The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1911-12-22
Protest Against
So Many Pardons
Think Men Should Commence to Ask
Themselves Where American
Jurisprudence Leads To

NJOuIudl, CUltOT AdV1u COu1u0uto
on the action Of the state board of
pardons in freeing and committing
the sentences of 81 inmates of the
state prison, in the following
terms:
The wholesale pardoning episode
of the board of pardons of this
state last week arouses curiosity
as to its personnel. The query
suggests itself. why do these men
presume they have better know.
ledge of the facts and evidence
than the judge and jury that SEN
fenced these convicts? Even a
casual study of psychology should
convince these estimable gentle
men juries are notoriously lenient
to malefactors, especially in
murder cases involving life and
death, yet these fine gentlemen
take the responsibility upon them
selves of setting free James Kelly
and Joseph Remington, two of the
most despicable murderers in the
history of the state.
We are enabled to speak of the
qnan Kelly through intimate
knowledge Of every circumstance
that led to his apprehension and
conviction for the foul murder of
Even Paulson. Mayville's brave
night watchman, who was brutally
murdered by this man Kelly while
in the, performance of his duty as
an officer, some u years ago. Law,
sKelly's accomplice and possibly
the more guilty of the two in hav-
ing harbored and supplied Kelly
the means of murder, was released
some three years ago because, for
sooth, he was an exemplary pris-
ouer, in other words snitch and
lick. .spittle of prison guards. This
is all in the main and exemplary
record in prison amounts to.
Kelly and Law robbed May
willie store house Of a cask of port
wine, thought by them to be
whiskey, and later returned to
secure the whiskey which they
knew was there. While in the
store room Paulson approached
the door that showed tampering
with and opening it called for any,
one secreted therein to come out.
The answer was a bullet from a
Winchester rifle through the alb
tiomen. The awful yells of a man
thus mortslly wounded reyerberat
ed and awakened the town.
Another rifle shot rang out and
Paulson was silenced forever, with
a bullet through the brain, de-
livered from Winchester at close
range by the man who ran out
of the store room. From the
premises through an ally to under
the depot 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 mur-
derer, when no mention Of q
murder committed had been
brdl dlkched.
Next morning the rifle was
found thrown behind screen Of
shrubbsry in his flight, the noise
Of the fall leading directly to his
\ apprehension through the infor-
nation Of the family thus notified
4 "a y . = l.
somebody was passing, and look.
ing ont they saw man go under
the depot platform and so in
formed the authorities Is minutes
after. Cause and sequence were
spever closer connected in solving
Il murder mystery. The rife was
d fonnd 10 be one belonging to q
& local meat market where Law was
\ emI yed, and the remains Of the
! lploit iias cask they attempted to
sg59 lbnrn was found in AN outhouse,
shile the wine itself was found III
81 ~ y qnsft ftsrs. 4 & ever men r.srs ''tsss