The San Francisco call., 1910-04-19
FIRST TASTE OF LIBERTY
UNL0CKS SEALED LIPS
Simply Told Tale of a Lads
Struggle Against the World
Makes Dramatic
Narrative
HUNGRY BOY STOLE TO
GET MONEY. FOR A MEAL
Especial Dispotch 10 The CALI
Copyright, 1910, by Walter P. N


q 7. PAUL, Mimi, April 18.-John
Carter told his life story to Z
Call correspondent this evening
Immediately after he was liberated
from the Minnesota state penitentiary
when he had returned to freedom in
body as in spirit, as he said in his
poem which he wrote yesterday in his
cell.
He told the story after what was his
longest day in prison, though he left
there at $40 p. m. The board OF
pardons Saturday commuted his 1C
year sentence to terminate today, the
prisoners twenty-fourth birthday. He
had served 4 years and 10 months.
Waiting for Pardon
Carter, who had spent sleepless
night, was expecting the receipt of
the communication papers at an early
hour, but the time dragged on as it
had never dragged before when hour
after hour passed and the papers did
not come. They had been given to
]. A Preus, secretary TO the pardon
board and executive clerk to the
governor, but Preus did not start
from the capitol until / O'Clock. 1t
Is an hours ride by streetcar to the
prison at Saltwater.
After Preus arrived there were what
seemed to be an endless number of
formalities to be attended 10. and
Carter, who then had donned black
sack suit in place OF the gray check
garb he had worn so long, waited.
There were no friends with him save
the warden, who has been a good one
10 him. and several newspapermen he
had come to know quite well in the
last week since the outside world be-
came interested in the young poet. The
warden wanted Preus to see the new
prison, which is in course of construc-
ton.
Again Free Man
DO you want to come aIong?" the
warden asked Carter. Did he, want to
go? Did he. who had not seen beyond
the prison walls for nearly five years.
want to go? He needed no second in
vitation. So the three got into the
wardens automobile and they sped out
through the strange. kind world" and
the sun smiled down upon him. The
new prison, however, interested him
less than il did Preus
II was $40 p. m. when Carter. Preus
and two newspapermen boarded a car
for ST. Paul The hours ride was
across rolling, partly wooded country
in which the green early grass was
dotted by untimely SHOWS along the
shores OF pretty lakes Carter stood
on the rear platform of the car and
smoked and answered briefly what his
inquisitive companion asked him. He
volunteered no comment.
feIIs Story of His Life
In the city he went first to the Office
OF former Judge John w willis. who
worked so hard to get him free. but
the judge had gone home to dinner.
so Carter dined IN a restaurant and
there told for the first time the facts
Of his eventful life, his school days in
England, in college, in a London bank.
his journey TO America in search of
health. his unhappy experiences on a
Canadian farm. his unsuccessful search
for permanent employment in winni-
peg, his desperate experiment of bum
ming his way to .'the states" his crime
and the exciting events that followed,
his prison life and the development
of the talents that have distinguished
him
It's rather hard for me to look back
across the years. he said. ''and re-
trace events that seem so very remote
Everything and everybody conspired
to force me into drinking. My father,
who died when was 3, was a
bank cashier: my grandfather, by whom
! was adopted. was a manager, as was
his father before him. Nevertheless
my education at a preparatory school
and at weymouth college was classical