Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1908-07-23
HUNTER ASKS
FOR PARDON.
FORMER DEPUTY SHERIFF OF CUSTER
COUNTY WANTS FREEDOM.
PETITIONS GOV. OF MONTANA
Convicted on Evidence of Daughter lie
is Serving Life Sentence For Kill.
ing SOn.in,Law. Attorney n.
T. Gadd Will Assist Him.

Many of the readers of the
REPUBLICAN will remember J. G..
Hunter, who in the halcyon days
of populistism of Custer county
was deputy sheriff, is now serv-
ing a life sentence in the State
Prison of Montana, having been
convicted of the murder of his
son-in-law, Otis Walbridge, on
the testimony of his own daugh-
ter. He has now served six
years and four months of time.
In private letter to N. II.
Gadd of this city who will assist
Mr.. Hunter in securing release,
he states that if he ever gets out
that he will return to Custer
county, which is good enough
Tor him. The following letter
which Mr. Hunter forwarded to
the Governor of Montana Jan. 10
1908, together with the affidavits
of the parties to whom Lorna
Villa Melville. retracts the testi-
mony she gave against her
father, that resulted in his con-
viction and life sentence are here
given in full, by the courtisie of
Mr.. Gadd.
DEER LODGE, MONTANA, Jan. 19, 19OS.-Gov.
JAS. X. TooLE, Helena, Mont.-Dear SIR
Presumng that some OF the facts concerning
my case are in your possession at this time l
beg leave to ask you to look into the affair
with a view to rendering me exact justice.
have no mercy to ask from the state of Mon-
tana but justice is the right of every man aud
knowing your past efforts in behalf of the
right / only ask your perusal of the papers in
my case and consideration of the atidavts
made by my daughter upon whose testimony
solely was convicted ana who has now sworn
that the entire matter was fostered and pro-
NOTED by one Geo. Melville, himself at this
time serving twenty year sentence here. |
beg leave to state that my daughter. always
peculiar. fell into evil ways upon approaching
maturity and was completely dominated by
the man Melville As a father had protested
against her actions and so had her husband
ii. o. Walbridge. whom ! was convicted of
killing. When Walbrdge unable to bear
louger her indiscretons left her. she, urged on
by others grasped the opportunity to also get
me out of the way. How we'll she succeeded is
attested by my conviction for the murder of
Walbridge upon testimony given in such cool
ness aud frankness and deliberation that my
attorney George A. haywood appointed by the
court found II impossible to impeach her. My
case the unusual circumstances surrounding ii
aud many other things have at times owing to
late unpleasant notoriety of my daughter caus-
ed wide spread comment. Judge haywood
says there Is reasonable ground upon which
to base the theory that Walbridge is still alive >
Attorney Jesse Is. Roote who secured two
affdavits from my daughter prOuOuucing her
entire testimony at the trial a base Justification
says mo man should be convicted upon her
testimony aud ii Hunter was SO convicted
he shOu Id be released"
Mr.. Roote is attorney who was in some
way connected with the case wherein my
daughter was arrested for bgamv in Butte.
do not believe that in all Jurisprudence there
can be found case wherein the testimony
against a defendant was blacker than that
of my own unnatural daughter against me-
Nor do think defendant though absolutely
Innocent was ever more helpless to refute such
| testimony. If guilty of the acts charged
against me by this pliable girl ! should even
now be hanged. My life has been an honest
oue-my existence at times precaTious but |
have always been law abiding aud | respect
fully submit TO your excellency that | should
not be placed IN prison for day-much less all
my l!fe-for murder that did not commit
and more especially since il is not at all clear
| that Walbridge was killed AT ALL have only
pity aud sorrow for my daughter. She has been
the plastic tool of others, | believe that you,
| Governor Toole. VIII afford me untempered
| Justice. | have nothing else to ask The duty
| of Montana to God; to humanity and to itself
prompts square deal to all. May have III
| Again asking pardon for presumption upon
your time and that you Will AT least peruse the
| papers in my case sent to Attorney General
Golen sometime ago. | am sir,
With great respect
J. CARLISLE HUNTER.
State of Montana, County OF Silver Bow
| Siclicet.-Jesse b. Roote. George O'Malley and
| Waiter +. Ellsworth, each being duly sworn
| deposes md says: That in the fall of the year
| l9O5, he was present at an interview between
| the persons above named and Lorna villa
| Melville. whose maiden name was Lorna villa
| Hunter; that the said Lorna villa Melville
| without intimidation, cOersion or suggestion
stated with apparent earnestness and serious
| ness that she was the daughter of ]. Z. Hunter
| who was convicted IN the district court p
| Granite county, Montana, of the murder OF
Otis Walbridge; that she was a witness on
| behalf OF the state in the said trial; that heI
| testimony in said case was fal sc; that she was
compelled TO give this testimony by George
| Melville under threats from said George Mel
| Vile that If she did not do so he would kin her
| that the testimony she gave TO the effect tha
| the said J. c. Hunter had killed the said OTIS
| WalbTidge was false. A nd the afiants further
say, and each of them further says, that the
| said Lorna villa Milville stated in the pres
ence of the above named atlantis, that she dic
| Walbridge, and that her testimony TO tha
effect was false, and given under duress auI
cOersion. Aihauts further say that the sale
Lorna Villa Melville At the tine she made tn,
said statement under no COeTsiou whatever
and made the same freely and voluntary. auC
in her said statement. W. l.. ELLsWoRrH
JESSE Il. RooTE, Geo OiMALLRY.
Subscribed and sworn to before me this Is
day OF June, lSO1.-J. ID. SLEMoNS Notarl
Public IN and for Silver Bow Co Montana.
In order that the foregoing may not be mis-
understood II is proper to say that the SAT-
LOana villa Melville made the statement
aforesaid at one time in the presence of Georg
OMalley and Jesse Il. Roote and ethers; AN,
at another time in the presence OF w, f., ELS