Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-03-12
A HORRIBLE FETCH.
is 1T JUSTICE TO PUNISH cHAs.
cAckLEY FOR MURDER CON-
MITTED YEARS AGO?
Has Lived Temperate, Upright and
Honorable Life for Nearly Forty
Years - May End Days in Penal
Servitude - Sensible Article.

"a good deal of the operation Of the
machinery of government is not only
a useless waste of time and means, but
is so unreasonable and foolish and
cruel as to challenge the. conviction of
sane judgment" says writer in
the Saturday Evening Post, Of Bur
lington, in sane and sensible review
upon the arrest of Charles Cackley, an
old man who, for nearly forty years,
has been living a straightforward and
honorable life, for a crime committed
by him when he was but little more
than boy. ~
1t was just at the close of the great
civil war that Charles Cackley upon
his return to Pennington, while under
the influence of liquor, in an alterca-
ton, shot and killed Reuben Fensten-
maker, constable who had arrested
him without warrant and as it tran
spired shortly after the murder, entire
ly without grounds. Cackley escaped,
was captured and twice escaped from
prisons where he was confined.
After the last escape nothing was
ever learned from him until a few
weeks ago through an application for
a pension to the general government
he was located in Missouri. He was
married owned good farm and had a
grown family about him. His neigh
bors for score of years regarded him
as hard working and Industrious citi-
zen. The law stepped in; he was ar
rested, taken from his family, home
and work and thrown into prison at
Keosauqua. Fearing his escape from
there he has been taken to the prison
at Ft. Madison, where from present in
dications he will possibly end his days
in penal servitude.
The article above quoted is well
worthy a careful reading by every citi.
zen. The writer takes the very rea-
sonable ground that since Cackley for
nearly forty years has lived straight.
forward, and upright life, he has in
every way proved himself good citi-
zen and that it is nothing short of trav-
esty upon justice at the present day in
the face of the past to visit the penalty
of the law upon him, wreck the remain
der of his life and disgrace his family.
The Article.
The article is as follows:
.sTake the case of Charles Cackley
who is now confined in the penitentiary
at Fl. Madison, charged with a murder
done thirty-seven years ago. At the
time of the killing Cackley was a boy
just out of the army, with his sense
of responsibility dulled by contact
with deeds of violence and bloodshed
that go along with war. He got into
an alteration with peace officer on
the streets of Keosauqua and in the
struggle, killed him. He was placed in
Jail and broke out before trial and dis
appeared. He was founl the other day
living on farm in southern Missouri
"He has a wife, grown up sons anc
daughters. good home and was liv
ing a temperate and industrial life
When the officers went after him tt
break up the happiness of his nice
home - for that is all it amounts tt
in the running they found him in the
woods getting out logs on contrac
that he had taken for a lumber com
pany. He was brought back to Keo
sauqua, will be tried for the old crime
and doubtless will be convicted. HI
will end his days probably in the For
Madison penitentiary. We think tina
this is a case that in it's senseles:
cruelty and rigor cries out to heaven
| ''If society had any sense or was, no
incapable of comprehending the nature
of reasonable and righteous mercy
it would release this old man., and lie
| him go back to his old wife on thu
farm There is needed but a moments
reflection to conceive that Cackley hal
suffered full sufficiency for the crime
which he committed thirty-seven year!
ago. The fault with the machinery o
government is that it is in thu
clutches of horrible fetch which as