Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1902-04-23
'FRENCHY" is PARDONED
Ho Was Convicted of "0ld Shake
speare S murder.
Governor Odell Thinks There Arc Grave
Doubts OF His Guiit-Sew Evidence
Whiol, Indicates His Innocence.

Albany. y. Y.-Governor Odell has
pardoned Amer Ben Ali. better known
rs "Frenchy." who has been serving
life sentence in the Mattcawan State
Hospital for Insane Criminals for the
murder of 4 woman called "Old
Shakespeare in New York City in
1891. The pardon was granted by the
Governor because he believes there
arc grave doubts of the prisoners :
guilt. much of the testimony being OF
peculiar chara ctrr. and "Frcnchy,"
being placed at q disadvantage. being
unable to sneak English. The pardon
was asked for by several influential
md prominent men. including the
Hon. Jules Camhon. the French Am
hassaior; Frederic l.. Coudert. ]. T..
Martin and others.
"FrCnchy" was convicted of murder
in the second degrec in 1891. He is an
\lgerian. and it is said will so bacl,
TO MGie:s.
New York City-A AhOut twelve years
ago the world was aStir over atrociouS
murders committed bv n Jack the
Ripper" in London. The press ut that
time printed interviews with police
chiefs and famous detectives on the
possibilities OF such crime being COM
mitted in this country.
superintendent Thomas ByrneS. in
IN Interview. said that n crime OF that
sort heiug committed in this city was
out of the question. \ few days after
the White Chapel murder in London
however. woman. known as "Old
Shakespeare" was found murdered in
the Fourth Ward Hotel. ut Catharine
md Water streets. Immediately the
question became prevalent in the pub
lie mind that New York City had Il
Jack the Ripper."
superintendent Byrnes and his en-
tire detective force set TO work to un-
ravel the mystery. and n few days
after "Old Shakespeare" was discovered
murdered. George Frank. sailor.
known as "Frcnchy." who had been
stopping Mt the Fourth Ward Hctel
was arrested charged with committing
the crime.
"Frenchy." being an Algerian. at
TINT time he could speak no English
He steadfastly maintained his inno-
cence. but he was indicted and placed
on trial. The jury returned verdict
of murder I'm the second degree. and
''Frenchy" was sentenced to life i'm
prisonment
AT the time of the murder n peculiar
key which "Old Shakespeare" had for
the door of her room in the Fourth
Ward Hotel. was found to he missing.
and. although detectives attached the
greatest Significance to the loss of the
KEY II was never found
About year ago. after several vain
attempts had been made to have
"Frenchy' pardoned. new light was
thrown on the murder A man who
said he had had in his employ n Dane
whom he suspected OF having COM
mitted the murder of "Old Shakes
pearc" told some facts which declared
"frenChy' innocent in the public mind.
This man said that the day "Old
Shakespeare" was found murdered his
Danish farmland came home with n
peculiar KEY He had read OF the
murder, and when his farmland dis
appeared that same night he suspected
that he might have been connected
with the crime. He did not however.
make known his suspicious until n year
ago. when newspaper reporter got
in communication with him. The new
facts in the case Were made known to
the lawyers who had defended
"F'renchy," and an appeal was made
to Governor Odell TO pardon the con
victed murderer.