Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-07-12
STATE HOUSE.
Elizabeth Akers Allen Pleads
for Mrs. Barrows.
Advances Reasons Why the Woman
Convict Should Be Set Free.
"Shc Really Committed No Crime"
Says HRS. Allen.

A few weeks ago the Journal men
toned the fact that Mrs. Elizabeth
Akers Amen. the well-known author Of
the now famous poem Rock Me to
sleep, Mother" had written a letter
to the Executive OF Maine endorsing
the application of Mrs. Mary Il. Bar
rows for pardon. The pardon appli-
cation has not yet been heard, but it
probably will be taken I'm at the next
meeting Of the Council Tuesday, July
%. Mrs. Aliens letter is remarkable
for the reason that it advances the
argument that MIS-. Barrows did not
commit nor. plan the murder Of her
husband, but that she has been q most
shamefuIly wronged woman. The let
ter is as follows:
TO Governor Hill Of Maine:
Dear Sir:
IN a recent newspaper / notice the
statement that there will shortly come
before you petition for the pardon
of Mrs. Mary Barrows, who has spent
u good part Of her lifetime in prison
for crime of murdcr-which she
neither committed nor planned. | am
native Of Maine and was living in
VI ttettAA at kllt Aililt VI iNi Il if'' ma
interested me greatly. / never saw
The woman. bur from facts ELECTED at
her trial ii appeared that she had been
a most shanef1lly vrongad woman
one of many whose lives nave been
wrecked By placing faith in villain.
She had, while prosperous and Well
to-do widow been foolish enough 10
take pity on tramp: had given him
food, shelter, clothes, work and wages.
He was q typical tramp-one of the
many who go about the country steal
ing. fobbing. burning, outraging and
numbering: but he was q cunning ANA
deceitful fellow, ana he ut once made
a plan to take advantage Of her kind
ness. He assumed the greatest pos
sible vlrtue-was grateful, Industrious,
punctual. trustworthy, judici0us and
faithful, and SO specially alive to his
employers interests (she owned ana
cultivated a good farm. that finally
he became her chief workman and adj
wiser and for q long time seemed to
deserve her confidence. He was only
working for a purpose. however. Hav-
ing blinded her to his real character,
he began to entreat her to marry him.
l cannot excuse her for doing i'll; it
was a most foolish and SUICIDAL act
but he had every advantage-he had
managed so that she really needed his
help But as soon as she gave him
the power, ne began to abuse it; he
became Il tyrant, a loafer, sot- went
against all her plans. tried to drive
her intended son-in-law from the
house, wasted her money, sold some
of her property against her viii
tyrannized over her daughter and for
babe her marriage. and turned the pre-
viously happy home into a scene Of
strife and misery, threatened the lives
of all the family. and was of course
feared and detested by them all. II
was during one of his spells of half
drunken violence that he was-no fair
minded person can say undeservedly-
killed. He had tried to murder the
son-in-law. who seized a gun or pistol
to defend himself; he then turned on
his Wife. Mrs. Barrows. and was fol-
lowing her with an uplifted axe, when
.-.e screamed: If you don't shoot him
ne ~ Kill us all.T
for u''-ing these words, she was