The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-02-26
JARBERS GOES FREE.
Hang Prisoner Had Money Enough
to Hire Lawyers.

Martin Jarbers. for 27 years a
hang prisoner at the Kansas state
penitentiary, walked out of the prison
gates today a free man. Governor
Hoch signed the papers this morning
which commuted his sentence to ex-
pire at once.
Jarbers went into prison in 1873, in
the prime of his manhood. He comes
out tottering, gray headed man OF 73.
barely able to walk. "AIl ask is he
says in his petition to the governor,
that may be released so that 7 may
go to the government authorities and
get permission from them to die in the
Soldiers home. I settled IN Kansas in
an early day. I spent four years fight
ing to make Kansas a free state.
have served the state 27 years more in
prison. don't want to die in here
The GRIN for which Jarbers was
convicted was the murder of his son.
a young man Is. There had been a lot
Of family trouble, in which this son
sided with his mother One day Jar
Ders gave the son some figs to eat. The
boy ate them and died. They were
"doped" with poison. Jarbers was con-
victed Of murder in the first degree,
and sentenced to hang.
This is the third effort which has been
made to get a pardon for Jarbers. The
first was opposed by the family of the
murdered boy and the widow, and
was rejected. Another application was
made during Governor Bailey's admin
posed, and Bailey did not take any ac-
ton on the application. The latest re-
quest for a pardon was made by F. B.
Dawes Of Leavenwcrth and the firm
of Ogg & Scott of Olathe where the
crime was committed. It differed from
other applications in that the relatives
did not oppose the pardon. They had
been induced to relent. and allow the
old man to spend his last days outside
of prison walls Mr.. Dawes was in
Topeka today, and secured the favor
able action on the pardon.
There are several unusual features in
the Jarbers case. One is that the old
man will go out of prison with enough
money to insure good care for the rest
Of his days. He has been drawing a
pension of $12 per month all the time
he was in prison, and this money is
held by the warden Of the prison The
total for the 27 years would be $3.S88,
/ but a good portion Of this has been
expended in the previous efforts to OBJ
tain pardon, and IN the purchase Of
such extras as the prison allows.
Another remarka bic feature of the
case is that Jarbers has served 27. years
In prison without once violating the
rules Of that institution. He has an
absolutely clean record. This goes a
long ways toward clearing up his for
ner wickedness. He does not attempt
to deny that he killed his son. He sim
ply begged for mercy
Jarbers is a German. He served in
! the Twelfth Kansas during the war.
He was 46 years old when sentenced to
prison. With the usual allowance for
good time Jarbers has served the
equivalent of a 36-year sentence. But
of course good time does not count in
a hang sentence. This makes 1t all the
more remarkable that he should have.
/ for 2 z long years, kept his record as a
prisoner sDotless.
Mr.. Dawes said today: 1T is right
that Jarbers should be released. He
has only a few years to live. and he
should be allowed to spend them in
the Soldiers home. He fought brave
| ~ in the Civil war, and was led into
this crime by the constant grief and
worry over an unhappy marriage"