The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-04-29
FROM THE SCAFFOLD TO THE BENCH.
Writ ". Saunders Of spokane Narrowly
Escaped Hanging and Became a Judge.

SPOKANE, Wash. April 2t-Ir Western
cities, especially those which par,ake Of the char
actor Of a mining camp, there are many citizens
viii paSts Among that rather numerous class
here Judge Writ ". Saundrrs's life story il adj
mittsd 10 be the most remarkable.
The last oct Of Gov Pennoyer Of Oregon was 10
pardon Mr. Saunders, and the Governor message
came near being too late, for the Sheriff and Saun-
d-rs had assembled the scafold before the pardon
came. That happened only seven wears ago, Just
across the Sta'e line In Oregon. Five years after
ward Mr. Saunders was Police Judge OF Spoknn'
and he Is now one Of the leading attorneys Of the
city. The only incident for which any members
Of the bar have criticised him took place In the
police cou ri during his early struggles here lie
was defending a man accused Of yngrGncy At
that stage Of his career every case won counted.
Saunders said TO the Police Judge in the course Of
his plea;
know this client of mine | know that for
three Months he Performed the hardest kind II
manual labor, The testimony Il the police that
lie viii not work Is quite untrue
waS an unusual al peal and the Magistrate
SAID Your testimony IS sufficient u acquit him
and ia all that is IN hi favor BY he way, Mr..
Sa inderS, where did you know him"'
lie was my &c. mat in the Oregon p.niten-
'iH TX. E .iy.na n'G nor, tTIIP nsst S, a.. . .srn.
comfortable, unul tn Court apploCizcd for thu
question Saunders's answer vas the first init
mstoi the general pt6liG Of Spokan, bad con.
made public q review Of the case in which he was
the defendant. and notwith>tanding the rivalry
that alsays exists In municipal elections, tha story
OF his life In Oregon was not referred 10 by his OPP
pOnents when he was conducting The campaign
that made him Police J Judge, JudSr Saunders is
q Texan by birth. He Is digntfed and afic is
Intimate int gi atH uoi 2 t would r nv, t.A. the ,hs llb ",TSs
Of asking him anything about his narrow 'scnpe
from the scaf I'D, and he is said 10 he ayerSe 10
discussing II, Just as one is loHth 10 recall some
horrible dream, From time 10 time, however. 10
prevent rumor from being accepted as truth, he
has found 1t necessary TO make frGgmentsry
Testimony was Introduced a, the first Of Saun-
ders's oregon lrlalS 10 show that he killed o man
H. Texas However that MA" b, hc went %
eastern Oregon wh"l a Young man and opened a
law oiirr. MS social gifts w"rn highly appr-
iOtrd by The Isolated community whrre he re-
idol, and win n a short Tune he hecamc m
aspirant 'pr III hand q the belle Of the town. lie
had a rivNl, and ne morning Ills rival was found
dead in a mountain path, whor' It was said Sam.
dcrS had b. II seen wal.'n N the night lr'viurs.
II WIS a plH'n cas- of murder tIicImS'ential
.'id nee accumulated against Saunders almost ~
rapidly as his trends deserted linn. Wi,Ein a
fw hours h was under arrest. charged with the
murder Al the tina! the Judge admitted t,sti-
monN tending TO show ihal. Saunders lad nlnd n
man in Texas The Jury found him guilty, md
he was sentenced 10 thn Oregon prnircntary for
life. saunders Obtained a new trinl M on tho
ground that she esumouy a. 10 he Texas homi.
cIdo had undue %innuonc" up n n, jury. Il was
"xcluord Htthe sc nd rial, aut lie was scntsnrod
g. hang,
iurnC all this trouble he Young woman was
So confident NJ his inn ccnce that she uromisrd 10
remain true 10 him o lifeline If need be rcat
pressure was brought To- besr upon the Govern T
'oissue u pardon, but he dead man had many in.
~fueptIal friends, who presented rurrtr %rrlions
just what motive influenced coy. Pcnnoy er at the
eleventh hour will probably never be known. bat
there vas great rejoicing in ihH bunch grass tow n
when the telegram iurblldirg he Sheriff T. ~ on
with the execution was received. There were ais
outCrics that Justice had been tAwarrrd. but sent.
ment has changei since then and nca rlyrvery one
IN that community, except N" relatives ~ tho
murdered man, believes IN Saunders innocence
The Young couple lost no une IN changing tho
preparation'I or n funeral INTO ARRANGEMENTS for
a marriage. Saunders and his young wife came
to spokane Although they took no rains h. con
ceal the ordeal through which they had been. in
some way or other II did not become generally
known. When the story became rublic Il did not
chang. the attitude Of the public toward flo
couple, ard nt this time therC is probably not n
man in SpokGn" who does not look upon Judge
Writ ", Saunders as one who camn near being a
victim Of circumstance evidence. He Tng
an assed a competence through his legal practice
and lucky mining deals,