Sharp County record., 1903-05-22

4 l. L0BA ~ ~ 40 On .''A .... 80
and | have been found guilty and
sentenced to be hanged The curious
thnr about it is that / do not feel so
very gloomy aboutit. The peuse be-
fore the verdict was great deal more
narrowing than the certainty of the
scafrold seems 10 be. Perhaps ir is bee
cause am stunDed by the hopelessnoss
Of the situation and tired ont by the
long weeks of excitement and worry.
Anyway, know hat tonight do not
fear the death that has been decreed.
Most certainly ] 40 not regret the
act which has brought me to this cell.
glory in it, and would DO il again to-
morrow under lhc same circum-
stances want to set that down here,
SO that all of my friends ana any 9th
ers who are curious enough TO read
this diary may know after am gone
that | did not consider myself a Grim
inal.
My lawyer tells me that my frieOds
are making strong efforts to have the
governor intercede, and that he has
promised to. see me. But it will do no
good killed Philip Sherry-there is
no question about that. They proved
It plainly enough al the trial, in spite
Of my lawyers most sNiliful efforts.
Even if,they hadn't. it would have been
none the less true. But none of them
know why did it-only one-aud they
never will know Torture could not
drag ittrom me She knows, and am
content No, will tell nobody. ! will
not even tell the governor.
Wednesday, Feb G,--Strange things
have happened to-day. ! saw the gov
erRor broke my promise to my
self that | would not tell why killed
Philip Sherry, ana the governor has
pardoned me. They told me that he
was. cheap politician who could not
be reached except by Doodle, But /
know he is a most masterfuI man, who
knows all the fountains and impulses
of human action and passion, and thai
ne has a heart that understands and
sin harmony with has fellow men.
He was not at all the sort of look
ing Ran I expected 10 see. His face
impressed me as being a type of the
pioneers, the men who have felled the
forests and reclaimed the wilderness.
He does not look the scholar nor the
orator although he surely must be an
impressive speaker, Judging from his
2 logical habits Of thought and his mas
terful use of the English language. I
think it was his eyes which made the
greatest impression on me. They
were the most peculiar eyes I ever
saw. They seemed to turn inward and
DE communiug with his inner con-
sciousness most of the time But every
aow aTh then he would give me
glance so sharp and penetrating that
felt he was looking into my very soul,
! entered the room sulky and un-
reconcied with my fate The govern
or, sitting sprawled out in his chair,
p loose -iointed, looking more the back
woodsman than the statesman. his
eyes dulled with that peculiar intro
spection. lie asked me a number of
commonplace questions, which | an
'wered with a mixture OF contempt
and doggedness.
Suddenly strengthening himself mp
and liking on me a glance so sharp and
penetrating, and at the same time so
commanding as to make me invomn-
tarily rise from my chair, he fired at
me a volley of questions so pointed, SO
comprehensive, SO searching. that it
seemed to me he was scanning my in
nermost consciousness.
Before | realized it was pouring
out the most sacred secrets of my soul
to this man who but a moment before
had been an utter stranger 10 me. and
whom | had been taught 10 regard
only in the light Of a coarse and self.
ish politician, Something he. said
stung my pride, and his personality
won my confidence all SO arttully and
so quickly that l involuntarilY re-
sponded
Listen to me, sir" I cried, my fists
clenching, while I felt the veins stand
q out on my neck, even as had felt them
stand out on that day when [ killed
Philip Sherry 81 am not a criminal. I
am not a bad man. do not believe my
tendencies are vicious God knows I
have an awful temper But upon the
memory Of my mothA, / believe that
temper has never been aroused, except
upon just proyocation or by some act
of injustice or brutality.
"I remember well the first time /
ever realized had a temper. It was
the same time also that I realized
was an independent personality was
peculiar boy sensitive, lonely and
self-conscious-shunning the Other
boys because their bsdgering way,
played upon all my supersensitiv,
nerves.
MY mother, God bless her, who
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