The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-06-17
DENTS Relatives VIII Make no
Effort to Secure Pardon.
JUDGES SCApEGRACE NEPHEW.
Reared Amid Wealth and LuIuy Hs Touk
Naturally 10 Crime Forged Pardon
10 Earn $4,000.

Parkersburg. w. Va. June H.-WilI J.
Dent must serve the sentence for lifs
which George Isaacs was serving Till Dent
procured HIS release by forging Govern
or Sayer's name 20 a pardon. He is a
nephew OF Judge John Jay Jackson. OF
tins city, judge OF the United States
court for the district of West Virginia.
and the oldest Judge in point Of service
on the Federal bench. having received a
commission from Lincoln.
Dent is a son OF William Dent. one of
the wealthy pioneer citizens OF this place.
Dent and his two sisters were left or
phans at an early age. and they went to
live with their aunt. Mrs. America
Small, a widow. one of the leaders OF
Parkersburg's exclusive social set. The
three children were well educated and
had all the advantages that wealth could
give.
The girls became beautiful and attrac-
tive women. one OF them is now living In
Washington. ID. c. All three went into
society here. and win was favorite. al
though he was inclined TO be wild and
reckless.
When they became OF legal age the val
liable estate OF their father was divided
equally between them. VIII. having
money and freedom. lived life OF reck-
less abandon He got into numerous bad
scrapos. but his aunt and his sisters
stood BY him.
He was sent TO the peuitentiary Of Col
orado for forgery and pardoned through
tie influence of his uncle. Judge Jackson.
No sooner was he released than he forged
the judges name and got several thou
sand dollars on worthless checks IN st.
Louis. and was sent to states prison
again.
Again Judge Jackson's influence secur-
ed him "A pardon. and Dent returned to
his home in this city.
COULD NOT BE GOOD.
While here he lived at the home OF his
aunt where his sisters also lived. They
attributed his troubles 10 hard drinking.
and wrote 10 a noted liquor-cure expert
concerning the case. The young man took
his treatment.
Another reason for the sympathy OF his
relatives was that he was hit i'm ihc head
when q boy and wore a silver plate IN his
skull. They believed that when he drank.
the alcohol caused him 20 insane.
" nile they were treating his case. Don't
planned "a stroke which he soon carried
out.
He left his home OF luxury. wealth and
refinement Miss Small. who owns ss0QoD
worth of jewels. missed about 5000 worth
OF them. IL was discovered that when he
left, he was accompanied by girl named
Ida Houston, whom he married in Chi
cago.
Ihe next time he was heard OF he was
i'm the Texas penitentiary for forgery. He
was a model prisoner. and was soon
10 nd tal <pd Wi
George lsaacs, who was serving life
sentence for murder and a train hOldup.
Dent told Isaacs who he was. and OF
his uncle. the United States Judge. 1saacs
saw "A ray OF hope. He told Dent to plead
with his uncle to get him out. and after
at was done and Dent was free. he
could set about to free Isaacs. IL he sue
ceeded. the life prisoner agreed to pay
$4,000.
HIS FINAL CRIME.
Dent wrote his relatives who by this
time had almost decided to throw him
over enurely He pleaded so hard, and
made so many promises, that they re-
Tented. Judge Jackson secured his par
don
No sooner was Dent out than he went
TO Austin and got acquainted with Secre-
tary of State Hardy. Dent introduced
himself as wealthy ranch owner. He
lived ike one. lie ingratiated himself in
TO tne friendly feelings of the official, and
when the opportunity came stole blank
pardons. He filled one out and signed
Governor Sayers name TO IT,
When IL was received at the peniten-
tiary the warden released Isaacs. who.
after paying Dent. as he had promised.
went to South America and was never
heard OF
Dent was captured In Arizona and taken
back to Texas where he was tried and
sentenced for life as an habitual criminal
The case was appealed. The higher court
affirmed .he decision of the lower court,
and Dent will have to serve out the sem
tence
His relatives here declare that they will
make no attempt to get him out.