Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1909-05-20
755e Mountaineer' S
Pardon
By John B. Darlington

NSopSflSnt, by j. Is. l-lpplncott Coz
The following incident is vouched
| for by well-known lady of Louis.
| Vile, KY, who is niece of eN-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 a man OF
I his own kindly instincts. On a GER
| tain morning in early spring a raw
| boned young mountaineer presented
himself at the penitentiary and asked
| to be shown through the Institution.
| The warden, who was rather attracted
to the youngfellow 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.
ltol, the state arsenal, and the famous
old Frankfort cemetery. The young
man thanked him, shok hands, and
turned away. In a moment he came
back with the question:
What time do you close UP here p"
I'VE close to visitors'at five O'Clock. /"
said the warden. Come back if YOU
find time
wal, l reckon l WILL" said the
young fellow.
A 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.
Il 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, l reckon I'll stay here" inter
rupter the mountaineer; you see,
promised Jim l would"
who is Jim?"
ooh, 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 person."
Wal, you see, it was thiser way.
One night about three months ago
some of us fellers got a little gay
up there in Hazlan, and got to shootin'
round permiscu's. 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, Jims 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 | went
| round to see how he was a-gittin' on
he tole me as how he was laid up
and couldn't put in his crops, and like
as not his wife and kids would 90
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 seein' as he wuzn't fit to
travel | tole Jim that wuz all right
| jest to fix up the papers and | would
come erlong peaceable like. So here
| be-"
Well" said the warden, sit looks
like plain case. | reckon I'll have
to lock you up"
Sure; that's what l 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 Cod Warden, that's an honest
man. The state of Kentucky can't at
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 goodby, because
now I'll get back in time to finish
lookin after Jim's crops fer him..
| Nperotor Cot Q,,e,