Cañon City record., 1907-09-05
kid" WALLACE GIVEN
LABOR DAY PARDON
Buch Releases Of the convs Who In An Effort
Escape n Spring Killed Night Rooney

"On this, Labor Day, Governor
Buchtel has granted you an uncondi-
tional pardon. You are free to go
where you please. 1 congratulate you
on your pardon"
So spoke Warden John Cleghorn to
Frank. alias kid" Wallace. No. 5Os1,
in the chapel of the Colorado peniten-
tiary Monday a m. at 10 o'clock, as he
held in his hand the ofhcial pardon
which Governor Buchtel had sent by
mail.
Three mighty cheers went up from
the 600 convicts, men and women who
had gathered for the glad occasion.
Every Labor Day a convict is pardon
ed. Who the lucky man is no one
knows until the. pardon is announced.
A number of convicts had brought
pressure to bear in order to secure
their release. Among these were Wal
lace. His crime is we'll known to Can
on City people. He is one of the four
prisoners who escaped over the back
wall in the spring of 1900. One of them
stabbed Night Captain Rooney to
death. Who did the stabbing was new
er clearly set forth. A prisoner named
Wagner got away. The others say 1t
was he who drove the knife into
Rooney's body. The other three were
captured One man was lynched by
frenzied Canon City people who gath
cred in a mob. They hanged him to a
telegraph pole near the penitenuary.
The other two men were given long
term sentences. One of them was Wal
lace. The other. Antoine Wood, was
pardoned several years ago.
Because of the intense feeling that
prevailed hereabouts at the time, Wal
lace's attorney secured a change Of
venue, and he was tried in Chaf1ee
county. He was sentenced to 25 to As
years for murder.
model prisoner. He was a young man
when he first went into the prison.
mere boy in years, convicted Of rob-
berry He was still mere boy when
he went into the plot to gain his free
dom. Now he is only % years old. But
the confinement has told upon his once
strong body. He is almost entirely
deaf Warden Cleghorn was compelled
to shout the words Of pardon into his
ear. wallace was a happy man today.
He left the priBon and CA1on City On
train No. 4 on the d. 4 r. g. this az
ternoon. He was dressed in a suit of
clothes Warden Cleghorn provided for
him. He was on his way to Alliance,
Neb, where he has a brother who is
willing to care for him. He expects
good home and happiness there
Governor Buchtels pardon was
document of some length. 1t set forth
the right of the chief executive to par
don a prisoner on Labor Day and then
designated Frank Wallace, who was
sentenced Jan. 26. 1901. for murder
A number of reasons for the pardon
we're cited, and the governor stated
that he had carefully gone over the
case before he arrived at a decision.
Rev. W. s. Rudolph, former pastor
of the prison, testified that Wallace
had experienced a change of life; that
he had been amply punished for his
crime and that he would. lead a
straight life in the future. All the
jurors in the case who could be To-
Gated expressed it as their opinion
that Wallace should be given the ben
eft of some doubt, and recommended
the pardon. The trial judge; Hon. NJ
8. Bailey, Of Canon Citytf sstatea.
that 1t was doubtful then and Is more
doubtful now whether or not Wallace
Is guilty of murder. He says further
that Wallace was in no sense a leader
In the attempted escape. He Is broken
in spirit and in health and has almost
lost his hearing. I think 1t Is just
and right that he be pardoned." The
prosecuting attorney Joined in the Pc
tition for pardon.
A brother of Wallace, who lives in
that he would take care Of the con-
vict in case he WAS freed. He viii
lead. he says, a quiet life on farm
there and will molest no one.
Wallace was busy after the happy
news had been received. The prison
oficials congratulated him. and ho At
once started preparations to leave.
He had a considerable amount OF mon
ey loaned to prisoners and had accuF-
plated some property which he Ills
posed OF to other inmates. Wallace
was a popular man among the cor-
Ivicts. and was always Cheerful. In
spite OF his broken health.
The convicts spent Labor Day In the
usual quiet manner. The band played
both morning and afternoon. Outside
work was suspended and q general
atmosphere of rest prevailed the big
institution.
The following account OF the escape
and crime for which Wallace served
his time. taken from the Record OF
Jan. s5, 1900, is interesting and will
prove especially so to people who can
vav1dlv ro<on tha fnrldanf.