The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-12-18

1900 SSfAA0A. AhC WA0tS~@A0 A~A !
doning episode OF the hoard OF pardons
Of this state last week arouses curios-
ity as to its personnel. The query sug-
gests itself. why do these men presume
they have better knowledge Of the
facts and evidence than the Judge and
jury that sentenced these conyictsg
Even a casual study of psychology
should convince these estfmable gem
tlemen juries are VIGOROUSLY lenient to
malefactors, especially in murder cases
involving life and death, vet these fine
gentlemen take the responsibility upon
themselves OF setting free James Kelly
and Jos. Remington. two OF the most
despicable murderers IN the history Of
the state
We are enabled to speak Of the man
Kelly through intimate knowledge Of
every circumstance that led to his APP
prehension and conviction for the foul
murder OF Even Paulson, Mayville's
brave nightwatchman who was bru-
tally murdered by this man Kelly while
in the performances Of his duty as an
Officer, some seventeen years ago.
Law. Kellys accomplice and possibly
the more guilty of the two in having
harbored and supplied Kelly the means
for murder, was released some three
years ago because. forsooth, he was an
exemplary prisoner. in other words a.
snitch and lick-spittle of prison guards.
This is all in the main an exemplary
record In prison amounts to.
Kelly and Law robbed q Mayville
storehouse OF a cask Of port wine,
thought by them to be whisky, and
later returned to secure the whisky
they knew was there. While in the
storeroom Paulson approached the
door that showed tamperiug with and
opening 1t called for anyone secreted
therein to come out. The answer with
bullet from a Winchester rife
through the abdomen. The awful yells
of man thus mortaIly wounded re-
verberated and awakened and awak-
ened the town. Another rife shot
rang out and Paulson was silenced
forever, with a bullet through the
brain. delivered from q winchester
at close range by the man who ran
out OF the storeroom. From the prem
ises through an alley to under the de-
pot platform this man Kelly was
traced within the hour and taken TO
the jail. where in half drunken stupor
he repeatedly asked If he was taken
for a murderer when no mention OF a
murder committed had been preached.
Next morning the rifle was found
thrown by him behind a. screen Of
shrubbery in his flight, the noise of the
fall leading directly to his apprehen-
sion through the information Of the
family thus notified somebody was
passing, and looking out they saw a
man go under the depot platform and
so informed the authorities fifteen
minutes after. Cause and consequence
were never more closely connected
in solving murder mystery. The RI
fie was found to be one belonging to a
local meat market, where Law was en-
ployed, and the remains of the port
wine cask they attempted to burn was
found in an clubhouse, while the wine
itself was found In Laws quarters.
If ever men were found guilty in the
annals Of uncontrovertible circumstan-
tial evidence, Kelly and Law were
guilty of the murder OF Even Paulson,
and yet, yet-think of it-in the face
Of this damnable, conclusive evidence.
Law and now Kelly are pardoned and
given opportunity to again mingle
amongst men to repeat a dastardly and
brutal murder.
without knowledge of whom COM
prises the state board OF pardons, isn't
it time men were asking themselves
where American jurisprudence leads
to? What are we coming to anyhow?
The sickly sentimentalist who is OPP
posed to taking life in judicial way.
will continue to maintain his fanatical
attitude, we suppore. The dead, usher
ed into the great unknown unshorn
and unprepared, are dead. Often a mas
ty, cowardly murderer is the recipient
Of unusualattention, and as in cases
above noted eventually given freedom
Our board of pardons is probably COM
posed of the average man who placed
in position of arbiter loves to extend
clemency, for did not Christ on the
cross forgive the thief? He did. but
the fallacy of the men who comprise
the board OF pardons Is the comparison
is not compatible-any ground claimet
by them on the score would only NEE
with the contempt and scorn they de-
serve.
The remedy probably lies in a par.
don for capital offence being made
amenable to review by the state su
preme court men Of trained ability t
weigh and consider evidence. ans
above the cheap acclaim OF erring OF
the side of mercy.