CanÌƒon City record. [volume] (CanÌƒon City, Colo.) 1883-192?, 1904-12-29
xMPRISONED. BUT
NOT |UBDUE D
%ount Nan Sentenced 70 Gwen
sy-ffOs yeor<' Hard Labor
VIII Nor Work-.His Reo<on.

The state may imprison me. but c,n-
not make me do the hard wor, 1t has
decree<l. | don't care II the iinprisoti-
ment shall last for life. My spirit will
be unbroken to the end
Matthew Hunter. young. beloved and
beseecheG by his sweetheart and moth
Or. has thus defied the state Of Iowa.
Although placed eatedly on a bread
and water diet and solitary contine-
ment in the penltentiary at Fort Mad
ison. lie still holds his head high and
refuses to join his fellow convicts on
the penitentiary rock piles.
His sentence of twenty-five years at
hard labor, according to eminent law
yers. has not commenced, although ie
has been in jail for more than two
years. They argue that it Will not be-
gin until he goes to work.
Hunter was convicted of the murder
OF his chum. Homer Holland. after one
Of the most sensational trials In the le-
gal history Of Iowa. 1t was shown that
the young men grew up together In tne
pretty town of Mount Ayr. Their fs-
theirs were wealthy. and their educa-
ton In a fashionable private school
was supplemented by course in
Drake university. Des Moines.
Their gentle breeding and manly
ways won for them immediate aLmis-
sion to Des Moines society. 1t WIS at
a dinner party In one Of the most ex-
elusive homes that they met one Of
the prettiest young women Of the col
lege set Both men were hard hit.
Holland made the first call. II was
argued at the trial that he had been
almost crazed by Jealousy and that this
led him to tell the young woman that
his chum. Matthew Hunter. was con
nrmed gambler
The story reached Hunter. and a vio-
lent quarrel resulted. As conse-
Quence both men went armed. The
feud became known. and mutual
friends tried in vain to bring peace be-
tween the two hotheaded young men.
One day they met face to face. Hun
ter shot and killed Holland. lie Is-
serted that Holland had drawn his re-
volver first and that he would have
been killed had he not fired
He was tried twice for the killing.
The second trial resulted in the SEN
tsnce he will not obey.
They could force me behind these
bars" he said. but there Is no power
on earth to compel voluntary acknowi-
edgment of any crime on my part. +
will not go to their rock pile. I will rot
here rather than do that.
Il know my mother and some one
else are longing for me to change my
mind and work ont my sentence. Lib
srty would be sweet. but self respect
II sweeter. ! will not make the ac-
acknowledgement OF my guilt that the
court has ordered"
Warden Jones In at his wits end to
know what to do with his intractnbie
prisoner. He feels that the example
II demoralizinR to prison discipline. bur
apparently thara IL no way to prevent
IT, He has placed Hunter in q dark
cell for days mt a time and has fed
him bread and water until the young
man has been weak to the point OF
collapse. These things have not weak
ened Hunters determination.
He keeps aIoof from the other pris-
oners and Seems 10 live only In the
thoughts or the past. His sincerity IL
evident when he declares thar he will
die before he will work
Had Hunter gone to work when he
entered the penitentiary and continued
on good behavior his term would ex-
pire in January, 1D17. Allowance for
good behavior of eleven years and
three months II made by the state for
a twenty-five year term.
The obstinate young man In the only
prisoner in the history Of the Fort
Madison penitentiary who has refused
to work for his freedom. His case II
attracting attention from criminal law
yers and citizens OF the state generally.
In the meantime an aged woman
wecps day and night in her home In
Mount Ayr. She Is certain of her boys
innocence and at heart Is proud OF his
determination, but with the pride II .
heart breaking desire to have him with
her again before she dies.