The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1906-02-23
THE WAGES OF SIN
PAT DROVE OoNFEssE i IN ALE =.
TER TO A PRIEST.
The Farmers KidIapper Gives His.
tory Of the Miserable Life He
Spent After gis Crime

I
Pat Clowa's last ohano, to esoap,
from tae peritentiary for kldns piping
Eddie Cudahy and robbing his father
of S26. 900 in gold, has failed. His
confession to the crime as written ia
Father Murphy, Of the Catholic church
Il VII, DIVA, was Frlday morning
read to the jury before which he is
now being tried.
During the reading Of the letter
which 1T ia believed will send him to
prison for q term Of years. Grove
sat with bowed head, never once look.
Ing up, his hands twitching nervous.
ly. His old smile had disappeared
and there are drawn lines around his
eyes and mouth. He whispered to his
brother, who sits with him, and each
wore a look of care.
Tnere was an air Of surprised OK
citement In the room, which was
Wded an hour before court COZ
vened, whom Judge Sutton took his
seat. 1t was known that the decision
IN regard TO the letter, which, it is
believed, would practically settle the
case, would be handed down and the
etter read In open court If admitted
Judge Sutton admitted the letter.
laying in his ruling.
"There,is nothing In the commun.-
cation which could not have been
granted by any person other than a
priest. He does not ask for any spir
tual relief whatever. The sole res-
son for writing this letter was to SO.
cure relief from secular law, not from
the spiritual law. He authorized q
disclosure of this letter to both Mr..
and Mrs. Oudahy, thus showing it ia
It spiritual communication. The
let or was to secure earthly, not spir-
itual relief"
CONFESSION TO PRIEST.
The letter which was then read to
6he jury, in nnrb az follows:
Omaha, April 22, 1904.
Rev Father Murphy, Vail, Ia:
Dear Friend Il wrote you letter
from Chicago few months ago, and
sour answer was very encouraging to
ma, as have for several years
5hought of reforming aud starting life
anew. For the past fifteen years my
suff sring has been intense. My chill
iren are dead and my wife Ia o. sell
want for others am sn outcast and
y diagrace to the mother that gave
me birth, and 60 add to my suffering
ysr-svs--r..5-.., 75a .Aoa .
iriend to me. ~ ~
II am guilty Of I'll, Cudahy affair
l am to blame for the whole crime.
After 1t was over regretted mys Bit
and offered to return LOO to Mr.
Cudahy, but he refused to take it an6
hen l went to South Africa, where ]
j)ined the rebel army and was badly
vounded, being shot twice. Then
etutned to America and have repeat
adly tried to make peace with ths
nan wrongsd. Now L am going to
give myself up and take whatever
comes, and II MI. Cudahy wou d show
ne mercy l would como out all Right
ind could start life anew.
''Cudahy IS q rem lrkably good mai
md have known him many years anc
must say that he Is generous and for.
giving, and 1T would be hard fad o
letter man. Bu5 he feels ne owes 1t
- uib Quty w UuC puUilO " plOStCu't
me. could stand trial and beat the
case, but that would not relieveof tic
burden that is crushing ont the las,
ray Of happiness In my wasted life /
vould raGner plead gully and hav,.
he sen tence tuspended, giving me d
chance to start life anew My plead
Ing guilty would harm no Que but M :
SELF, and IL could induce Mr. Oudany
show me mercy, 1t would stimu-
ate the harsh Judgment that Is pfac-
iced In courts with a feeling OF mer-
;v that God intended should be shown
20 sinners.
I wish you would write to Mr.,
Cudahy and Mrs. ODdahy aud 'ay
Tor mercy. Remember this: And
Mr.. Cudahy knows, as do hundreds OF
5hers In this city, that l fed the
hungry and / myself was POOR aud
that showed mercy to the rich and
mighty when they were In my pow.
er, and that II / cared to surround
myself with stolen gold / could have
ten millions inside Of thirty days. But
l have found no happiness In evil, and
am going to return to the teacbingr
If my childhood. II must suffer ]
will not repine. Write to Mr.. and
Mrs Oudahy and ask them to show NJ e
some mercy. This Is all, and / will
say goo[-5y. PAT CBowE."