The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1912-03-07
Facts Versus Sentiment.
February 20, 1912,

printed very pretty bit of sentiment,
with Samuel D. Haynes as its hero.
Now | would like to see the facts of the
case laid before the public. Samuel D.
Haynes is no innocent victim of optic,
neither is he an abused martyr. Follow
ing is slight outline of his crimes:
Samuel D. Haynes was committed to
the State prison from the United States
court for robbing the mails, Dec. ID,
1872, under four years sentence. He
was discharged Aug. %, 1876.
Samuel D. Haynes was arrested Sept.
81, 1877, on the charge of felonicuslv
and burglariously breaking and entering
the residence of Samuel Darling at Pat
ten. He was armed with a knife. At
the February term of the Supreme court
he pleaded guilty to this charge. From
the Darling house he stole gold watch
valued at SIS, a gold chain valued at $40,
bank notes to the value of $75, a gold
watch valued at S25, and a gold chain
valued at S25.
County Atty, Jasper Hutchings mol
pressed that part of the Indictment which
referred to the stealing of the watches
and chains and Haynes was sentenced,
Feb. IA, 1878, to one year in the county
Jail in Bangor. The sentence was dated
back to Sept. %, 1877, and Haynes was
discharged Aug. %, 1878.
Samuel D. Haynes was arrested June
Z, 1879, on the charge of breaking and
entering the store of j. P. Wise, one of
series of robberies that had aroused
the people of Rockland Part of the
stolen goods were found at the house of
Haynes. He was never tried on this
charge, as while he was confined in Jail
he killed Patrolman Robbins. During
the trial for murder Haynes counsel adj
mitted that he was guilty of the burglary
with which he was charged.
Samuel D. Haynes was committed to
prison Sept. %, 1879, under life sentence
for the murder of James P. Robbins,
Rockland policeman. June 18th, Haynes,
while in the lookup, struck Robbins,
who was serving as keeper, over the
head with a stove shaker, the blow frac-
turing Robbins skull and causing almost
instantaneous death.
Since his Incarceration Haynes has
made desperate attempt to escape by
throwing pepper into the eyes of guard
and was shot through the body and very
severely wounded by another guard.
This is the man-one of the most des-
perate criminals ever confined at Thorn
aston-fo whom pardon has been sought
and repeatedly refused. The petition
set forth that the murder of Robbins
was nothing more than manslaughter, a
claim that was absolutely refuted by
County Attorney Howard of Knox Coun-
ty, who introduced the evidence of
Haynes himself, as given at the trial, in
which he stated that for ten or fifteen
minutes he walked up and down, trying
to screw up his courage to strike Robbins
with the poker that he had concealed in
his pocket. thus showing generalization.
These are facts, not romance or senti-
ment. The Herald says:
When the State of Maine refuses to
grant mercy to an old man, whose head
is white as the SHOWS of winter and who
has already passed quarter Of a century
in the living hell that we call prison"
it is almost enough to make one lose faith
in humanity.
That is rather strong language to use
regarding the State prison. Probably
no one thinks it the 'promised land for
the blessed" We do not claim it is the
abode where "the walks are of jasper
and the gates of pearl" where "the
gates are not shut at all by day, for
there is no night there" But whatever
its disadvantages, Samuel D. Haynes
had sufficient chance between Dec. IA,
1872 ard Aug. %, 1876, to decide whether
he liked there or not. And we preslhme
he liked prison life, for three years later
he committed murder and returned to
prison. The Herald says:
The Governor and Council have acted
as they deemed best. Their action meets
the approval of Hon. j. P. Bass and Hon.
Herbert L. Shepherd. But does it meet
the approval of the great majority of the
citizens Of Marie? We have too much
respect for the finer sensibiIities of our
fellowmen tobelieve that it does.
10 offer personal opinion, l think
the great majority do approve, for
six times has their petition come before
Names Governor and Council and been
refused. We presume the Herald alludes
to Governor Plaisted and his Council, but
although they certainly did what they
deemed right and best. it is not what
they alone think best and right, but the
same convictions of conscience and prin-
ciple which influenced Governor Plasted
and his Council had previously influenced
Bert M. Fernald, VIM. T. Cobb and
others with their respective councils.
Quite number in all, and we can only
assume that the ''great majority" ap-
prove of man when they elect him