The Honolulu republican. [volume] (Honolulu, T.H.) 1900-1902, 1900-09-05
TANNER Null LIVE
IND DE III1 lEPfE.
STRANGE REQUEST MADE BIZ
NURDERER coUpENHKD
TO LIE N PRISON.
Slayer Of Deputy Sheriff Brown and
Fannie Barnes Seeks Free
dom to Labor for HIS
Souls Salvation.

SAN FRANCISCO, Aug 2s--To lire
among the unelean Of Molokai and
there to die. perhaps gnaried and
wasted by the dread leprosy. that
when his LIES story is told there may
be one chapter of good and sacrifice,
is the wish. the prayer. Of George
Louis Tanner, adjudged guilty OF the
murder of Deputy Sheriff Brown and
Fannie Barnes and condemned to life
Of penal seryitude within the walls OF
Folsom prison Whether or not re-
morse mas laid its grasp upon this muir
derer's mind or whether in his offer of
sacrifice he sees ray OF nope for uiti-
mate liberty is problemaIicAl. Perhaps
a free life, limited though its years
will be, with unclean death its inevita-
BILE end. is preferable to him to those
many years more of health and
strength behind the bars OF prison
Tanner has communicated his wish
to spend his last years among the
lepers Of Molokai. and it may be, as he
says. an effort on his part to labor For
the salvation of his soul. Tanners
communication reads:
BROADWAY JAIL, Aug. 20, 1900.
TO the Honorable Frank H. Dunno,
Judge of Superior Court No. Six
Your Honor: AT this time l wish to
make request that was never made
before and that may never be made
again by any one else after this. Ii
may look strange to you and no doubt
you will see that is comes from 4
strange mind. During my detention
here in the county Jail have had plen-
ty Of time to review my past life, and
as it has not been a very useful one
to humanity at large, / would like to
change it in this way: J. would like
to be sent to the island Of Molokai to
take care of the multitude Of lepers
that are there in lieu Of going to the
state prison at Folsom.
This place is a leper establishment
in the Sandwich Islands and in the
United States domain, and l have no
doubt this could be done with the help
of the United States court. / would
like the life sentence that is passed
upon me to be changed to Molokai.
This, | believe, should be satisfactory
to- the people of California. II this
is granted to me l promise that will
not complain and will not try to make
any appeal Of any kind. l am well
aware of what l will see there Good
many years ago when l was in the
harbor of Honolulu / saw over ninety
Of these poor lepers leave that place
for a leper settlement of Molokai and
| had a good chance to see all the
horrors of that great plague. Hoping
that my petition may be granted SO
that | may be able TO do little good
and thereby earn the salvation of my
soul by helping suffering humanity,
] hope that this motion will be ap-
proved by all the population Of the
United States and will be granted TO
me- it is my prayer to this court. 1t is
also my intention to ask His Grace
Archbishop Riordan to help me to get
this favor granted to me. as the super
vision of this place is under the COM
mand of the Roman Catholic clergy
Very respectfully,
GEORGE LOUIS TANNER. =
Tanner plea will be in vain. He
was granted stay of execution for two
days by Judge Dunno yesterday At
the expiration of the stay he will be
taken to Folsom, there to live for his
remaining years.