The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-04-10
SILENCE
OF TWELVE YEARS
WIFE OF JAMES NUGENT Sc
CURES HIS LIBERTY.
Farmer Who Killed His Daughter in
Drunken Frenzy Will Be Allowed to
Go Home to Die-Boy Blackmailer
Fardoned-Train Robbers Declared
Unjustly Convicted.

James Nugent, the Wright county
farmer, serving a life sentence at Still
water, for killing his 14-year-old daugh-
ter, will be liberated on parole within
six months, and at the age of 81 will
Leave the prison and 60 home to join his
and cannot live long. The sentence
vas committed to twenty-five years yes
terday afternoon, by the state board Of
pardons.
W. A. Culkin Of Duluth, representing
Mrs. Nugent, told the Wife story to
the board, making it public for the first
time. Nugent plead guilty without
trial, and no statement was made. His
wife says that Nugent came home intox-
writing a letter to a boy friend, he
scolded her. The girl ran into a shed
back of the house. The father fol-
lowed and before reaching the building
fred his revolver. The bullet went
into the building and penetrated the
child's brain, killing her instantly. She
does not believe the father intended to
shoot Eunice; but that he shot wildly.
The daughter had been his favorite.
Mrs. Nugent attended the hearing yes
terday, but did not speak.
William J. Van Auken, whose SEN
tence of sixty days in the workhouse
for gambling has never been served,
secured a Communication to $50 fine. DIR.
w. A. Jones certified that Van Auken
var insane and confined in q private
sanatorium.
A pardon was granted to Harry Gill
bert, the Fairmont boy sent to the re-
formatory in 1904 for writing a threat
ening letter to a bank president, de-
handing money. Gilbert was unruly
in the reformatory and was sent to pris.
on, where he has Strengthened out and
is now a model prisoner. Frank A.
Day and q. H. Dean of Fairmont ap-
peared in. behalf of the boy, and both
declared that the letter had been writ
ten more in a spirit Of bravado. than
with any evil intent.
Men Believed Innocent.
The case of the four men serving
time for the Carlisle train robbery was
heard at length. G. G. Houpt, United
States district attorney, who defended
the men at their trial, appeared fol
them, and presented letters from Judge
j. DAILY, the prosecuting attorney
Both said there was great doubt Of thu
mems guilt. The four men, Hall
Thayer, Hoffman and Minot, were ar
rested in Moorhead after the robbery
and because they had a safeblower'l
outfit with them the crime was fixe(
on them. In the infamed state Of pub
lie opinion they were convicted on tn
scantiest Of evidence. Afterward
train robber arrested at St. Joseph
Mo-, confessed to the Carlisle affair
The quartet in prison seems to hav
been part Of a band of bank robber
!, who had intended to rob the bank a
Michigan City, N. D., but the scout
> sent ahead failed to report, and the,
were stranded at Moorhead. The al
) tice have been served, tho the me
were tough characters. They were sen
!. to Saltwater in 1898 for twenty year
!: 50 have served eight years Of the te
: : took the case under a%dvisement, desi1
) ing to investigate further.
The board denied pardons to Gilbe1
: S.. Gilbertson, sent from Hennepi
county in 1904 for four years, for gran
larceny; to James Russell, sent frol
J Hennepin in 1903 for fourteen year
for robbery, and continued the case q
Tony Calderone, who killed Battali
on the Franklin avenue bridge in 100
and is serving a twenty-year sentence
Denials were also entered in the. case
: of Edwin E. Olson, Ftz William SCI
sions, Charles Banks, John A. Eos
Olaf P. Olsen, a life prisoner, Robel
3 G. Fine, William Sanders, Harol
Thomas, James Mannarino, Willial
t Bolvin, Ralph Hall, Harry II. Kettle
/ George Mcdonald, Thomas Curti an
Charles Kimball. The cases Of job
: Hutchinson and Michael Meide, tw
life prisoners, were continued for
hearing at the next meeting.