Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1909-06-23
&c Mountaineer S
Pardon
Copyright, by J. 3. Llppincott Coz
BY John B. Darlington


The following incident is vouched
for by well-known lady Of Louis
vile, KY, who is niece OF ex-Gov.
Luke Blackburn Of that state, during
whose administration it occurred. Gov.
| Blackburn was a bluff, whole-souled,
kindly man, who made such free use
of his pardoning power as to gain con
siderable adverse criticism from his
political enemies. He appointed as
warden OF the penitentiary man OF
his own kindly instincts. On a GER
tain morning in early spring raw
boped yOu1g mountaineer presented
himself at the penitentiary and asked
to be shown through the institution.
| The warden, who was rather attracted
to the young fellows open face, took him
through in person, explaining the vari-
Gus details of prison life When the
inspection was over, the young fellow
said:
'Hev you got anything else in this
here town worth lookin' at?"
The warden directed him to the cap
itOl, the state arsenal, and the famous
old Frankfort cemetery. The. young
man thanked him, shok hands, and
turned away. In moment he came
back with the question:
What time do you close up here?"
eve close to visitors at five o'clock"
said the warden. Come back if you
find time"
oval, 1 reckon 1 WILL" said the
young fellow
4 few minutes before five he ap-
peared at the warden's private Office.
After some desultory conversation
the warden excused himself, saying
that it was time to close up.
81 reckon I'll stay with you awhile
said the mountaineer.
You can't do that, my friend" said
the warden, this isn't hotel" and
he gave the young man directions as
to desirable stopping places.
"Oh, reckon I'll stay here" inter
rupter the mountaineer; you see, 1
promised Jim / would"
WHO is Jim?"
"Oh, he's the sheriff up our way
Here's my papers,
He handed the warden the regular
sheriff's commitment papers, which
testified that the bearer, Bill -, was
committed to the penitentiary for two
years for malicious shooting.
why" gasped the warden, "these
papers seem to be made out in due
form. But tell me, when did you do
the Shooting, and why did not the
sheriff bring you here in persona"
To1 - L.
One night about three months ago
some of us feliers got a little gay
up there in Hazlan, and got to shootin'
round permiScus Jim kinder butted
in and as we wuz a-shootin', why,
some of us took crack at Jim.
kinder had the bad luck to pot him.
OF course, Jim's an old friend o. mine,
and l felt awful bad when | found
out next mornin' that I'd put bullet
through his leg. Jim had a pretty
hard time of it, and when l went
| round to see how he was a-gittin' on
he tole nae as how he was laid up
and couldn't put in his crops, and like
as not his wife and kids would go
hungry before long. So jest tole Jim
to arrest me so as he could get the fee
outer it He said he reckoned I'd have
to come down to Frankfort by myself
if he did, seem as he wuzn't fit to
travel. l tcle Jim that wuz all right,
jest to fix up the papers and l would
Come erlong peaceable like. So here
l be-"
Well" said the warden, ''it looks
like plain case. 1 reckon I'll have
to lock you up"
Sure; that's what 1 come here
fur"
That night the warden went over to
the governors Office and laid the case
before Gov Blackburn AT the con-
clusion the governor burst out:
by God! Warden, that's an honest
man. The state of Kentucky can't af-
ford to keep such as he locked up in
the penitentiary. I'll write him a
pardon"
The pardon was duly written and
signed, and the next day the noun
taineer was on his way back home
I'm durn glad of it," he said, in
telling the warden good-by, because
now I'll get back in time to finish
lookin' after Jim's crops fer him."
'ConceaIing the $4,000 in gold about
her person she tripped lightly to the
elevator and made her escape" read
the detective story. Considering that
$4,000 'fn gold" weighs about 100
pounds, it is easy to see how easily
it can be concealed" and how a
young lady can, with this load, "trip
lightly"