The Corvallis times. (Corvallis, Or.) 1888-1909, 1907-05-03
PARDON FOR JANUARY
ROOSEVELT SENDS A NOTE
TO DEPARTMENT OF JUS
TICE IN HIS BEHALF.
His Career After His Escape From
Penitentiary-His Life Which
He Lead Was an Honest
and Faithful One.


and Faithful One.
Washington, April 30.-Presi-
dent Roosevelt in a note to the de.
partment Of justice, expressed the
opinion that John William Janua.
ry, OF Kansas City, Mo-, should
have his sentence COM muted at
once or be pardoned outright.
January was convicted IL years
ago of robbing a postoffice in Okla.
homa and served the greater por.
ton of a fve-year sentence at Fort
Leavan worth. He then escaped
and after nine years of liberty was
re.arrested in Kansas City and re.
turned to prison. Many petitions
have reached the president asking
for his pardon. He had lived in
Kansas City under the name of S
W. Anderson during the time be
was ct liberty. ..
Leavenworth, Kan, April 49,
Things are looking brighter 70,
William January, alias Charles w
Anderson, the modern Jean Val
jean, who was recaptured and SAM
back to prison after being a fugitivs
nine years, during which time he
changed his name, led an exempls
ry life and married. The prisone,
has made a detailed report to Ma
jor McClaughey, warden of the Fed
eral penitentiary, covering his where
abouts and employment ever since
he dropped over the fence to liberty
He gives the names of employer
from time to time and makes
tstraight and clear record. The re
port was sent this morning to7Con
lgressmen F.. G. Ellis, who will for
ward it to Washington with othe
papers and petitions for the presi
dent. ~
| The statement of January open
by telling how he and another prie
oner, Walter A. Axiom, escaped O
the night of October 9, 1898. Afte
4 scaling the wall they walked towar
Atchiuson and hid in the timbe
the next day, reaching Atchinso
q the second night. There they seE
(arated, when January caught
q freight train and beat his way
Wichita. a. - bod
Three days after arriving in w
chita. January found that Axto
had followed him, and they le
there together and secured work
a rock quarry at Winfield. The
worked there two months, whe
Axiom either accidentally shot hin
self or committed suicide with a r,
volver. January worked in tx
quarry another month"; = HI
Early in 1899, January says,
started to sell tea and cefse. 81
1traveled through Southern Kausa
partiof Missouri and into Oklahonl
with a man who owned horse an
{ light wagon. This he did for moi
more than a year and then went
kansas City, where he solicited fl
an insurance company, saving b
money, and later engaged in IL
same business for himself for MOI
than two years. This was followe
by employment with the Metropo
itan Street Railway company f,
over year. s5aa5I
January was married 10 1901 an
lived in Kansas City from that tin
until his arrest, operating a sma
restaurant. Major MeClaughey
satisfied that January made a tr,
statement and that he conducte
himself we'll while at liberty.
There was forwarded tonight
President Roosevelt a petition ael
ing pardon for January. It bea
10000 names, and it is believe
the man will be speedily pardon,
and sent back to his wife and bal
girl and little restaurant. The
it universal sympathy for Janua
and his family, and equally wild
spread execration of the former CO
vict who betrayed him to the Of
GERS. However, it Is figured tn
lit will be better In the end. as ia
uary can then go ahead without Il
fear of arrest always hanging ov
him. assI ~ D. aai4.asAa asaa
His friends are conducting b
restaurant during his absence al
popular feeling is such that q
place is crowded at all hours al
has proved veritable gold min