The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1912-11-29
POStOffiCe Error Kept Pat
rick Waiting Hours.
ItARFUlLl SPEAKS OF WIFE.
RuSaed to Home In Auto For happy
Family Gather,ng-Pressed For
Statement. Patrick Says He'll
Make Extended One Later.


doorway of Sing Sing prison at 4:25
O'Clock yesterday afternoon a free
mau For the first time in the twelve
eventful years he was the shuttlecock
of the law, a moment before, he had
shown that he was capable of human
emotions. and that was when he had
said that he was going first of all to
the wife who was i'll and failing. Then
his ordinarily emotionleSS voice had
broken and his eyes had been su(fused
with tears. He was going to her. and
the great plans for the vindiration Of
his name would have to wait until aft
Pr he had greeted her. comforted her as
one who had returned from the grave.
lie was with his wife just one hour
and eighteen minutes after he stepped
through the prison door
An automobile which pressed the
speed limit very close brought him to
$50 Clermont avenue without stop,
and the elevator of the apartment house
was waiting to take him to the floor
where the woman who never lost hope
was waiting. A daughter, child when
Patrick came into the hands of the law
twelve years ago but now a woman
grown. was also waiting. but to her ii
was like meeting new relative; to the
other woman it was like the answer to
a prayer.
Pardon Went Astray.
Fate decreed that the last day of
Patrick in prison should be as eventful
as the other great days of his life. AS
If determined that the man should
never gain his freedom, it contrived
that the official pardon granted by Gov
ernOr Dix at 6 o'clock the night before
should 90 astray in the mail. The re-
suit of that was that instead of going
free at I o'clock in the morning he re-
mained a prisoner until after 4. and
then the fact that he got his freedom
In time to eat his Thanksgiving turkey
with his family was due TO the good
heart of Postmaster John McNally Of
Ossining, who not only searched the
mail during the day. in spite of it being
a holiday, but located the missent doc
ument at Peekskil in time to have 1t
reach its destination before the prison
closed for the day.
That meant long hours of waiting
and watching for many outside the
prison gate. and it also meant long
hours Of nerve racking delay for Pat
rick. chief orderly in the hospital, clad
In the gray of "lifer," knowing that
the fiat which gave him liberty might
arrive at any moment. But it may be
said that during all this time while
publicly the prison officials were con-
graduating him and privately, by
grapevine, the thousand men in the
prison were sending to him their con-
gratulations, the man never showed
that it was anything more to him than
days experience. Except for the
brief moment he gave way at the men
ton of his invalid wife, it was the
same old Patrick who had not hesitat-
ed to tell judges and governors that it
was not mercy but justice he was de-
manding; that he was either innocent
and therefore entitled to liberty or a
murderer who should be executed.
Hasn't Decided on Plans.
AS to plans, he could only say that
after his twelve years in cells he did
not feel himself competent to make an
extended statement One would come
in time, which would tell his plans to
vindicate himself. but not at present
At the same time he was most happy
most healthy and most grateful
The story of the release of Patrick
would not he complete without the
mention of Thomas Maher and the mar,
rative of what he has done. Maher a
member Of very good family at Peeks
kill, was convicted of forgery about six
years ago and was sentenced to ter
years Imprisonment at Sing Sing. His
sentence was cOmmuted and he was re
leased just one year ago yesterday fol
services he performed in aiding the
state TO uncover mismanagement in the
prison. Three of the five years hC
served were spent as a cellmate OF
the life history of the man who haC
been nearly five years in the dealt
house and had before him a sentenc,
of life Imprisonment.
When Maher was released he devoteC
his time to obtaining what he declared
was justice for Patrick. He got int
communication with John r. Millikel
of st. Louis, the wealthy banker broth
er-in-law of Patrick's, and Mr. MillikeI
retained the ex-convict to work for tn
man in prison. Maher was outside tn
door of the prison at o'clock yestel
day morning with his brother-in- Law
James Barker. wealthy merchant @
Peekskill. He waited there all the day
and clad in Mr.. Barker's fur overcoa
Patrick took his first ride as FIRE
man in Mr.. Barkers automobile to tn
city.
Told of Pardon Wednesday.
Patrick knew on Wednesday afte
noon that Governor Dix was to pardo
him. His wife called at the prison