Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1903-01-15
GOVERNORS LAST PARDON
COMPUTES YEARS SENTENCE TO oNF
DAY-MADE GRAND RUSH.
is RECEIVED AS A GUEST
Telephone and Telegraph Wires Are Kert Hot
During The Day Made False Report.

Lincoln, Neh., Ian. ll.-Joseph A.
Harris, banker Of Broken Bow
sentenced to serve one year In the
penitentiary for making IA false
statement To the state ba o ing
board, was favored With Governor
Savage's last act Of Clemency. The
Cover or cut of all his sentence eX-
cept one day. Harris Immediately
rushed to the penitentiary to begin
this one days service. He virtually
broke into the prison for fear that II
he did not begin service Thursday
the governors Communication which,
was directed IT, the warden, would be
null today with new governor In
the executive Office. 1t was some
thing never heard OF before In the
history OF the state for man to seek
high and low for the sheriff OF his
county to induce that officer to take
him to the penitentiary. Mr.. Harms
failed to find the sheriff ana as a last
resort went to the penitentiary.
Il have been sentenced to one year
in the pentitentiary," he said when
ushered into the warden's Office, and
/ desire to enter upon my duties. "
Warden Davis was amazed. He
looked at the man and asked IL he
had his commitment papers.
"No, | have not, but the sheriff
has, " said the visitor.
sit is Impossible for me to receive
you as prisoner" said the warden,
unless you have commitment, but
/ can receive you as guest"
This interview took place about 3
O'Clock Friday afternoon. 1t appear
ed to cast gloom over the visitor.
For a time it looked as IL his efforts
to imprison himself would fan after
all. He did not despair, however,
and in the mean time his friends, and
Secretary Rose of the state banking
board, were securing the state foT
Sheriff Armstrong OF Custer county
Ito come and place the man In legaI
custody Of the warden. The friends
OF Mr.. Harris intimated quite plainly
that the sheriff was not doing hi'
duty, that he was an enemy OF HaIri!
and was trying to keep him out o.
the penitentiaTy. 1t made some OF
them wrathy.
Telephone and telegraph wires were
kept hot during the day. FINAL,
this resulted In Sheriff Armstrong
taking a forenoon train at Broken
Bow. He arrived In Lincoln at SAC
in the evening and made Harris hap.
Ply by supplying him with commit
ment papers. Last evening the pris-
oner departed from the prison a free
mau. Warden Davis said it was toe
late in the day to 60 through all the
formalities Of receiving a prisoner,
but he registered Harris, gave him
a suit Of striped clothing and locked
him in a cell Thus far Harris had
escaped going TO jail or to prison.
Sentence was pronounced In the dis
trict court November 3. His attor-
neys were in Lincoln on the evening
Of that day with petition in error
which las filed in the supreme court,
together with request for suspension
Of sentence. Judge Hulcomb signed
the order suspending sentence as is
usual in such cases when a proper
bond Is presented. The bond was
considered good as to security but
was faulty in form and Deputy Clerk
e. w Nelson In the absence OF Clerk
Lee HeIdman Of the supreme court
refused to approved it. The sus
pension was Of no effect without an
approved bond, so the attorneys
FASTENED To secure another in proper
form. They were much wOIrieu FOL
fear Sheriff Armstrong would place
Harris in Jail until the new bond
was furnished bat an order of the
district court speCit iCally stating that
the prisoner was to be kept In cuStO-
dy but not iucaTCeTated was Obeyed
by the sheriff Not until yesterday
was Harris placed behind bars, and
then only at his earnest solicitation
Harris was at the haed Of a bank
In Broken Bow which failed about
one year ago. LCng after the failure
he was charged with making false
report to the state banking board.
The statute makes this felony, but
Harris conviction was the first on
record under the law. The paTticu-
lar item in his report complained OF
was that he said his bank had So, O0C
on deposit with a certain Omaha
bank. This statement proved to be
untrue.
Have IL Under Control.