The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-07-15
IN A CONvICT'S PLACE.


Parkersburg CIV. Va Special.
Will j. Dent. nephew of Judge John ].
jackson. Of the United States Court for
the district of West Virginia. has been sent
TO prison 10 serve out the unexpired sem
tence of George Isaacs. whose freedom he
gained by forging the signatur of Gov
ernor Sayres. Of Texas, to a pardon
Through the influence of his relatives. Dent
has often been pardoned, but this time he
will be allowed to pay the penalty.
Dent is a son of William Dent, one OF the
wealthy pioneer citizens Of Parkersburg
Dent and his two sisters were left orphans
at an early age, and they went to live with
their aunt Mrs. America Small, wealthy
widow one of the leaders Of Parkersburg's
most exclusive social set. The three chill
dren were we'll educated and had all the ad-
vantages that wealth could give. The girls
became beautiful and attractive women
One of them is now living in Washington,
d. c. All three went into society here. and
Will was a favorite. although he was in
clined to be wild and reckless. When they
became of legal age the valuable estate of
their father was divided equally between
them VIII. having money and freedom.
lived a life of reckless abandon. He got
and his sisters stood by him. He was sent
to the penitentiary In Colorado for forgery
and pardoned through the influence of his
uncle Judge Jackson. No sooner was he
released than he forged the judges name
and got several thousand dollars on worth
less checks in St Louis, and was sent TO
States prison again. Again Judge jack
sons influence secured him a pardon and
Dent returned 10 his home III this city
While here he lived at the nome or his
aunt where his sisters also lived. They
attributed his troubles 10 hard drinking.
and wrote TO a noted hquor-cure expert
concerning the case. The young man TOOK
his treatment Another reason for the
sympathy of his relatives was that he was
hit in the head when boy and wore 4
silver plate in his skull They believed
that when he drank the alcohol caused him
10 be insane While they were treating
his case Dent planned stroke which he
soon carried out. He le.> his home OF lux
ury wealth and refinement. Miss Small.
who owns $4,000 worth OF Jewels. missed
about 5000 worth OF them. II was dis
covered that when he left he was accom-
panied by girl named Ida Touston, whom
he married in Chicago.
The next time he heard OF he was
in the Texas Penitentiary for forgery. He
was a model prisoner. and was soon made
a .'trusty." He met and talked with George
Isaacs. who was serving a life sentence for
murder in a train hold-up. Dent told
Isaacs who he was. and OF his uncle. thu
United States judge. Isaacs saw ray OF
hope He told Dent 10 plead with his
uncle 10 get him out. and after that was
done and Dent was free he could set about
10 free Isaacs IL he succeeded the lie
prisoner agreed 10 pay $4,000.
Dent wrote his relatives. who by this
time had almost decided TO throw him over
entirely. He pleaded hard and made
so many promises that they relented.
Judge jackson secured his pardon. No
sooner was Dent out than he went 10
Austin and got acquainted with Secretary
OF State Hardy. Dent introduced himsei
as a wealthy ranch owner. He lived like
one He ingratiated himself into the friend
IL feeling OF the official. and when the
opportunity came stole blank pardons. He