The Lafayette advertiser. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], La.) 1865-19??, 1909-08-27
755e Mountaineer S
Pardon
D., H. u C
By John B. Darlington
Copyright. by ]. B. Lippincott Coz

NSOpyIl6Ht Ny y. ID. AipplllCOll SO.l
The following incident is vouched
for by . well-known lady Of Louis
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
his own kindly instincts. On q GER
tain morning in early spring a raw.
bOned young mountaineer presented
himself at the ~penitentiary Inc 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' att"
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 a moment he came
back with the question:
What time do you close up here?"
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 desuitory conversation
the warden excused himself, saying
that it was time to close up.
Il reckon Ill stay with you awhile"
said the mOuntaineer.
You can't do that. my friend" said
the warden, this isn't q hotel" and
he gave the young man directions as
to desirable stopping-places.
"Oh, l reckon III stay here" inter.
rupter the mountaineer; you see, l
promised Jim | would"
Who is JIM"
"Oh, he's the sheriff up our way.
Here's my papers"
He handed the warden the regular
sherif'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 q 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 q bullet
through his leg. Jim had a pretty
hard time OF it, and when | went
round to see how he was a-gittin' on
uc LUic lie dS uOW lie was ldlu 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 1t. 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 tole Jim that wuz all right,
jest to fix up the papers and l would
come erlOng p~eaceable like. So here
I be-"
Well" said. the warden, lit looks
like a plain case. l 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 God! Warden, that's An honest
man. The state of Kentucky can't at
ford to keep such as Is locked up in
the ~penitentiary. III 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."