Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1910-04-21
CONVICT POET
GIVEN FREEDOM
John Carter, sentenced by Judge
;sGrindeiand to Ten Yeas at Still
water for Burglary Committed at
karIstad, Has Sentence COMMITTED
by Pardon Board.

>e>s@ ASsS~N1
by the state pardon board on Mon
day, April 18th, the oath anniversary
Of his. birth.
During his confinement the young
man has shown himself to possess
poetic genius Of a very high order,
and he became frequent contributor
to the Prison Mirror and to many of
the leading magazines of the country.
The excellence of his writings attrac-
ted the attention of literary men,
especially the editor of the Century
who published one of his poems en-.
titled "Con Sordini," with Muted
Strings). Many Of those who recog
nized his ability interested themselves
in his case with the result that his
sentence was cOmmuted by the state
pardon board. Judge Grindeland who
was the trial judge and who sentenced |
the young man to the penitentiary
was one of those who greatly interest
ed himself in securing his release.
The sentence was rather severe one,
taking into consideration the youth
fulness of the offender and all the
circumstances in connection with the
crime, but under the law as it then
existed Judge Grineland had no other
choice than to impose the sentence
that he did. The Judge has had Sc
| veral letters from Carter, asking his
good Offices to get released from pris-
on. These letters are written in the
choicest English, and give evidence
of education and culture on the part
of the writer. In none of them does
he make any complaint on account of
his imprisonment, but takes his
t punishment like q man, and
expresses a determination to lead an
honest and useful life in the future.
There is much of interest and
pathos in connection with John Car
1ers' career. He comes from we'll
connected though poor family in Eng
land and was given a good education.
The name, John Carter, is not his
real name, but one assumed to shield
his family. After leaving school the
boy was given employment in bank,
but 'otice work proved too confning
and not to his liking. He was then
at the age of 19 years sent to Canada
) tD work at tz1ming and make his
own way in the world, but young and
inexperienced as he was at that kind
of work he failed to make a success
of it. He decided to leave Canada
: and attempted to "beat" his way to
; N Minneapolis nm the 500 railway. He
/ was put Off the train at Karlstad, a
: l.sman station in kittson county, and
here he was without money and with
ttout friends, and hungry at that, hav
ing had nothing to eat for 36 hours
He broke into the depot and stole
S24 from the till and a watch. He
acted on a sudden impulse and car
give no reason now why he did it. AS
There was a family living in the sec
ond story and as Carter had a knife
On his person, the offense was burg
larry. Carter was captured and plead
ed guilty to this charge, the penalty
FOR which was ten years without dis
cretion on the part of the court
| | h se ;
been employed partly in the prison
library, catalogueing books and assist
ing in the publication of the Mirror
He is also pianist and plays clario
net in the prison band. His spare
time was devoted to reading and stor
ing his mind with knowledge. Hi
poems, he says, were written "to Kill
time and ease my unhappy thoughts.
The poem Ballad of Misery an,
Iron' won him especial recognition
and was the one that caused man,
prominent persons to interest them
selves in his behalf. The verses rea,
as follows:
Haggard faces and trembling knees,
Eyes that shine with weakling'
hate;
Lips that mutter their blasphemies,
E Murderous hearts that darkly wait.
There were they who were men Q
late,
Fit to hold plow or a sword,
If prayer this wall will penetrate,
Have pity on these, my comrades
Lord.