The Alaska citizen., 1912-10-28

jdiit@ T5bFdu Has been ldTtO0tu. The prison doors opened for the well kuoHu lawson and Seattle bar tender. recently in New Westminster. E. C S1orah was convicted first ol murder ia the first degree. Later this aas committed te life Imprisonment. And noW comes the pardon When he arrived in Seattle the two chil- drau that he had sent from Dawson at the time O; the tragedy. his two liF1D. mo'heriess children who were then mere tots saw their father for the first time in ten years The wei. come must have been a hearty one for when sIorah was convicted of crime Wi-h which fl later seemed he hai ro guilty connection. these two little children brought tears to the eyes ef the most hardened man hy that off repeated question in the innocent childish voice. When will fapa come homee"
 WHAT LED UP TO THE CRIME.
 Jimmy Siorah was a bartender in one of the variety theaters in Dawson in the palny days of the Klondike. Those were days when the dance halls were wide open. when gamb- ling was going on without interfer- encc. when the life of all the peo- pie was free and easy. Those were the days when honor and truth car ricd a man anywhere when his morals We're never questioned. when his private life belonged To him and 10 10 one else Those were the days Of the pioneers in real iron. tier town Slorah knew one of the dance hall girls. Pearl Mitchel. by name and hp knew her intimately There was nothing hidden in their relations There were none who questioned their intimate life which concerned them and no one else Pearl Mitchell lived in the Green Tree saloon on First avenue There was lodging house over head and the girl lived in one of the rooms over the saloon In the same house lived one Susie Vernon. who will eH- ter the tragedy of q mans life later.
 One morning. rather late. after he had completed his work in the saloon and variety theater. where he was tending bar. Jimmy Slorah went to the Green Tree saloon 10 see his inamorata.
 StORAH's VERSION OF IT.
 He and Pearl Mitchell had had some little misunderstanding, accord ing to the story of the man who was convicted for taking the life Of the unfortunate woman When he ar rived at the Green Tree the woman was already in bed Slorah seated himself on the edge of the bed, his back partly toH ard the door. This was the only entrance and exit to the room Suddenly. while still talk, ing to his choice of the femininity of the town he was struck over the head From that time on he re membered nothing until he came fo .ovcred with blood. lying across the bed of the woman who had in the meantime been killed by bullet which pierced her breast, The man had four or five wounds in his alp One, on the back of the head in such a position that it could not have been self-inflicted. nor could have been caused by fall, required several stitches. It was a GU: over four inches long. and must have been caused hy some weapon in the hands of third person, 5lorah testified that he had a faint recollection just before he lapsed in to unconsciousness of hearing the report of a pistol or a gun, but he had lost his senses completely and could not be sure.
 THE TRIAL AND CONVICTION.
 Sorah was arrested taken to the barracks of the Royal Northwest Mounted police, and held there charged with murder. The accused man sent for Leroy Tozier, the loca, attorney. and asked him to defend the case. Mir ToZier replied that he was an American lawyer and had never been admitted to the Canadian bar. and consequently could not de fend the man. There in the barracks in the presence of Leroy ToZier and Capt James Starnes. James Slorah told the story as related above. He said that he firmly believed that TO jury could find him guilty, and that once they heard his story the au thorities would release him from custody
 A jury was sworn. the witnesses examined. the testimony recorded and the verdict brought in was Guilty of murder in the first degree" One of the principal. if not the principal witness against the accused man was Susie Vernon. By those most familiar with the case, and in a pos ition to know fairly accurately the true state of affairs. it was said