Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-01-10
PATRICK APPEAL
wins HIS FREEDOM
Stony of Family Woes While in
Prison Brought Pardon
From Governor.

II was a personal appeal from Al
bert 7. Patrick, written In his cell
In Sing Sing prison. 70 Governor Dix
OF New York state, tina. finally oaused
the prison doors to swing open to Pat
rick last Thanksgiving afternoon.
The letter was dated Nov. s, 1912.
In II Patrick made a strong and earn
est plea for his wife and family. He
wrote that his father had died Of apo
plexy while he was occupying a dun
geon cell; his mother, then II years
old, had become stone deaf. His
daughter. a young girl, had married
and the marriage had turned out bad
~. She had secured a divorce and
was again infatuated with a strip
ling, Patrick wrote.
Patrick wrote also that his wifes
tight for his liberty had made seri-
Gus inroads on her health. His wife
was informed, he wrote, that when
Governor DIX returned from abroad he
Intended to take up the pardon. This
disappointment 10 Mrs. Patrick was a
sad blow and It was pointed out that
aoI AAAo was AuApoEAAcu uulcbb uCT
anxiety was relieved.
Perhaps / need not tell you how
often we are approached by persons
claiming TO have evidence, influence
or power 20 sell when we have no
money or disposition TO buy. Hard
1y q day passes without a fresh at
tempt at thls," continued Patrick,
who added that his brother-in-law,
John T. Milliken, because OF Ill healh
and advancing years and family mis-
fortunes. will not be able TO continue
the fight as in the past.
The death OF his father and the ex-
pected dea'h Of his aunt are also men
toned The plea is likewise made on
account OF his mother, who. he says.
disposed Of all Of her property TO aid
In his defense. Patrick claimed IN
his letter that his enemies had re-
newed a newspaper campaign against
him and said he feared tina a preme.
ture announcement of the renewal of
his application might lead my enc.
meis to bring influence to bear upon
the governor which would embarrass
him 10 reject" Though he assures
the governor thai no reprisal would
follow his action.
After going over the legal conten
tons which he had made in his previ
GUS application he expressed his be
lief that the governor could do no act
of more lasting popularity or public
benefit than to declare his belief IN
his innocence. He claimed he did no
harbor any thought of retaliation
against any individual. Ia asking fol-
an unconditional Communication" in
stead OF a pardon, Patrick said tina
T. had been held that an acceptance
OF a pardon implied an acknOwledg
ment of guilt and would bar proceed
ings to securing a new trial or es
tAblishing his innocence.
81 wish to be free to establish IN!
innocence in court and afford thu
state an opportunity to try me agaii
for the murder Of Rice" wrote Pat
rick.
In his formal application made t
the governor a year before, on whicl
no action was taken, Patrick claimel
that Rice died a natural death from
old age and that the will was no
forged but was a genuine document
He contended that the evideace show
ed that he would never have been cor
victed had II been admi ted that IN
will was genuine and II he we're r,
leased he would be able to prove il
genuineness in the courts.
The papers go back to the applies
tion made to Governor Hughes in 1870
In his application was included a lie
ter from Edgar T. Bracket to the go
eraor saying.
u cannot shake Off the notion thu
an unlimited use OF money forced
conviction in q case where there wa
at least a very grave doubt"
II appears tina Lou V. Stephens,
former governor OF Missouri, had ais
urged Governor Hughes to take u
the case. The activities OF Clar
Bell. representing the Medico-Leg'
society, began with Governor Hught
and there are voluminous petition
and let ers from him, ending with q
offer to make Governor Dix an no
orary member OF the society and
petition from 5000 physicians is 4
cluded in the papers.
letter from William Conan
Church. foreman Of the grand jul
which indicted Patrick, says that /
was much dissatisfied with the ma
ner at the time in which the indie
ment was obtained and had becou
thoroughly convinced since that Pa
rick was not guilty OF the murder.