Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-06-10
WHOLE TOWN OF MEMPHIS, MO-,
CELEBRATES WITH THos.
r. sENTER.
j UsT OUT OF PRISON
Friends Of Man Convicted Of Forgery
and Sentenced to Minnesota Penlten-
tiary Win. After Many Futile At
tempts to Free Him.

Memphis, Mo-, June 9.-(SpeciaD. -
Five hundred people of Memphis, in
cluding several ofsthe prominent bus
mess and professional men, swarmed
to the depot yesterday to welcome
home. like a conquering hero, man
just liberated from prison. The fortu-
nate ex-convict is Thomas R. Senter,
a former Memphis business man, who
was convicted and his friends say,
wrongly. OF the crime Of forgery. He
was a prisoner since 1901 in the Min
nesota state penitentiary at Saltwater,
but the tireless efforts Of his friends
In Memphis finally met with success
and he returned home yesterday free
man.
A stranger In Memphis yesterday
would have thought the people had
become mixed on their dates and were
starting the celebration of Independ-
ence day almost month ahead of
time A parade was formed up town,
with uniformed band at the head, and
marched through the streets to the
depot. When the train arrived the
band struck up aslively tune and the
cheers nearly, drowned out the music
when Mr.. Senter stepped from the cars
literally into the outspread arms Of
the efpeople' of Memphis.
Has Faced Two Indictments.
Thomas r. senter has had an un-
usual experience. He was arrested In
Memphis In 1900, and taken to Council
Bluffs, Iowa, where he was tried on
a charge Of forging a mortgage and a
note and securing money under false
i Ipretenses from Loge & Loge Of Coun-
4 Gil Bluffs. He was acquitted at this
i trial, but was Immediately re-arrested
4 on similar charge and taken to Blue
I Earth, Mimi, where he was tried in
& February, 1901. This trial resulted In
i his conviction and he was sentenced
\ to serve In the Saltwater prison ten
,,1years ana three months.
Legislature Aids senter.
The citizens Of Memphis stood by
lSenter to man, throughout his trial
and afterwards. Several OF them
4 went to Blue Earth and testified thai
, on the day when he was charged with
!. committing the crime of forgery II
Blue Earth the transacted business
with him in Memphis, but their testi
mony did no good and Senter had te
go to prison. Even then the Mem
phis people did not give up but re
doubled their efforts in behalf of theil
) fellow-townsmen The Missouri legis
/ lature's attention was brought to the
matter and this body passed resolu
!, tion asking the governor OF Minnesota
!, to pardon Senter Three times thu
{ board Of pardons of the northern state
was .petitioned to pardon Senter, bu
: three times the efforts failed. Th'
! governor of Missouri laid the case be
. fore the governor Of Minnesota with
2 out success.
Y Finally the citizens employed
Memphis attorney and an attorne.
prominent in the Minnesota bar t.
: give their time to the sattemptsto fire.
q Senter 1t required several months t
q secure sufficient evidence to Great
/ reasonable doubt Of his guilt in tn
+ minds Of the board of pardons, bu
: finally, in the October session Of tn
I board of pardons Senter was granite
n a parole to take effect June q, 1907
and e. S. Clark, ex-sheriff Of this (Su
E livan) county, went to Saltwater t
accompany Senter to Memphis. Ye'
terday the two men reached Memphi
h and the entire day was given over
II a celebration Of the successful ou
J. come of the untiring efforts of Sci
s ter's friends to- secure his liberty. Th
= Fourth Of July will bring no more el
u thusiasm to Memphis than did Sci
: ter's arrival here. The band playet
y the people cheered, a salute was fire
with an anvil, and Senter was carrie
through the streets at the head OF
p.rade. probably no ex-convict wa
% ever more honored in the country
history.
Is ~.