Omaha daily bee., 1902-12-25
HILLS NOT YET FREE NAN
Prison Sentence Will Not Expire Until
April 80, 1904.
GOVERNOR MAKES MISTAKE IN DATES
Former sch ON Parole VIII. I'm
less Governor Fakes Further
Action, he Responsible to
state for More Than Year.
From a Stan Correspondent

-~ 800 AANettAA1NAAN
LINCOLN. Dec. 24-(Special telegram
BY a blunder on the part Of Governor Saw
age, Rev. Rowland p. Hills is still a con-
Wet. Intending to make the bigamist
preacher a Christmas present of a commu-
tation Of sentence, the governor juggled
the records and. instead of accomplishing
his purpose, only succeeded in taking six
months and two days from the original
sentence.
The records show that even with this
much taken from the sentence, the min
istor will not be a free man until April
20. 1904.
BY the following letter, which the war
den Of the penitentiary sent to Rev. Hills,
he explains the time the latter has TO
serve:
Letter from warden.
DR.. Rowland p. Hills, Blair. Neb.: Dear
Sir-There appears to be some misunder-
standing regarding your sentence and its
Communication and 1 hasten TO inform you
OF the facts, so that you may govern your
self accordingly.
You were sentenced October 10. 1900, 20
four years In the penitentiary. You secured
an order from the supreme court suspend
ing the sentence. On the 18th of July,
1901, the supreme court affirmed the sem
tence and ordered its execution.
Therefore YOU sentence dates from July
q. 1901, under the holding of Hon. Frank
four-year Sentence credits you with eleven
months good time, so your good time"
sentence would expire August 29, 1904.
Now his e~xcellency. Hon. Ezra P. Savage,
has committed your tour-year sentence to
three years. five months and twenty.eight
days, thus cutting off six months and two
days from the original sentence of four
years.
This sentence practically
three years and six months) also carries
with 1t a good time allowance of nine
months. The good time sentence, there
you to a discharge on April %, 1904, being
of July, 1901.
Governor Savage Intended to pardon Rev.
Hills. To a reporter for The Bee he said
last night: IL committed Mr.. Hills SEN
tence SO that he would be a free man by
Christmas. He only had three more days
to serve"
After giving orders in regard to the let
ter to be sent Mr.. Hills, Governor Savage
ordered the employees at the penitentiary
to keep the matter from the public as much
as possible, as he did not want his mistake
aired.
Even after the letter had been sent by
the warden, Governor Savage said that he
had committed his sentence in order that
he might be at home Christmas. The gov
ernor thought Hills time would be out in
six months and two days. Since August
IL Hills has been out on parole.
Clerk Makes Mistake.
In an interview this afternoon in re-
gard to the mistake made in the papers
committing the sentence OF August Hills,
Governor Savage said it was his intention
to free the man. 1T is his misfortune
that a mistake was made, for he will have
to stand by the record. The first l knew
OF any intimation that there had been a
mistake made was when the warden of
the penitentiary told me about it, and
asked for instructions. l told him to stand
by his written orders. The clerks in the
office, paid by the state, are supposed to
have charge Of such papers and keep them
correct. l haven't the time to look over
them. When a paper comes to me marked
%. X I judge it is all right and 90
ahead. Mr.. Clancy has the papers in this
case locked up and when he returns /
shall ask him to explain. But of course
the people will blame me for it," con-
cluded the governor.
The records at the governors office
show that Hills was committed to the
penitentiary October. 10, 1900, and the COM
mitment shows that his time would ex-
pire November 10. after making allowance
for good time. By the governors records
the time of his discharge would be June
Il, 1908, q date different from the record
kept by the warden.