Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-06-12
PARDON CASES.
Four Parties Praying for Pardon
and Release from Prison..
Governor and Council Have Long Ses-
mountaineering Case Argued.
Joseph Gabriel and Ahncr Thornc Murder Cases
Center Of Attraction.

1
the members went into executive SEES
SION. After the meeting was ayai
opened to the public several pardo,
cases came up.
Inc nrSt case to be presented wa
mat or Jane Hudlon of Bangor. VIII,
had been sentenced to six months i,
icnobscot county Jail for cruelty to a,
infant child by neglect. Norman I
BasSctt. Esq, of this city. appcare,
Tor MIS-. Hudion. who is n young WON
an only - years old and the motbe
or four children. the youngest of l.
months. which it was alleged that sh,
mad neglected by leaving her HUSBAND
ana thus abandoning the child.
Alter showing that the legal re-
Guirements had been complied with
Mr.. Bassctt read letter from Judg,
BAILEY of the Bangor municipal court
in which he told of the case. He said
that the young woman had had troubl,
with her husband. who was Jealous
and with her mother-in-law. and final
iy she had left her husband. He had
appealed to her TO return and she had
refused, and at last he appealed to tho
courts.
Judge Bailey said that he had told
him to so to her again and he had
done so and 1T last a warrant had been
issued for her arrest. When brought
before the judge he had asked her 10
go back and live with her husband and
she mad Indignantly refused. and then
ne had offered her the alternative of
SIX months in jail or the option of re-
turning to her home. and had given
her two days for consideration.
She had spurned the offer of return
ing to her home and said that she
would so to Jail; but on the very day
that the commitment papers had been
made out she changed her mind and
said she would go back. but she was
told by the judge that it was then too
late. and she must go to Jail, and only
the Governor and Council could secure
her release.
In conclusion the judge wrote that
had he expected her to go to Jail he
should hardly have given so long Il
sentence. and that she had now been
in Jail about two months, he recon-
nendcd her release.
a letter from her as we'll as petit
ton from many prominent Bangor
people asking for her release was read.
MIR. BaSoett said that her husband was
anxious for her to. return and as she
had promised to s.. home and care for
her fanny he wPe glad to appear for
her in the matter and he thought the
pardon should be granted. The matter
was then. laid on the table for con-
s.deration ir executive session.
Tho SCcOnrl D1rIOn waS mott
ton for the pardon of Abner Thorne OF
Paris, who has beer. serving. time in
prison sinceNhe first of March, "a. on
a life sentc Zee imposed by Judge Fos
ter for the alleged murder of Harrison
a. WhitnHn of Paris Hill.
This matter was presented by Hon.
James 5. Wight Of South Paris, who
was one of the lawyers to defend
Thorne when .hc was tried on the muir
der charge After showing that the
legal requirements had been complied
with Mr.. Wright gave brief account
of Thorne's life before the murder, tell
ing how he had been bound out at the
age of : and had worked for farmer
for IL years. receiving his sentence
when only IS years of age. He then
gave a brief account of the burglaries
about Paris Hill, the murder of Whit
man and the subsequent trial of
Thorne.
He presented petitions from about
500 oxford county people asking that
Thorne be pardoned. He also present
ed a strong petition for pardon signed
by the II jurymen now living VINO
served at the trial. They said that
they all believed life sentence too
harsh. but as they were instructed by
the Judge that they must convict the
man of murder in the second degree Oh
acuuit him. believing him guilty OF
the unintcntional murder they were
compelled to bring in the verdict OF
guilty
"a strong letter from Judge roster
who tried the case was read. AItei
the trial Judge Foster told Mr.. WrlSh'
that he had thought the penalty Wh"i
he had been Obliged to impose harSi
one. for he had deemed the Killing al
accident, and had promised at the tli"'
to do what he could for pardon ai'e'
| y reasonable term of years
| George Bisbee, Esq, of RumloI'
| Falls who was associated with Mr
WRIGHT in the defence of Thorne. al
| so wrote a letter which was read ~
asked for the pardon of Thorhe'
| said that he had felt sure that
Thorne had fired the fatal shot. ar
no in common with many others W."
NOT at all sure Of this, it had peeii oil
accident pure and simple ana "l'roo
any intention on the part OF Ih'' ~"
| Letters were read from the
IF tho state prison at Thomas.oh
showing the good opinion 'h''
there of T'hornc. ,,, :,
| ,ottcr was read from 1h"iHe II
hitch he said that it was his lnten.'o'
tn 1.-Two an honest and upright ne II ~
was released. He has acquire" 90''
tr,do and can earn his living.
| 4 letter was read from JuuSo
-ic,- Powers. who was the a'''i .e
General and conducted the pfo.eeu.'ol
,rb;s letter. while not who'll! III
- =, n,,don. was by no means "hoii
opposed to 1t. a nm III
Mr. Wright then summed up III
,,ho1e case and said that whiie y ''' :,
number of people in oxford cou"': "
,ot believe that Thorne fired the 'a'T
shot at all he did not WISH u :" =,
-, that point at all. for ne no. ~,
,1u,t TO find with the verdict vi -. -
NV hut he WAS sure that II ne