The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-02-12
CITY NEWS
MAN WITHOUT NAME
The Truth Of an Old Adage Exem-
plifed in Hal Reds
& Case.
His Name Never Appears as Author
on Minneapolis Theater
Program.

There is a man in Minneapolis o-day
without name. Down at Glory View
Highlands of Navesink, in New Jersey,
there Is fine house overlooking the bay
and the structure is pointed out as the
residence Of j. Hal Reid. the writer who
has more plays now on the road than any
other American dramatist Yet when
these plays come to Minneapolis the au-
thorS name never appears on the mousse
program and if he takes a part in play
he does SO under a pSeudonym.
Hal Reid has learned the force of the old
adage which runs: Give a dog bad name
and you may as we'll hang him. For he
went from Minneap polls to Saltwater many
years ago under a fifteen years sentence
and though the document which extended
pardon to him stated Governor Merriams
belief that ''he was not guilty of the
crime of which he was convicted at said
trial" the playwright has learned by bitter
experience how tenacious the public is
of first impressions.
Early in the winter of 1887 small and
unpretentous stock company was in
stalled in little playhouse in st. Paul
known as the East ST. Paul theater and
long since abandoned The stage manager
of this company was j. Hal Reid, a young
Minneapolis man. of good family but of
somewhat limited stage experience. How
ever he conducted his stage satisfactorily
to his employers and as he was a good
looking chap. soon became a matinee idol.
His fame spread through the city and
from 1.-THE hill'' fair matinee girls flocked
to the little theater to gaze upon the new
stage Adonis. Business proSpered and
soon the playhouse began to assume
down town airs.
Then, one day, a young woman joined
the company. She was pretty and from
the first. evidenced a strong liking for the
Minneapolis man. She invited him to call
upon her at her hotel and even went to
his rooms to see him. There were some
things that caused talk and finally there
came an episode in which the young
woman's married sister also figured UNI
eXpeCtedly. The result was that the stage
manager was arrested and charged with
assault. Naturally such a charge, lodged
against an actor who had made his pres
ence felt in St. Paul, attracted much at
tention and the trial which followed was
a cause celebre. The man protested his
innocence, but the young actress told a
plausible story on the stand and he was
convicted and sentenced to serve fifteen
years in the states prison.
A few days later the convict was taker
to saltwater and clothed in the prison
stripes. Here he soon became a trusty
Within month he had established q
school at the prison and was teaching the
. illiterate among his fellow prisoners t.
read and write. Meanwhile his family
was exerting every effort to prove his
innocence, which they had never doubted
IN lieu OF Indt, TO secure IL COAllHi
ton of his sentence. Numerous appeal:
were made to Governor McGil. but the
governor declined to act.
About year later Minneapolis at
torney who had been prominent in thu
trial Of the case. became I'll. He wa
troubled with insomnia and Opiate
granted him but small relief. Finally h
went to his daughter and made a con
fession He told her that the complaining
witness had perjureG herself upon the
stand that the man was not guilty Of thu
crime for which he had been sentenced
and that he himself mad written out tn
accuser's testimony on typewriter, re
ceiving a fee of 800 for the work.
His daughter was heartbroken but in
sisted that her father make public con
fession of the wrong he had done. At frs
he refused, but the girl told her story t
Mrs. Thompson. then president Of tn
local White Cross society, and who ha
been identified with the prosecution {
the case. Together the two women work
ed upon the attorney until they secure
from him q. full confession. This wa
placed In the hands of all attorney. WI
at once went to Chicago to secure frol
the complaining witness a confession uf
der GATH I'm which she completely Wind
Gated the man who was even then ser1
ing time in the saltwater prison
Meanwhile Governor McGill had bee
defea ted for denomination and had bee
succeeded by w. r. Merriam. The fac
in the case were laid before him, and II
long delayed pardon was at once fortl
coming This pardon also is on file in
Paul One section Of it reads as follow
Whereas application for. pardon hi
been filed, made by the Hon. w. u. WaSl
burn Hon. Charles A. Pillsbury, Hon.
p Snyder, Anthony Kelly and many prom
inent citizens of the state, supplement-
by affidivits now on file in my offic
showing among other things. that Nal
Compton, the complaining witness WI
testified against: the defendant at the tr1
wherein he was: convicted as aforesai
has made sta te1nents and admissions sci
ously impea ching her testimony given
the trial, and whereby am convinc
that great injustice has been done {
said defendant and that he is not gull
of the crime of which he was convict
at said trial, now therefore, I, William
Merriam" do issue this pardon.
The document is dated Feb. 81, Isl
about thirteen months after Reid h
donned the prison stripes. and he car
forth from prison, his head erect and
his heart g. firm determination to make
name for himself in the world.
In his home town, however, he fou
himself regarded with distrust. Pr
nounced innocent of the crime for viii
he had suffered punishment, the prs
faint still chung to him. and he dett
mined to go away. He went to st. Lo
and secured a position with a promine
jewelry firm. Within short time. no
ever his employers discovered that