Omaha daily bee., 1907-01-10
PARDON OF MRS. LILLE.


Ashland Gazette: The last official act OF
Governor Mickey was the issuance of a
fun and unconditional pardon to Mrs Lille.
We are sure that large majority of the
people of Nebraska will approve this decl-
sion.
Columbus Telegram: The pardon OF Mrs.
Lille will be approved by nine out Of ten
people in the state, and yet there has never
been offered a shadow of argument or OF
fact to break the perfect and convincing
chain of circumstantial evidence which
compelled that jury to find the woman
guilty
Fremont Herald: AS to the Justice Of the
pardon granted Lena Margaret Lille, tried
and found guilty for the murder of her
husband, Harvey Lille, there will always
be difference of opinion throughout the
state. Mrs. Lill!e's sex, of course, saved
her. Rather, the fact that she was a woman
kept public sympathy to the point that the
retiring governor knew he would be more
or less sustained. Had a man who com
mitted the same deed been convicted he
would have died in the pen. in all proba-
bilIty.
Hastings Tribune: The unconditional
pardon which Governor Mickey granted to
Mrs. Lena Lille, who has served two years
of a life sentence In the Nebraska peni-
Tertiary for the alleged murder of her hus-.
band Harvey Lille, carries with 1t the free
dom for which the defendant has prayed
but 1t does not carry with it the power of
proving her innocence. There is no doubt
that the Lille pardon would have carried
more weight and would have been better
received by the public had not Governor
Mickey abused the pardoning power.
Lincoln News: The general indignation
felt over the pardon of Mrs. Lille by the
retiring governor is justified. 1t is plain
even from Mr.. Mickeys own statement that
he was moved by maudlin sentimentality
rather than by any belief in her innocence
He says: IL am clearly led to the con-
clusion that there is very grave and serious
doubt of her guilt" II he had grave and
serious doubts of her guilt he also had
grave and serious doubts of her innocence,
One certainly implies the other. II the
governor was not convinced of her inno-
cence he ought not to have pardoned her.
The governor wronged the public and weak
ened its respect for the law when he started
in to release prisoners from the penitentiary
and his pardon of Mrs. Eilhe was simply
the capsheaf.
Grand Island Independent: The last Off
cial act OF Governor ]. II. Mickey was the
granting OF an unconditional pardon to
Mrs Lena Margaret Lille. The history
of the case Is too we'll known to require
review Her conviction on the charge OF
the murder Of her husband was purely
upon circumstantial evidence. The mother
of the murdered man has always been
firmly convinced of the woman's innocence.
No sufficiently strong motive has ever been
proven The woman has. since her incar-
ceration in the penitentiary. kept the pic
ture Of her dead husband before her and
almost constantly wept. Murderers do not
want pictures of their victims before them
as a usual thing. Certainly, II Mrs. Lille
shot and killed her husband, she is
psychological enigma. Under all OF the
| circumstances the exercise of the pardon
in this case has some strong points In its
favor 1t will no doubt, however, be
severely criticised by many who believe"
Mrs. Lille to be guilty.
David City Banner: At u o'clock today.
January 3. John II. Mickey retired from
Office. His last official act, at the same
hour of his retirement, was to give an
unconditional pardon to Mrs. Lena Mar
garet Lille, who was convicted on March
g. 1903, for the murder of her husband on
the morning Of October p, 1902. Whether
or not we believe that Mrs. Lille was
guilty of the cold-blooded crime for which
she was convicted, It must be admitted that
she was given a fair and impartial trial,
that the court and the jury which convicted
and sentenced her had the best opportunity
OF finding out all the facts and circum-
stances connected with the murder, and
were the most competent 10 Judge in the
case In face OF all these facts. and the
further fact that Governor Mickey has, on
various occasions, expressed himself in
unndstakable terms, and less than two days
before expressed himself to the editor of