Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-06-13
Make Busy Session for
Governor and Council.
Haynes Pardon Appeal Laid on
Table Until July Meeting.
Petitioners Given Leave to Withdraw
in Reynolds Pardon Case.


the members of the Council present
with the exception of Hon. W. Scott
Libbey of Lewiston; who is on tour
Of Europe.
Senator L. NJ. Staples of Washington
appeared in behalf of the petitioners in
the pardon case of Maynard Wilson
Reynolds, who is serving a term of five
years and six months in the Thomaston
State prison for breaking and entering,
having been convicted in the supreme
judicial court for Somerset county. Mr..
Staples said that the man, who is but
"A years of age, has but one more year
to serve, is in poor health, and thought
that the ends of justice would be sat
islied if Reynolds We're granted his lib
erty. a number of letters were read
from residents of Colebrook, n. H.,
ReyonldS' former home, which spoke of
his previous good character.
Mrs. Reynolds of Colebrook, the
young mans mother, appeared before
the Council and told the members that
if her boy were freed she would take
him home, and that she was positive
that he would in the future lead an
exemplary life. No one appeared in
opposition to the granting of the par
don and the matter was tabled for ex-
| ccutive session.
| The pardon case of Samuel d.
Haynes, who is serving a life sentence
| at the State prison for the murder of
| James Robbins, ROckland policeman,
| in 1879, was then called. Hon Walter
3. Clarke of Portland and Arthur s.
Little of Rockland appeared in behalf
| of the petitioner. Attorney Clarke
said that Haynes, who was detained in
the Rockland lookup on the charge Of
larceny, did not intend to kill Robbins
| but only to stun him SO that he could
make his escape, and should have
| been convicted only of the crime of
manslaughter, the maximum penalty
for whicn is 10 years. Haynes is now
81 years of age and has been an inmate
! of the prison for % years.
Lawrence r. Smythc, city editor Of
the Bangor Daily News. testified that
! he had done newspaper work since 1850,
most of the time in Bangor. He did
not believe that there was any evidence
to connect Haynes with the murder of
| Tax Collector Elliott of Glcnburn, and
that it was the impression that the
story on who was responsible for the
| Elliott murder printed in Boston
newspaper eight years after the COM
mission of the crime was a fake" In
his experience as a newspaper writer
he had never found anything more
substantial to connect Haynes with
the Elicit murder than mere gossip.
In the opinion of the witness much of
the opposition against the pardon of
| Haynes was because of the stories
which were printed and which charged
him with the commission of the Elliott
murder.
| Attorney Clarke read a number of
affidavits tending to show that Haynes
was in Rockland and not in Bangor at
the time Of the Elliott murder.
Senator Staples, who was the prose-
cutting attorney at the time of Haynes
conviction. testified that after the trial
lie was of the opinion that the jury
would have been justified in bringing
III a verdict of manslaughter. He had
doubts whether or not Haynes had any
intention of killing Robbins when ne
struck him with that piece Of iron in
the Rockland lookup. and he would
l have been satisfied as the county at
torney with verdict of manslaughter
For the past Is years Haynes has been
an exemplary prisoner and has com
piled with the rules of the prison. The
witness has always believed that
Haynes did not intend to kill the
policeman, but to stun him 50 that he
could make his escape.
At this point Il recess was taken until
go i'm the afternoon.
| Al the afternoon session Arthur s.
Littlcficld Of Rnckland testified that
sore Of the hest citizens Of Rockland
hal sigrcd the petition for the pardon
cf Haynes. The witness believed
that Haynes long ago had paid
the penalty for his crime and that he
| would have been pardOned were it not
for lhe fact that various other crimes
charged to him.
r. F. Davis of ThonaSton testified
that ne was formerly employed in the
| broom department of the prison and
HAYNES worked there. Haynes is a
flrst-class mechanic and could easily
earn his own livelihood. Haynes had
| worked under the witness FOR more
than 20 wears and the most of the time
had becn a model prisoner and willing
TO work.
Hon Ira r. Gardner of Patten testi-
fed that Haynes was a Sood boy put
had gotten into bad company. he mao
always opposed the pardon q haynes
mt was now in favor of 1t as ne pc
Iioyed that the man had reformed ana
IN the future would lead an exemplary
Ira He lid not believe after a thorough
investigation that Haynes had any
thing TO do with the murder of lax
| Elliott of (IiennuTn
| Attorney Clarke read Letter from
Tinted States Senator W'iiiam r.
FRYE favoring the pardon of Haynes
He also read letters from the two sur
- members of the jury in which