Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1914-02-27

ny near her home. The husband was
found dead with his head battered in.
A short time after her arrest Mrs.
Edwards gave birth to a negro child.
Negro Innocent
The woman later confessed that the
negro was innocent of the crime and
he was granted a new trial and ac-
quilted. Mrs. Edwards has five chill
dren, who are living in different parts
of the country.
Last night Secretary of the Com
monwealth Robert McAfee brought
Governor Teners pardon from Harris
burg and the woman's counsel took
her away from the Berks Jail at 4
o'clock this morning in a taxicab.
Mrs. Edwards, who had received nc
indication last night of her approach
ing liberation, was surprised when
aroused at a. m. and informed that
she was free. She had been provided
with a new outer coat, and this she
put on over the dress which she wore
in prison. She engaged In prayer, and
of all her belongings only took her
Bible with her. A waiting taxicab
took her to the depot. Accompanied
by her attorneys, she left for Phila-
delphia, where she was placed into the
hands of people who have offered her
good home in one of its charitable
institutions.
Mrs. Edwards has not seen her chill
dren since her Incarceration, almost
thirteen years ago, and she does not
know where they are.
''It was necessary to protect Kate
Edwards from those who wished to
exploit her and to assure her welfare
that the time of issuance of q pardon
and its tranmission to Reading should
be kept secret. The members of the
board decided upon this course, and
we do not know just where she has
gone, but the members of the board
have been assured that she will be
well tken care of and not become a
public figure" said Chief Clerk George
D. Thorn, Of the State Board of Par
dons, to-day, regarding the pardoning
of Kate Edwards.
when the board met ten days ago
letters and papers were presented
would be cared for and some addi-
tional information was desired. This
has been secured and the pardon has
been issued. That is all there is to
it," said he.
Pardon Was Expected
1t had been expected for two
months that Kate Edwards would be
pardoned. This was intimated in Jan
uary at the conclusion of the argu-
ment in her behalf, and at that time
her attorneys we're asked to furnish
the board with letters. These came
from Philadelphia and Reading peo-
pie who had taken an interest In the
case.
Last week when the board an
nounced that the case was held under
advisement it was publicly stated that
II a pardon was issued no one would
be Informed until after it had gone
out, so that the woman would be pro
tected. Since that time officers of the
board have refused to say whether the
desired letters had been received or
when the pardon would go out.
Reasons For Decision
The board first gives a history of
the various phases of the case before
that body, beginning with the appli-
cation for communication Of the death
sentence on May 10, 1902, down to it's
several refusals, and final refusal by
the board on June 2S, 1905, Just pre-
vious to which the warrant of execu-
ton had been recalled, and no sub
sequent warrant being issued, which
left the woman under sentence Of
death, with no time fixed for her exc
cution, no Governor taking action.
The board says:
Having considered all the facts