The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1900-09-28
A TRAGIC LIFE STORY.
sentence of Western Judge to he
Hanged FOR a Crime He Never
Committed.

Some years ago Writ w. Saunders.
who has since been police judge OF
Spokane, Wash, stood upon gallows
just across the state line in Oregon and
the sheriff was about to adjust the
moose about his neck when messenges
bearing pardon from Gov. Pennoycr
appeared upon the scene. This fact
was brought out in the course of re-
cent police court trial In which Judgs
Saunders appeared as counsel for an al
legged tramp.
II know this client Of mine" said the
Judge, II know that for three months
he performed the hardest kind'of man
ual labor. The testimony Of the police
that he will not work is quite untrue
It was an unusual appeal and the
magistrate said: "Your testimony Is
sufficient to acquit him and 1t Is all that
is in his favor. By the way, Mr.. saun-
ders, where did you know himP"
He was my cellmate in the Oregon
penitentiary, your honor" replied
Saunders.
The silence that followed the answeS
was ubCOAil1OI LHAOlC uAJ1l 5s@tu0 COuKb
apologized for the question. Saunders
answer was the first intimation the
general public Of Spokane had concern
ing his past. Shortly after this Saun-
ders made q public review Of the case
in which he was defendant, and, not
withstanding the rivalry that always
exists In municipal elections, the story
of bis life in Oregon was not referred to
by his opponents when he was conduct
ing the campaign that made him police
judge.
Testimony ywasintroduceda at the first
of Saunders Oregon trials to show that
he killed man in Texas However
that may be, he went to eastern Ore
gon when young man and opened q
law Office. His social gifts were highly
appreciated by the isolated community
where he resided, and within short
time he became an aspirant for The
belle of the town. He had q rival, and
one morning this rival was found dead
in mountain path, where it was said
Saunders had. been walking on thq
night previous. Il was a plain case OF
murder.
Circumstantialevid accumulated
against Saunders almost as rapidly a.
his friends deserted him. Within few
hours he was under arrest charged
with the murder. AT the trial the
Judge admitted testimony tending to
show that Saunders had killed man
in Texas. The jury found him guilty
and he was sentenced to the Oregon
penitentiary for life. Saunders OBJ
tanned new trial upon the ground
that the testimony as to the Texas
homicide had undue influence with the
Jury. 1t was excluded at the second
trial, but he was sentenced to hang.
During all this trouble the young
woman was SO confident Of his limo
cence that she promised to remain true
to him lifetime II need be. Great
pressure was brought to bear upon the
governor to issue pardon, but the
dead man had many influential friends,
who presented counter petitions. Just
what motive influenced Gov. Pennoyef
at the eleventh hour will probably
never be known, but there was great reA
joicing in the bunchgrass town when
E the telegram forbidding the sheriff to
go on with the execution was received.
There were also outcries that Justice
had been thwarted, but sentiment has
changed since then and nearly every
one In that community, except the Yele.
tives of the murdered man, believe In
Saundara' iuuacance