The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-11-26
JIM BOWIE PAROLED
WALKER COUNTY MAN MUST QUIT
 LIQUOR.
He was Convicted of Robbing Oakman Depot and Sent Up For Two
 Years-Clemency of Gov-
 ernOr.

After serving about eighteen months in the penitentiary for breaking into the depot at Oakman. Walker county, and purloining a jug of whiskey whicn he drank on the depot platform with his partner of the spree, Jim Bowie, white convict was yesterday given parole by Governor Jelks on condition that he hereafter look away from all things intoxicating.
 Bowie has promised and he is free to go back to his wife and three children who still reside in Walker county
 Bowie is fortunate for the circum- stances of the adventure with the entlc- ing jug. This cut short his term as perusal of the Governors endorsement of the parole will show. He had no malice aforethough and, according to the testimony, did not even know the
 owner of the jug. He did not skuik away to drink the swag in solitude put
 hunted up a friend who assisted him
 in doing away with the liquor. rms
 appears on the records of the trial or
 Bowie It further appears there that
 he was 50 far from the turpitude or common everyday burglary and grand larceny that he hailed the town marshal to offer him a drink The town marshal is said to have 1augfNngly refused the drink and. on the contrary. marked Bowie for his own the next day when news of the burglary was abroad. These things all went to prove that Bowie was not controlled by anytnins hut the demon of drink. Solicitor John McOueen who prosecuted the man says now. in recommending clemency TOT Rowie. that he twas technically guilty. Tbe trial judge In the case, Hon. E. D. Almon, also recommended clemency' They both believe Bowie has been punished sufficiently. The same opin- ion was entertained by seemingly the whole county of Walker. or that part which knew the man, as the like Of intercessions in his behalf from the Lmost prominent people In the communl- tv of the crime has rarely been seen on the pardon and parole nie or the Governors office.
 All was well ard good with Bowie but his besetting weakness of long standing, was the cause of his going | to the convict camp at Pratt Mines. The term to which Bowie was senten- ced was two years and counting the time he has spent in the jail pending his trial he may be said to have felt the strong arm of the law for eighteen months. He was convicted at the spring term of the Walker county cir cult court in 1905.
 The words of the Governor Tn BoWie case are as follows:
 
 character except when drinking. He, together with another party. burgi- aized a depot for the purpose. as 1t plainly appears. of stealing Jug or whiskey which he knew to be in the
 depot He and the other person sat on the platform of the little country
 station and drank the whiskey They never left the premises. and were ar rested there, making no pretense to danv the OffenSe.
 "Bowie has been in jail and in the penitentiary together now about eigh- teen months. The solicitor makes the statement that the man was technically
 guilty, and that he could not avoid In
 sisting on a verdict against him. but
 that he has been sufficiently punished.
 Isrge number of the reputable people
 of the country ask clemency.
 "The Board of Pardons recommends
 clemency. It Is ordered. therefore. that a parole issue to Jim Bowie. dependent
 wnon his abstaining from the use of
 whiskey or other intoxicants."