The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-01-03
They Were Given Freedom for
Christmas Gifts.
NOT ANNOUNCED TILL TODAY
Mark and Ed Newton of Barber
County Among Them.
Barnes and Davis Of Dodge City
Go Free.
Murder Convicts Paroled.

GAuEUCE OOuV1CI5 EdEOAc0s
Frank Barnes, Ford county.
Ed Davis. Ford county.
Joe Restivo, Cherokee county.
Mark and Ed Newton, Barber county.
Al Shrewsbury, Franklin county.
Acension Reynos, Sedgwick county.
Leland Roberts, Graham county.
sentence committed.
]. B. Shane, Douglas county.
jerry Carpenter, Wabaunsee county.
Mine murder convicts doing time I'm
the Kansas penitentiary at Lansing
have been paroled by Governor Stubs
as result OF the parole field day.
held December q in the governors Of
fee in the state house Among these
paroles are the cases of some of the
most famous murder cases in Kansas
in recent years.
The paroles granted to the ten muir
der convicts are only a portion of ths
paroles issued by the governor as a
result of the all-day hearing held last
month. In addition to the executive
clemency in the felony cases. raroIes
nave been issued to a score of persons
convicted OF minor crimes. Practically
all or the persons who received clemen-
cy at the hands of the governor are
nrst term prisoners.
Newton Boys Go Free.
AT the governors OFFICE +oda.- -.
mace public the parole granted to Marx
ana Ed Newton, the two Barber county
ooy murderers. They were sent to the
state penltentiary for life imprison-
ment in October 1904 Because oT +ba1,
age at the time the crime was com
mitted Governor Stubbs granted tber,
paroles on the arguments Submitted in
their case last month.
Mark Newton was but IT years Old at
the time of the killing. With Ed New
ton, his elder brother the how had a.
tended revival meeting at a countrv
school house near Medicine Lodge AZ
ter the meeting the boys engaged in
a controversy with an old man regard
ing religious matters. Young Newton
became enraged and struck the old man
with a neck yoke. Perhaps he struck
the man harder than he had intended
ana his anger changed to fear In the
rear that he might be detected of the
assault, he battered the mans head
with the neck yoke. Then Ed Newton
assisted his younger brother to throw
the lifeless body of the old man into a
nearby pond
Both boys were convicted Of first de-
gree murder. They were sentenced TO
life Imprisonment. But because of
their tender age at the time of the kill
ing, much sympathy for the young men
has been shown in Barber county and
many well known men in that portion
of the state had urged the issuance of
a parole
Clemency for Harvest Hands.
Frank Barnes and Ed Davis, con-
vfcted in August, 1901, for the murder
of man in the railroad yards at Dodge
City, are to leave the penitentiary this
week as the result of a parole granted
by the governor. The two men were
harvest hands in western Kansas at the
time of the killing.
n1nA
dered in the railroad yards at Dodge
City. Circumstances pointed to the
guilt of Barnes and Davis and they
were arrested. There was always a
doubt in the minds of many Ford
county people concerning the guilt
of the two men, but they were con-
vtcted of the crime and sentenced to
life imprisonment. That was IL
years ago.
Before his death the late Congress-
man Ed Madison took an interest In
the case and urged that the men be
given their freedom. Then Madison
died and the matter dragged along unr
til it was revived at the recent hear
ing. Because of the uncertainty OF
the mems guilt and because of the
fact that they have already served
more than IL years in states prison,
Governor Stubbs granted the men a
parole.
other Murder Paroles.
Six additional murder paroles have
been granted by the governor since
the recent hearing. Leland Roberts,
convicted of second degree murder IN
Graham county in December, 1906,
asked for a parole. Roberts killed a
neighbor in a controversy which grew
out of a business transaction. The
governor declined to grant Roberts a
parole, although he has had his SEN
tence commuted to 20 years imprison-
ment.
AL Shrewsbury, convicted of second
degree murder in 1910, has been pa
rolled. He was sent up from Frank
lin county. Schrewsbury's mother is
entitled to most of the credit for the
young mans liberty. She was the
first person to appear in the COVER
nor's office the day parole applications
were heard. So earnestly did the lit
tie woman plead for her boys free
dom that Governor Stubbs decided to
give the young man a chance.
eff he doesn't make good, COVER
nor" said Mrs. Schrewsbury, as she
left the chief executives office, ''let
me know. 1 will have him put back in
again"
And Governor Stubbs declares there
was something in the twoman's tone
that indicated that she meant every
word she said
Joe Restivo, a Mexican was sent up
rom Cherokee county in 1901 Rest -
with his father-in-law. They
disagreed concerning family affairs and
n the quarrel, Restivo killed his Wifes
'ather Now Restivo has served II years
ind is to have his freedom Ascension
2eynos. an Italian, was convicted of sec
md degree murder in Sedgwfck county in
october 1909 and sentenced 20 the peni-
entiary for term of from ten to thirty
ears. He IS among the men to receive a