Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-04-09
WORLD. Is NEW 70 HIN.
Man Comes Back to New York
After Twenty-Five Years
Spent in Prison
VERY WONDERFUL" HE SAID.

Couldn't Understand What Held the
skyscrapers Up Dazsd by Great
Changes and Not Very Curious.
FIaherty's Second Time on Earth.
Through two legislative administra-
tons Mrs Maud Ballington Booth,
founder and head of the Prison league,
Volunteers Of America, sought to OBJ
tain the pardon of James Flaherty,
once Of Brooklyn. who some twenty
five years ago received life sentence
for the alleged murder Of his wife. A
few days ago Mrs. Booth received an
envelope from the executive mansion
in Albany Informing her that Flaherty
had been pardoned by Governor
Hughes.
When Flaherty began to serve his
term In Sing Sing he was told by the
Lutte Foster L. Backus. who convicted
him, that at the end of five years the
assistant district attorney would en-
deavor to secure his release. When
Mr.. Backus wrote to ask about Fla
herty. the prisoner he had In mind had
been transferred to Auburn. and as an
other prisoner OF the same name had
Just died the warden wrote back that
the man in whom Mr.. Backus was in
terested was dead. Flaherty in Auburn
was forgotten for ten years until Mrs.
Booth came across him.
Flaherty. carrying a bird cage in
which were two canaries he had bred
In prison. arrived the other day at the
Grand Central station. where he was
greeted by Mrs. Booth. says the New
York Times At the same time there
arrived by express two dogs, also bred
in Auburn by Flaherty. who as a
'.trusty" had earned many privileges.
Even before he arrived at Forty sec
welcomed him. AT One Hundred and
Twenty-fifth street Bernard Sullivan,
one of her secretaries, boarded the
train. At the Grand Central station
Mrs Booth had carriage waiting for
Flaherty. He drove with Mrs. Booth.
Mn Sullivan and Miss Vera Marshall
IF the Prison league toward the Twen-
ty-third street ferry, where he was to
take a train for Hope Hall, Mrs. Booths
institution In Rockland county.
AS the open carriage passed west
ward through Forty-second street Fla
herty. small. quiet hammered man of
fifty did not appear to be able or
to wish to refashion the old time Man
haitian. His eyes never left Mrs.
Booths face She pointed out the sky
scrapers.
Its very wonderful he said. BE
fore went away they had only five
and six stories to their buildings. /
don't see what holds these buildings up.
The whole city looks to me as though
it would fall to ruins some day"
n,ten on the way across the river
lTlahcrty did not trouble to look out Of
the window.
"Is this the Nortl, river?" he asked.
81 have come into port on this river
many times when l was a fireman on
liners"
On the Jersey side he asked to have
a glinute alone With Mrs. Booth
* realize all that you have done for
ma' he told her. land for the future
a1n determiped that will never do
anything that will cause you pain"
Accompanied by Mr.. Sullivan he took
a train for Hope Hall. where he will
have charge OF n cottage in which the
wives and children Of prisoners will be
quartered for country visits in the sum-
mer.
AT his trial Flaherty admitted that
he and his wife, had been drinking on
the day his wife was found dead 1t
was contended on his behalf that his
wife had fallen while helpless into
such position that her breath had
been shut off and that she had died of
strangulation This Assistant District
Attorney Backus was half inclined to
believe