Sunday Washington globe., 1902-01-05

Gulltless, conscience absolutely clear
Patrick DAILY, who died within a few weeks
in the city of Haverhill, spent seventeen
years of his life as a convict in the state
prison. Knowing the man who actually
did commit the crime of burglary described
in the indictment, the battle Scared veteran
Of the Civil War never mentioned the name
of the real criminal at the trial. The
twenty-year sentence was pronounced, and
yet his lips were sealed. All through those
weary days of dreary confinement and
those nights alone in a narrow cell upon a
cot bed, he never squealed And at last
when he was pardoned through the efforts
of devoted wife and the pleadngs Of an
old comrade in arms, he returned to the
bosom of his family as reticent as ever.
BGt, free man again Patrick DAILY came
face to face upon the street with Thomas
Finletter, the burglar, once a friend and
passed him by in silence and contempt
Even then DAILY did not tell his story to the
world, but sought to re-establish his good
reputation by honest work for those he
loved.
Finletter borrowed the oyercoat from
which the button was torn in fight through
window. He permitted the innocent to
suffer for his deed for more than a decade
and half, Twas only when he was gasp
ing in the throes of death, after the pardon,
that he certified in an ante-mortem con
fession that he, not Daily was guilty Of the
burglary
One night in the fall Of 1870 DAILY, with
some friends, attended a dance in Music
Hall, Lawrence. Among the men present
was Thomas Fnletter, who worked in one
of the mills. The dance lasted until day
break, it being the custom of out-of-town
people to catch the FIRST morning train back
to work
Shortly after midnight Finletter asked
Daily if he would lend him his overcoat for
an hour as he wished to leave the hall on an
errand. Daily said he could take the gar.
ment if he returned It before the ball was
over
AT that time the house occupied for 50
many years BY the late Major Merrill was
owned by Mr.. Jewett. About a. IN. on the
night Of the dance Mr. Jewett heard some
one moving about the lower parr of the
house. He made an investigation and dis
covered a stranger who pointed a gun at
his head
The burglar said nothing, but after sh ak
ing the gun menacingly at Mr. Jewett he
backed down the stairs to the cellar, crawled
through the narrow window and ran awav.
Mr.. Jewett could not give good descrip.
ton OF the stranger, but he remembered his
overcoat.
The next day, while being shown the
cellar window through which the man had
escaped City Marshal O'Sullivan picked
up a button, with threads hanging to it.
Obviously the button had been wrenched
from the coat while the burglar was forcing
his body through the cramped space.
The police had nothing but the button to
lead them to the identity of the burglar
While the robbery of the Jewett house
was being attempted Patrick DAILY was
dancing innocently at Music Hall Long
before he needed il Mr.. Finletter had re.
turned his overcoat to the hook in the coat
room and thanked Daily The dance over,
DAILY wore his coat to Haverhill without
noticing the absent button
Several days elapsed, during which the
police we're looking for the coat with but
tons similar to that found near the cellar
window. Daily had not taken the trouble
to have the button replaced He was walk
ing along the street in Haverhill about a
week after the affair at the Jewett house
when police officer noticed the buttons on
his overcoat with the one break in the row
down its front
Daily was sentenced to the state prison
for 20 years. Upon reaching that institu
ton he found in one of the keepers a major
Of his old regiment His former officer
treated him with all the consideration that
could be given, and Daily was an exemplary
prisoner.
Very soon after Thomas Finletter was
arrested in Lawrence and convicted of lar
ceny of goods from a clothing store. He
was sentenced to the state prison While
there he heard that Mrs. Daily, who was de-
voted to her husband and visited him regu.
larly, was searching for evidence to connect
him (Finletter) with the Jewett case A
month before his time expired Finletter
escaped from the state prison. He was not
recaptured, but within two years he was
arrested in Connecticut and sent to the
Weathersheld institution. A short time be-
fore his discharge Finletter still fearful of
possible prosecution on the old Lawrence
case, wrote TO friend and asked him to as.
certain If there was any charge that would
prevent his return.
He was informed that the police were
not looking for him. He went to Lawrence
direct from Weathers6eld, called upon
City Marshal O'Sullivan, and was told that
there was no charge against him. Fiuletter
settled down, went to work in a mill and
Lived apparently respectfully for years after
ward
DAILY remained in prison years after Fin
letter obtained his freedom, but was par
doned at the end Of II years on Thank
giving Day, 1887, on the ground of his ex-
cellent conduct Not one word in suspicion
OF Finletter was mentioned by the appli-
eants for pardon for DAILY
Finletter saw DAILY once or twice after his
release. but the innocent man would never
recognize him.
Finletter did not live long after DAILY was
set at liberty, A few months before his
death in March, 1888, Finletter admitted
that he had attempted to rob the Jewett
house, told the story of his borrowing the
coat and the loss Of the button while he
was making a hasty exit through the cellar
window.
DAILY, although he knew Of the confes-
sion, never attempted 70 exonerate him