The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1909-05-06

modern city he was willing to talk
about the crime Of which he was ac-
cused
1T was about o'clock on the even
ing OF December 23. 1885," he said,
that was sitting in my shanty boat
on the bank of the Allegheny river
This was on the Amsterdam side about
one and half miles below Tarentum.
where the murder occurred Two men
called me from the boat house and
wanted to borrow row boat. did
not know the fellows very well. One
was named Griffith and he lived some
where on Penn avenue. near the point.
The other fellow did not know so
well.
Il let them have the boat. They
said they wanted to row across the
river. At least that was my impress
sion that they wanted to cross the
river, but they started. as I thought,
down the river. / paid very little
attention to them, and learned af-
terwards that they went up stream.
1t was quite while after that they
returned. don't know Just the hour
They had broken one of the oars and
had damaged the boat.
Il told them the damage would cost
them several dollars to repair. They
said that they had no money, but Of
fered me a watch, chain and brace
let. I accepted them and gave the
matter no more thought until / learn
ed OF the robbery and murder. I had
no difficulty in connecting the links
of the affair and hid the jewelry that
they had given me. s
TT was later learned that my boat
had played a part in the cast. and ]
was arrested. / can hardly explain
why but did not tell what had occur
| red between me and the two men
nor did give the officers the name oi
| the man knew. I did, hoWever, tel
them where the jewelry could bt
found, and this seemed to cinch the
evidence against me.
"Yes, / know now that my fat'
would have been very different hat
l not withheld part of my stor!
until 1t was too late. Then / had al
opportunity to escape from the jai
before my trial was held but de-
I Iliberately refused. / had been in tn,
Jail here but a short time when
was placed in a cell adjoining tina
occupied by Fftzsimmons, who was be
ing held on the charge of killing De
tective Gilkinson. Fitzsimmons save,
two bars from the window and callet
me to come out with, him. refuse'
to go. ..s
THE following day when the es
! cape was discovered, the officers de
clared that he could not have crawl
ed through SO small hole. insiste
that he could and did go through II
To prove my point got through il
the presence of the officers and wa
a larger man than Fitzsimmons.
Enever tried TO get away or interfer
with the officers in any way until
found that / was going to bear tn
entire brunt. 1t was then too late
land was convicted of murder in tn
first degree.
THE death warrant was signed b
two governors, but the efforts of m
friends succeeded in obtaining com
mutation of senter ce and I was sen
to the penitentiary for life. Many at
tempts have been made to obtain m
pardon but to no avail. The las
strenuous effort was prior to the sue
cessful one and was made about seve
Iyears ago. ..'
Il had about given up hope until
lrecived several letters from friend
and people who knew something {
the case. Letters from Judge Mage
Rev. DIR. Donohue and Judge McKeu
ma had much to do with my pardon
Thought DIR. Donohue died sewers
Years ago, he wrote a. letter before HI
death that prompted the last and sue
cessful effort for my release.
1.-THE failure of the farmer attempt
was due largely to the oppositio
made by Paul Rudert, husband of tt
woman who was murdered. He or
posed every movement for my re
, lease from the beginning"
Killen's pardon was taken UP
earnest when F. M. Hughes and \
. j. Connolly called at the penitentiar
, for the purpose of instituting steI
! for the pardon of former Councilma
: William A. Martin. Killen and Mart
) were close friends and the life man e1
! pressed a desire to have a talk wit
! the men. They took up his case ar
secured his pardon.