't believe that legal murder is any
different from one perpetuated under pas
sion or deliberate purpose"
And in all did you not feel the dread
OF the situation -
81 always trained myself TO look upon
II in this light What is 20 be is TO De
I felt like man feels VINO breaks limb
or catches the smallpox. It has TO nave
its run. or you've got to accept the things
that accompany It. always had the be-
lief that truth would prevail-that God
wouldn't allow wrong 10 prevail. 1 felt
that way. and simply waited until IL was
done. The first two years OF my stay In
prison. my mind was occupied with the
attempt 10 obtain an appeal. I had 70
take the unpleasant things as they came.
The unfaithfulness of my attorney in
making off with the only funds l had TO
obtain the appeal was harder blow than
the sentence imposed by the court. The
loss OF a man whom believed to be true
was disheartening I had trusted him
with my life, and had been deserted.
eyes. sir. YOU are right. II is an injus-
tice that the man who cannot pay the
10
have had attorneys say: What do I
care about errors: the fellow Is too poor
to get an appeal II IL all wrong.
when this money was lost my friends.
and there were plenty 81 them in the
state began work for my pardon. The
petition. signed by thousands, was placed
before the pardon board under the admin
istration OF Governor Leedy. the Populist
The board recommended the granting Of
the pardon, but Governor Leedy went out
Of office without acting on IL. AS soon as
Governor Stanley assumed the ONCE the
matter was brought 70 his attention and
the pardon was granted.
ION December % Mr.. Charles Elliot, my
attorney. came down TO Lansing. I was
in such feeble health that he did not deem
II advisable TO let me know that he had
It. He told me that he had been 70 see
the governor about II. and thought that
might receive IL. He thought the gov
ernor thought well Of Il.
- He ought to- ] said. He has known
me for % years, and knows am no more
guilty Of murder than has own boy j. !
was governor and Mr.. Stanley were IN ny
place he wouldn't remain here p minutes
know what he would 90 as an indi-
vldual. but don't as a politician
:. well said Mr.. Elliot. he'll probably
do something soon
" III believe It when ] see t. I re-
Piled
with nat ne took the pardon nut ~
his pocket and gave 81 20 me u did not
startIe me They watched me 20 ess ths
effect Of course ! vas glad but ny
health had gone. and had booked Tor
rtE1ateousnszs % Be done 20 long that
was ready Tor Il when u came and took
Il a. a matter % course. ! went xifh