Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-02-26
Samuel Haynes Will Re-
main at Th0maston.
Governor and Council So De-
eide at Meeting Tuesday.
Legislative Printing Awarded ia
BurIeight & FIynt.

At the regular monthly meeting of
the Governor and Council Tuesday
State Senator Walter B. Clarke of
Portland appeared in behalf Of the pc
titioners for the pardon OF Samuel -.
Haynes. who is serving q life sentence
in the state prison at Thomaston for
the murder of James l.. Robbins, po-
liceman. in the lookup at Rockland, in
1879 This is the fourth time that
Gle m"ncv.
Clarke called Rev. john O'Dowd Of
Portland. formerly Of Rcckland. FIR.
O'Dowd, who was wcll acquainted with
Hsynes, having visited him many
times i'll the States prison. said he be-
loved that Haynes has cXpiatcd his
crime.
81 believe" continued FIR. O'DOwd,
that Ar Haynes is now a reformed
man and is thoroughly r"ncntant and
decnlv sorry for his crime | advocate
SGm Haynes pardon because after
several conversations with him / am
convinced beyond shadow Of doubt
that he --ill. il released, lead an eXem-
plary life. ! do not believe that Mr..
Haynes pardon or Communication of
sentence will 10 any harm to justice,
as believe that Justice in this case
ha:; hccn satisfied
Father O'roWd further said that he
tj,.iieEf4i that Haynes reformation was
permanently
at may be said, continued FIR.
ODowd, thai Sam Haynes might be-
come u public burden. why. Your Ex-
ccllency and gentlemen of the Council.
Sam Haynes could make any article
of furniture in this room if he were
given the tools and the lumber to work
with. and I should say that a man
able to do that would be able to earn
his own living and would not be de-
pendent. upon any one, even if he did
not have relatives who would care for
him. / honestly believe that if Sam
Haynes is pardoned that he will be a
credit 10 any community and will be-
come ar upright, honorable citizen
Mrs. Elizabeth Smith Little Of Lew
iston. daughter of the late Hillnan
Smith of Auburn. a former warden of
;ha State prison and who lived at the
prison for six years, told the Council
that she believed that Sam Haynes
had thoroughly reformed and that he
had eXpiated his crime. She said that
Haynes hal q cultivated mind. was
interested in philosophy and things
out Of the ordinary. She believed that
il 3 pardon WAS granted to Haynes
that he would be able to earn an hon.
est livelihood.
Nov, Mrs. Little questioned
County Attorney Howard. who ap-
pcared in opposition to the pardon.
''vou say that Haynes was an excm-
plary man while you resided at the
prison. do you know anything about
him % years ago."
"Nc." replied Mrs. Little II was not
acquainted with him - years ago
Col S. II. Rogers Of Detroit. Mich.
a wealthy banker. and brothcr-in-lnw
Of Haynes. stated that Haynes was
guilty of mansaughter only and should
never have been convicted of murder.
Gel. Rogers declared that the
friends OF Haynes brought the teSti-
mony of 40 or 50 persons who knew of
the case while the opponents had only
the testimony of persons not familiar
with it.
IF YOU err. gentlemen" said Col.
Rogers. err upon the side of mercy.
To err is human. to forgive is Divine.
You can lift this cloud which has
biackened the life of my wife, Mrs.
Rogers, the sister of Haynes. for 20
years in the interests of equity and
public policy
Attorney Clarke stated that the VAL
ne Of evidence should be weighed in
this case. He then proceeded to fay the
story written by Henry g. Trick"v in
the Boston Globe connecting Haynes
with the Elliott murder at Bangor and
scathngly arraigncd q Maine news
paper for what Attorney Clarke called
persecution of Haynes.
Phillip Howard Of Eockland, county
attorney of Knox county. who appear
ed in opposition to the pardon, called
upon Herbert L. Shepherd of Rock
port, who was a deputy sheriff of Knox
county when Haynes was captured.
Mr Shepherd stated that he had fol-
lowed the case very closely and he
was sure that it would be unwise to
give Haynes his freedom.