Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1907-11-07
ANSWERS PRAYER
Of WASHERWQMAN
GOVERNOR DAVIDSON OPENS
STATE PRISON DOORS FOR
WoJAck SOWA.
KILLED MEMBER OF PARTY
WHO ATTACKED HOME TO
SERVE WARRANT.
LYNCHING MOB FIRED BULLETS
THROUGH HOUSE WHERE WIFE
AND BABIES HIU.
Madison. Nov. 4.

Madison, Nov. 4.
Governor Davidson Saturday ans
wered the prayer of Mrs. Wojack
Sowa, a poor Chicago Polack washer
woman, by granting a pardon for her
husband, who is serving term of IA
years in the state prison at Waupun
for the crime of murder in the second
degree. Wojack was convicted on
May 4, 1901, of killing John Moore,
a constable of Stanley, who with four
house to serve a warrant for assault
and battery.
The facts upon which Governor
Davidson based his exercise of ex-
ecutiye cleNency were briefly as fol-
lows:
Sowa, a Pole, came to this country
in 1896, and after living in Chicago
for time settled on a farm pear
Stanley in the northwestern part OF
Clark county, where he lived with his
wife and two Or three little children,
one a baby of a few weeks old.
farm hand, Vincinti kodak, had some
quarrels with Sowa and threatened to
FIX" Sowa. kodak came to the Sowa
place one afternoon with two compan-
ions and had an alteration and re-
peated his threats. Then kodak went
went to the village and swore out
warrant against Sowa, alleging assault
and battery. This was on March 8,
1901. Late at night, between $50
and 10 o'clock a warrant-serving
party arrived at the Sowa house. IN
the party were Constable Fred Bratz,
who had the warrant, John Moore
Christian Peterson, Joseph Szumsnar>
ski and kodak. They arrived
an hour and half after Sowa
had gone to bed, and Immediately
pounded upon the door and demanded
admission, representing that they
wanted to "see" Sowa and speak with
him, but would not hurt him. They
said nothing about being there to
serve warrant or that they were Of
ficers of the law.
Defended His Home.
Sowa refused to open the door, say
ing that he did not see why they came
late at night that 1t was time to go to
bed and that they should come again
the next day if they wanted to see
him. kodak appeared at a window
and called to Sowa II said l would
fix you and 1 do it now" The pound
ing on the door continued, until the
door gave way and Sowa began to
shoot. Moore was hit and died from
the injury. Moore's four companions
ran back to town and gave an alarm
that Sawo had murdered Moore. a
crowd Of rowdies was formed and af-
ter filing up with whisky went out
to avenge the murder.
They were armed with Winchesters
and ali night surrounded the little
house, from which Sowa had gone IN
the meantime, and continued to shoot
through the building with Winchester
rifles. In the house were Mrs. SoWa
end the little children, but none were
hit because she hid the babies in the
cellar. Sowa was tried and convicted
of murder in the second degree.
Judge and Prosecutor for Pardon.
State Senator Spencer M. Marsh,
who was then district attorney and
prosecuted Sowa, wrote to Governor
Davidson that he believed II the man
had adequate defense he would either
have been acquitted or very lightly
punished for minor offense. He also
spoke of the conduct of the druhhen
mob shooting through the house as to
his mind a worse crime than the ac-
ton of the ignorant Pole in defending
his home from a night attack. Judge
kodak, wrote to the governor that he
had always had a lurking doubt Of
the guilt of Sowa and felt that the
man knew not that the attacking
party was there in the name Of the
law to serve legal document, but
that Sowa, seeing kodak and hearing
his threats, after Kolak's call and
threats of the afternoon, in view of
the pounding on the door and the late
ness of the nightly hour, believed
that he was in grave danger of his
life and felt compelled to defend his
life and home with all the means in
his power. Judge O'Neil was strongly
in favor of the pardon.
Strong Prejudice at Trial.
There were other facts presented to
the governor to indicate that the feel
ing of the neighborhood at that time
was very strong against the ignorant
Pole, that the jury was prejudiced and
that he did not have adequate defense.
The wife had little money which she
spent for defense, and after nar hus-
band was sent away to prison she
took her little ones to Chicago, where
she has managed to support them and
has for all these years maintained a
continual prayer to the Wisconsin,
governors for pardon for her hus-
band.
Goes TO Support Family.
Governor Davidson concluded that
the man had been amply punished for
whatever error he bad committed
that the woman and children ought to