The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-08-25
She EXPIATED HER CRIME
AND NOW EXECUTIVE CLEMENCY is
EXTENDED TO THE WOMAN.
Mrs. Eliza VI. Sage, Who Killed Her
Child Twenty Years Ago, Pa
rolled by the Governor.

The last chapte in an Indiana tragedy
which showed that woman's love for man
is stronger sometimes than that for her
child, and also that hell hath no fury like
a woman scorned.' was written in the
Governors office yesterday, when an in
definite parole was issued TO Mrs. Eliza NJ.
Sage, a life prisoner in the Women's Prison
In this city. The precious document was
taken TO Mrs. Sage at once by her attor-
ney, S. w. Cantwell, of Hartford City, who
came TO the Governors Office yesterday.
accompanied by his wife. TO complete the
work of setting his client at liberty.
The history of the Sage tragedy is filled
with facts sufficient to supply the plot of
a most fascinating novel Of the cheaper
order. About twenty-three years ago Mrs.
Sage was living in Hartford City with a
child born out Of wedlock. when she met
and became deeply attached TO John Sage.
Marriage was proposed by Sage. but he
named a condition that was hard for the
woman TO perform. That child must be
got out of the way before we can be mar
ried." he declared. The woman's most
pitiful pleas were unavailing to soften his
cruel determination. Finally love for the
man triumphed over maternal affection,
ard. taking the little girl for a walk one
day, the heartless or heart-broken mother
lttl HtI ~ tic Ddlih VI a. SlItdIl anu DuS0Bu
her in. Sage kept his faith. and the guilty
pair were legally mated a short time after
the awful tragedy. But, as in the famous
Hinshaw case, the neighbors became sus-
picious and their tongues wagged fast and
furiously. The outcome of the incessant
gossip was the arrest of Mrs. Sage and her
Indictment by the Blackford county grand
jury on a charge of numbering her little
girl. Still blinded by her i%nfatuation for
Sage. she shielded the man that had in
stigated the fearful crime and testified on
the witness stand that she alone was re-
sponsible for the child's death.
SHE BECAME FURIOUS.
Scarcely had the wife been taken to
prison than Sage's affection for her chilled
and he set about securing a divorce. When
news of his intention reached the miserable
woman in her cell in the Women's Prison
her fury knew no bounds. The seal of ST.
lence placed upon her by love for Sage
was broken and she declared, IL will tell
the whole truth about my child's death"
BY this time Mr.. Cantwell. who had de-
Tended her against her crime, had become
prosecuting attorney of the county, and,
hearing of Mrs. Sage's declarations, caused
the case TO be reopened and a new investi-
CATION to be made by the grand jury. An
indictment was found against John Sage
as the instigator of the crime and as an
accessory 10 Ii, and upon trial he was sem
fenced for life to the state prison at Mich
igan City. Last year influence was brought
~ 0lOb ~ nlOOlil VI CulllOltht
potence TO secure a parole for Sage. and
the fact that the man who suggested the
crime and ordered it committed was at
liberty while his weak associate was still
behind prison bars Influenced Governor
Durbin powerfully when he was asked TO
parole Mrs. Sage.
The parole granted to Mrs. Sage yester-
day was practically decided upon a week
or more ago. All the officials Of the
Women's Prison were heartily in favor of
the woman's release. They say she has
been a faithful, Woodworking prisoner.
She is a skilled seamstress and has done
much of the sewing for the institution.
She has spent eighteen years in prison
and before being brought here was confined
in the Jail at Hartford City for eleven
months. She will be forty years old the
18th of September.
Mrs. Sage went to Hartford City last
night, accompanied by Mr.. and Mrs. Can't
well, and will emain some time with a
brother who is a well-to-do carpenter of
the place. after which she will visit her
sister In Grand Rapids, Mich. The parole
was urged by the prosecuting attorney
that held office when Mrs. Sage was con-
victed in June. 1883, also by the judge that
sentenced her. by the jury that tried her.
by the jury that tried Sage and by over
three hundred citizens of Hartford City.