Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1912-02-08
SERVES I'M PRISON
TO SAVE WQMAN:
MAY GET PARDON

New YorlI-Special: Out Of the petit
ton OF FolEe Engel Brandt. now serv-
ing a 3O-year sentence. for the burglary
Of the home OF Mortimer l.. Schiff.
spring investigations and inquiries
which may result in scandal affecting
public officials and individuals.
Brandt, now finishing the fifth year
of his Ions sentence at Dannemora
prison. has asserted to Governor Dix
that he pleaded guilty TO the serious
charge against him for two reasons
First, he desired to save Mrs. NORTH
mer L. Schiff the embarrassment of APP
pearing as q witness in a Criminal court.
Second, he had received assurances
from persons in whom he had conf
dence that no matter what his sentence
might be, sufficient influence would be
brought to zeal to set him at liberty
within n very short time.
Brandt's Emphatic Denial.
Brandt. in prison at Dannemora
prison. denied his guilt to a representa-
tive of a New York paper.
II did not steal the two pins / was
charged with taking he said. Il did
not assault Mr.. Schiff, and further. l
Schiff the disgrace of appearing In
court"
Brandt declared emphatically:
II was told by the prosecution after
Indictment that if l you'd plead guilty
l woul be let off with one year in the
penitentiary, which / was willing to
serve to protect the woman
After my heavy sentence 1 was NJ
formed again that l would be released
within six months. and I have been
soothed with these promises every half
! year until l could stand 1T no longer.
I told my entire story to the prison
chaplain, who advised me to lay the
facts before the governor.
81 served less than a year in Sing
Sing when l was transferred to Danne-
mora. which is the prison for invalid
cOnvicts. l was then In perfect health
and / believe I was sent thus far away
from New York to render aid for me
more difficult. There Is on record in
the prison office a request from Mr..
Schiff's attorneys to be informed of any
action that MAJ be taken in my behalf
and of any visitors that l may have"
Brandt has been confidential clerk OF
tho prison for three years and eight
months, and wears four bars. on his left
coat sleeve, Indicating a perfect record.
He says his great desire for liberty is
aged parents live. He has been in
formed that his mother Is seriously i'll.
Brandt has no attorney so far as
known; he has no friends working for
him.. When District Attorney Whit
man visited the prison recently, Brandt
told him everything and depends upon
him for aid.
Chester A. Bayles, first attorney for
Brandt. corroborated the mans state
ment to this extent. He said Brandt had
told him that he must plead as he did
in order to save Mrs. Schiff from em-
barrassment.
In this he is borne out. too. by Carl
Fischer-Hansen. who also appeared for
the man and who read a letter written
by the man to Mrs. Schiff after his
II cnnfnnOn IN vyhfoh tho ~ thfvr 1vynn
expressed.
District Attorney Whitman declared
he could not discuss the case because
his discoveries were intended in con-
fidence for Governor Dix. Howard S.
Cans, private counsel for Mr.. Schiff,
declared among other things that any
information should come from the dis
trict attorney.