Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-09-08
STATE HOUSE.
September Meeting Of
Governor and Council.
Haynes and Chase Pardon Mat
tiers Laid on Table.
Next Meeting Of Governor and couneII,;
Friday, Oct. Is, at 10 A. N.

The September meeting of the Gov
ernOr and Counil convened at the COun-
ell chamber at o'clock, Thursday af-
ternoon, with every member of the
Council present. Considerable interest
has been felt iii this meeting, as it was
expected that two important pardon
hearings would come before the Coun-
Gil. those of Samuel d. Haynes and Ed
ward H. Chase.
The first matter presented for the at
tention of the Governor and Council
was the petition for pardon of Samuel
D. Haynes. now serving life sentence
in the State prison at Thomaston. for
the killing of James Robbins in the
Rockland lookup in June. 1879.
The case was conducted for the petit
TONERS by Senator l.. NJ. Staples of
Washington. Senator Staples intro
duced his case by saying that he was
placed In unique position, as he HIM
self was the prosecuting attorney of
Knox county at the time Of the crime,
and secured the conviction of HaineS.
He then proceeded to review the case
saying that Haynes was confined in the
care of Policeman Robbins. who fell
into a doze, giving Haynes the oppor-
tunity which he utilized by striking his
keeper over the head with a stove polk
er, intending merely to stun him in or
der to make his escape.
AS a result of the blow the officer
died the following day. Haynes was
captured, convicted of murder in the
first degree and sentenced to State
prison for life.
Tho limo of yrocAnfnd hv
Senator Staples was that the crime was
not murder, but manslaughter. and
that as SUCH the prisoner had already
served more than double the maximum
sentence. He furthermore explained
that the object of Imprisonment was to
reform the criminal and to protect So
ciety. These ends he claimed, had al
ready been accomplished, the character
of the man Haynes having undergone
Il complete reformation since his term
of confinement.
AS witnesses to the facts which he
had presented to the meeting, Senator
Staples introduced A. c. Wyman. dep
uty warden of the State prison; James
r. Davis. formerly overseer in the car
riage department of the prison work.
shops; the Rev. Father Phelan. pastor
of the Catholic church in Rockland,
and DR.. A. r. Smith, the prison physi-
clan. All these witnesses testified to
a long acquaintance with the prisoner
and to the fact that he was thoroughly
reformed and a man of different char
acter from the one who was sentenced.
20 years ago. They gave it as their can
did opinion that If released he would
Ciffzan
A. w. Gilman, commissioner of agri-
culture, formerly a prison inspector, al
so spoke in favor of the petitioner.
A large number of letters and petit
lions were introduced evidence of
the change of feeling In the public
mind in regard to Haynes. This list in
cluded a letter from United States
Senator VIM. P. Frye, and petitions
signed by the leading citizens of the
towns of Patten, Haynes boyhood
home Rockland. where the crime was
committed. and Thomaston, the loca-
ton of the State prison.
At 6 o'clock it was voted to defer
the matter for executive session and
the meeting was adjourned until 7.3O
o'clock.
At the evening session. a petition was
presented by Joseph Williamson. for
the town of Vassalboro, seeking re-
endorsement for expenses incurred in
medical and surgical treatment fur
nished a town charge. The expense ac-
count had been cut down by the Coun-
ell committee, which action was pro-
tested by the attorney. Mr.. Williamson
introduced as witnesses DR.. Arnold b.
Craigin and DIR. II. E. Milliken. both
of Waterville. who we're connected with
the surgical operation, in an endeavor
TO show that the charges were not ex-
orbitant. The matter was taken up In
executive session and the action OF
| the committee was approved.
When the discussion of the pardon
cases came up for consideration it was
voted that both the petition of Haynes
and that Of Chase should be laid on the
table until the next meeting of the
Governor and Council.
A large amount of routine business
was attended to, and it was a late
| hour when the meeting was finally ad-
| journed until Friday, Oct. 13. at 10
o'clock A. NJ.