Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-06-29
SAVED THE BOY.
One of Late Speaker Reeds hem'"''
censes Of Grover Cleveland. ~

portland. Me-, June 28.-The death
of Grover Cleveland recalled to MEM
hers of the Cumberland Club the last
evening Hon. Thomas B. Reed spent
here. He started for New YORK lhe
,ax+ morning and his death occurred
a few months later. 49,.
Mr.. Reed said that IN fresiuon'
Clcveland's last administrator he
reached Washington early one nioin
ing and saw man Walking up .ie
platform in state of great exclte-
mcnt. He spoke to him and the man
recognized him at once. He tod hiiii
that he had come to Washington 70
make last effort to see Presldehl
Cleveland in behalf of his son.
The boy was accused, he said, Oh
murder and had been convicted. Later
developments made it certain that an
other committed the crime, ana ne ls'u
letters from the presiding justice d.
the trial, the district attorney ana the
members of the jury, asking Tor tx
ecutive clemency, but he had peeh
unable to get access to the proper OIL
ciaI of the department of justice, ana
his only hope was in seeing PRESIDENT
Cleveland at once.
His boy would die that day. he sad,
unless the President pardOned nm
Mr.. Reed looked through the papers
the father handed him, saw that the
case was as he said, and he said: II
will 20 with you to the Executive man.
sion. President Cleveland is an early
riser and we shall find him at work.
They did find the President at work
and Speaker Reed introduced the ia
Their, explained the necessity for imme-
date action, and the President said:
81 shall be glad to look through the
papers"
Speaker Reed said that Mr.. Cleve-
land took the first letter, that of the
presiding justice, read it, docketed II
and then took down blank. wrote
telegram pressed button and SAID
to the secretary who answered to the
call: "IIave that sent at once and
bring me the reply as soon as it is re-
ceiVed.'
The President continued to look over
the letters, and in less than 10 MIN
utes a telegram was handed to him.
He read it, and kept on examining the
papers.
Mr.. Reed said that his impressive
face showed no sign of his purpose,
but suddenly he said: "EXcuse me, Mr..
Speaker" and gave him a cigar. He
then passed cigar to the father of
the condemned boy. Mr.. Reed said:
"That settled it. knew that no man
on Gods earth would give another a
cigar if he proposed to have his son
executed"
The President. he said, docketed the
last paper, took down a blank, filled it
out and handed it to the father, saying:
'TheGe is the pardon you asked for, and
Won will have ample time to catch the
train"
"But will they hang him, Mr.. Presi-
dent. if anything happens, and 1 don't
get there?' said the father
President Cleveland replied with smile
that he had wired the United States mar
shall that he proposed to pardon the
young man, ordered stay of execution
and had received an acknowledgement
from the marshal of the receipt of his
telegram.
and they won't go on with the cxecu-
tion?' said the anxious father.
"Not after the President of the United
States mas pardoned him. said the Pres
ident. Tie grateful father sobbed out
his thanks and left the room.
Greatly moved himself, Speaker Reed
watched the President. Mr.. Cleveland
rose, walked to a window and stood there
until he had mastered his emotion and
then Mr.. Reed said: "He came back and
told me about duck hunting trip of the
week before
Mr. 1teed paused and then said in his
peculiar way:
"Reniamin Harrison would have
listened to the father. but the boy would
have been executed. saved or lost before
he would Eave gone through the first pa
per-"