The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1903-11-20
tack Cody his personality began to show

tack Cody his personality began to show
stark amid his surroundings. He became
taciturn, always sad faced, hopeless. He
had approached every governor for a par
don since the first year of his imprison-
ment, and by each one had been turned
Town." When Roosevelt was elected gov
ernor Cody said TO me:
Il feel, somewhow, that this is the man
who will let me go home"
Poor beggar! I did not discourage him.,
but l rendered how often he had said
the same thing of other governors. His
petition went to Roosevelt, hung fire for
several months and then-was denied.
Cody's nerve went out of business. For
the first time in his life he whimpered a.
bit and we could not comfort him. He
would stand for hours outside the en-
trance door to the prison yard and look
wistfully toward the hills across the riv-
er. 20, the grandeur and glory Of free
DOM That was ever in Cody's old eyes
as they strained to take in the river
view.
One day Cody was particularly de-
pressed and his lips trembled with emo
ton as he came to me and asked, pitiful-
~, isn't there anything that can be lone
for me?"
Grasps at Straw.
The very intensity Of his grief stirred
iAe ~ O. desperate mental search for
some method looking toward his release,
which might hold out some hope, and I
shall be forever devoutIy thankful for the
thought that came to me that this poor
Fellows case was entitled to investiga-
ton from some high prison official source,
ana the thought was followed by the in
SEPARATION hat Lispcnard SteWart was the,
man for the business.
We asked for an interview with Warden
johnson. which was Immediately granted.
Could Cody write the proposed letter to
Mr.. Stewart, please?' Sure. And after
It's written bring 1t to me. I'll see that It
gets to Mr.. Stewards hands. and vii! do
anything more that l consistently can in
the matter"
The rest of the story is soon told. Mr.
Stewart took Cody's petition to Governor
Roosevelt, who reconsidered 1t Immediate
~ and at once directed the prisoners re-
lease. The pardon papers reached here
early on the morning of November "a, 1900.
Warden Addison Johnson, almost as
happy as Cody was when he learned the
news, came into the cell house and called
10 CODY, who was at work on his gallery:
Cody, come down and get some citi-
Zens clothes. I'm going to take you to
New York with me-"
What fur?' said Cody.
because your pardon's here" an
swered the warden.
"Aw, quit your foolin'." said Cody
though his eyes grew wide with an indie
scribable expectancy.
come on; hurry up" said the warden.
I'm going with you on the train. mean
It," he added.
Bang! went Cody's bucket and mob to
the floor Of his beloved gallery. He looked
around helplessley for a moment and
men nltch1ns at his ever falling trousers,
ne nall ran, half stumbled along the
PLATFORM and down to where the warden
was waiting for him.
When they took the stripes off Cody
ana put on him the citizen garments ms
hands shook as though he had the palsy.
and his replies to congratulations were
surrey lncoherent. IS he walked across
the prison yard to the big steel door that
had barred him from liberty for so long
Doth prisoners and officers rushed to
grasp his n to say goodby, but the
nun was IN a daze and looked over and
past those who spoke with him.
When he was about to leave the prison
ne asked permission to speak with me.
he tried to tell to tell me of some things
ne wished me to attend to here. such
as sending him his books, letters and ma
pers ana bestowing his little property.
consisting OIL bedding, carpet and the like.
upon those Of our number who had none
but he could only frame a few sentences
oe1ore losing track Of what he had meant
10 say, and would have to begin all over
again. W.
I~hlrty-1lVe years a prisoner,
NO mind other than Cody's, or q like
suierer' could take In the meaning of It..
AS ne stepped into Warden Johnson,a
carriage that was to take him to the nta-
ton MS old courage returned to him. He
spoke no word, nor needed to, but as his
TWO hanos clasped mine I saw that his
mlnd mad now righted itself from the ter
ZINC dow Of good fortune and that he
was beginning to realize that he was real
ly free. ~ o.
After his release Cody obtained emplov-
ment Tor which he was fitted and he lived
very happlly, though very quietly, until
he went to Bellevue to die.