The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1911-07-21

came with Mr.. Hayes to take the
aged convict to a real home in Chi
cago.
Klingbeil stabbed his hired man in
the stomach on his farm at Grant
City these long years back. After
! thirty years his mind and his mem.
DRY wavered back to that scene as
Warden Wolfer told him yesterday of
his pardon. To make his words
heard Mr.. Wolfer had to draw the
little old mans head close to his
| lips.
you are to be pardoned today,
Klingbeil," said the warden, with his
arm about his shoulder.
| The little man shook his head as if
TO jar the information farther in, and
peered up into the wardens face
with half intelligent smile.
"Eh?"
The warden repeated the news.
i The convict gave no verbal express
sion of his feelings. However, he
went back thirty years into his his
tory and told, as he probably has
told himself every night in his cell,
the story of the stabbing.
II found man in my home" he
said. when | reached for my wife
to draw her away he struck me over
the head and my stepson jumped on
me- | never would have done it if
hadn't been drinking, but | pulled
knife and stabbed my hired man
in the stomach. Sorry? Oh. very
sorry, but they would not let me
alone"
The convict was asked how it felt
to be free He showed his black
teeth in grin and pressed his hands
to his heart. "I'll be good after
leave" he said. 81 will never do
anything wrong. l never got into
trouble before-had taken out my
first papers and had always tried to
be good citizen.
1T was the 18th day of the month
when | came here in November, 1882,
and now it is the 18th day of the
month when they let me go, but l
have been treated we'll. Every guard
has been good to me and | have lots
of friends here"
From his earnings Klingbeil, in adj
ditiOn to the $414 standing to his
credit, has sent his daughter $3.50.
BY his first wife he had nine chill
dren. Three died in the old country
before he came to America in 1867.
In two weeks a scarlet fever cpl
demic in the neighborhood of Still
water took from him four more chill
dren. One died at birth. The re-
manning daughter, the one who is to
make a home for him now, was only
slip of a girl when he committed
the crime.
For a couple of years after
came here" Klingbeil said, Il worked
eleven years l was in the brass foun-
dry; then / spent a couple of years
in the shoe factory. l was coming
down flight of icy stairs one day
when | fell and struck my head. For
year I was in the hospital and
began to grow deaf. For another
year l worked in the green house,
planting flowers and making them
grow"
His face frightened. 81 did good
work there" he said. Twelve years
ago they put me to work in the din
ing room, putting on and taking off
dishes, but the carpenter work l like
best of ALL
While he has been in prison King
bell has seen many reforms in the
first came all convicts were graded
alike. No special privileges were
granted for good behavior. Twenty
years ago, Immediately after Mr..
Wolfer took charge and began boost
| ing for a relative system of treat
ment, the different grades were es-
tablished. From the outset Klingbeil
belonged to the first grade and War
den Wolfer, when asked for infor-
nation by the pardon board, told
them that the convict had always
been true to the requirements of the
| highest grade. 1t was under Cover
nor Merriam that the conditional
pardon system was inaugurated, out
of which has grown the present pa
role system. The latest development
in this progress in prison reform is
| the indeterminate sentence law pass
ed by the last legislature.
| Klingbeil weighs hardly 100 pounds
and is not more than five feet tall.
His complexion is yellow and his gen.
| eral condition touched by no specific
disease but weakened by senility. At
the time of his crime his lawyer
pleaded guilty for him and he was
given life sentence.
The conditions of the pardon which
Mr.. Hayes took to the prison are
| that the son-in-law shall provide a
| home, shall make affidavit that he
will care for Klingbeil while he lives.
The Mankato Fruit Commission
company this morning received a car
load Of fruit from New Castle, CAL,
and on opening it found that it had
been entered somewhere en- route
and some of the contents stolen.