The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-12-13
MRS.DALTON HERE
Mother of Bandit Makes a
Pathetic Plea.
Asks Governor Bailey to Com
mute Sons Sentence.
TURNS A DEAF EAR.
Executive Refuses to Open the
Case Now.
Flood of Applications for Par
dOns Coming In.

Governor Bailey is overwhelmed
with applications for pardons these
days. Yesterday he put in most of the
day listening to people who have
friends in the penitentiary whom they
want pardoned. 1t seems to be the
general impression that a governor
who is going out of office may possibly
be more easily Influenced than one
who has just come in, and that he will
be more considerate of pardon appli-
cations Another idea is that there are
always a number of CHRISTMAS par
dons" issued and each Convict thinks
that he may get in on the Christmas
list.
This rush for pardons now is almost
as bad as the rush of office seekers
during the first of the administration, -
said Harry Bone, the governors Secre-
tary, today. II suppose it will keep
up during the balance of Governor
Bailey's term"
Mrs. Dalton, the mother of Emmett
Dalton, called on Governor Bailey to-
day to ask for a Communication of the
sentence of her son. Emmett Dalton
has been in the penitentiary for twelve
years under death sentence for his
participation in the COffeyVille raid by
teen when he went to the penitentiary,
so he is still young man.
Governor Bailey was very much
touched by Mrs. Dalton's plea, but he
refused to go into the case at this late
day in his term. Mrs. Dalton did not
ask for a pardon for her son. but only
that his sentence might be cOmmuted
SO that he might have something to
look forward to and that he may pos
sibly be released to care for her in her
old age. She lives in Oklahoma and
she came all the way to Topeka to talk
to the governor for half an hour today.
Ire n
tempt to excuse or defend the crime
which resulted in the death of most of
her sons, but she pleaded Emmett's ex-
treme youth at the time of the raid and
the allegation that he tried to prevent
it. She told how Emmett had protested
with his older brothers against the raid
on Coffeyville and how, even after they
had started for the town from the In
dian Territory, he had held them back
for a time while he argued against the
raid.
Mrs. Dalton is a very quiet old lady,
seemingly intelligent and refined, and
her plea touched Governor Bailey
greatly. She is 6S years old.
1T is hard to resist anything like
that said the governor today. "Mrs.
Dalton was not demonStrative in the
least She is one of these quiet, digni-
fled old ladies', with gentle voice that
appeals to one. She seems refined and
ladylike. I do not feel that 1 can go
into these big cases at this late day in
my administration, and 1 told her so. I
do not feel that even ought to grant
a. commuta tiOn. That was all she ask
ed for, and she did not even specify the
time
Another case which touched the gov
ernors feelings was that of William
Reed, who is serving a sentence of 20
years in the penitentiary for killing
man named Trowbridge in Labette
county. He has now been in prison for
three years. Monday Reeds father and
wife called on Governor Bailey to plead
for Reeds pardon. They were very
much in earnest, and when the COVER
nor told them he did not think he ought
present their sobs could be heard in the
outer room of the governors offices.
According to the story which they
told the governor, the Trowbridges
were a quarreling family, and they
produced newspaper clippings to show
that some. of them have since been ar
rested for disturbing the peace. They
alleged that one of the Trowbridges
stole some halters from Reed, which
started trouble between them. One day
Reed was driving along in wagon
with his wife and child when Trow
bridge cane along and began climbing
into the rear of the wagon with a corn
knife cursing Reed and threatening to
kill him. They had had trouble of the
same kind before in which Mrs. Reed
had tainted, supposing her husband
bridge attacked them Reed shot and
killed him. Reed was arrested, tried
and sentenced to the penitentiary for
twenty years, Notwithstanding his plea
of self defense. This made Governor
Bailey believe there were two sides to
the story and he refused to open it up
now as his administration is closing.