Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-07-21
RESIDENTS OF TWO STATES
WORK IN skAGcs' BEHALF
Former Employs Willing TO Retain
skasss' Services - Nebraska and
Iowa Officials Urge clsmsney-es-
Iisve Board Should Have Given Man
Opportunity to Make Good.
Special to Times-Republican.

~'AS~AsS0AsS
worked for nearly one year in Omaha
under an assumed name after nearly
losing courage in a fruitless search,
for work In Iowa. where he and his
prison term were known. has aroused
tremendous degree Of interest, has
set the people of two states at work
in Skaggs' behalf and has brought
down upon the heads Of the Iowa board
of parole volume of criticism that
must cause the members to squirm
from the pain.
The expression Of the general pub
Tic concerning the matter, where the
circumstances of Skaggs case have
become known. are fairly we'll set forth
by Mr.. Jay Burns, millionaire manu-
facturer Of Omaha. in whose employ
Skaggs was when re- arrested and TAX
en- back to Fort Madison. Mr.. Burns
today said:
Ska9gs Trustworthy Employe.
L have employed a good many men
and never had more earnest, en-
ergetic and apparently trustworthy en-
ploye. In nine months he lost but three
days. and he was given one voluntary
advance in position and pay after an
other, being in charge of the stock
at the time of his re-arrest, when they
came and took him away. / did not
know that he had been in prison until
this final move. but it would have made
no difference to me nor does it now.
This Noung man was doing his best
and no man with red blood in his veins
can fail to feel an interest in the case
at least to the extent of demanding
that he be given a chance to do his
best.
1T is we'll for the parole board to
preserve its authority, but l feel that
this young mans return to prison un-
der the circumstances is little short OF
outrageous. He was doing all that
could be done to make good under his
parole. and his recall IS discouraging.
Many former convict has realized the
difficulties in the way of securing hon
est employment and regaining lost po-
sition. and there will be enough of
them without having parole boards In
terposing unnecessary obstacles.
1T Is only natural that he should
desire to leave his native town and
state and scene of his crime. where the
conviction and sentence were brought
back to mind and where the stigma OF
the affair hung over him. and should
have sought, under new name, te
start life over again under more fav-
orable conditions"
Police Chief Urges cIsmsney.
Chief Of Police 6. P. F. Froom, OF
Council Bluffs, had Skaggs under his
care for some time after. his second
arrest and he studied his case thor
oughly. The chief. said today concern
ing the matter: THE case Is one In
which executive clemency should by all
means be extended. 1t is case where
everything possible from a humane
point of view, should be done to as
sist this young man in reinstating him
self in life
Chief F'room and others made an eff
fort to have the parole board issue
orders that Skaggs might be kept here
pending efforts at his release, and up
on this point Chief Froom says: Il be-
lieve that it was most unfortunate that
Skaggs should have to be removed
from here to prison. I would have
been willing to have detained him at
headquarters in Council Bluffs indefin-
itely. but it was beyond my authority
however willing I was, and I was
forced to give him up to the parole
secretary. I sincerely believe that
there should be no letup in the effort
to secure Skaggs final release from
prison. Here was case where the
authorities should have and could have
been more lenient In the enforcement
Of the law and been doing the public
real service This system can not
but result in harm and is doins much
to make confirmed criminals of men
instead OF reforming them. I am glad
to see that the case is receiving the
attention Of the public and that II Will
be but a matter of short time before
Skaggs is released and is given the
opportunity he reserves"
FaiiedNto Write Board.
Chief Of Police Dunn, Of Omaha.
said OF theecase: II always believed
that boards of parole were in existence
for the sole purpose Of helping the un-
fortunate along; that in a case IKE
this they were expected to use their
best Judgment and determine the most
successful way to better conditions for
the paroled prisoner, but l seem to
have been mistaken. There's just
one thing Skaggs didn't do and l be-
lieve that the Iowa board OF parole
was just small minded enough to let
that influence them. He didn't write
to them every month and tell them
Just how many times he had been to
church and few other personal
things. It is my idea that this hurt
their dignity and they would make the
hard working man-and he is a man
and of the truest type-suffer.
From my knowledge OF the law. the
Iowa parole board could easily have
allowed Skaggs to remain in Omaha to
keep on his successful road in life. 1t
might have bordered on the edge OF
their powers. but they are expected to
do everything reasonable and be leni-
ent in their efforts to make the paroled
convict successful. In this case can't
help but feel the Iowa board is delio-
erately and without reason destroying
the chances of human life and that
fair-m.nded men can not help but feel
ashamed to have such men in a posi-
ton as responsible as the one they
hold
Boards Critics Are Bitter.
Il mas been aI ued against eSNasss
by the friends Of the parole board. that
Skaggs should have written the board
asking permission to go to Omaha.
Yes indignantly urged one Of
skaggs' friends. "that would have been
= good idea ~ ne had had anw promise
whatever q having 4 eranteA, Witch
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