Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1915-03-04


much secrecy, returned true bill, and
a day later a considerable detachment
OF infantry started ON dusty hike up
Misery. Furtive and inscrutable Holl-
man eyes along the way watched them
from cabin doors, and counted them.
They meant also to count them coming
back, and they did not expect the
totals TO tally.
Back Of an iron spiked fence. and
dusty sunburned lawn. the baTrack-like
facades of the old administration
building and Kentucky state capitol
drowned on the street and railroad
track. About It, on two sides of the
Kentucky river, sprawled the town of
Frankfort; sleepy. more or less DISNEY
eied at the. center, and stretching to
shaded enVirons of colonial houses set
in lawns of rich bluegrass, amid the
shade of forest trees. Circling the
town in an embrace of quiet beauty
rose the Kentucky river hills.
Turning I'm to the gate of the state
house enclosure, a man, who seemed
to be an easterner by the cut of his
clothes, walked slowly up the brick
walk, and passed around the fountain
at the front of the capitol. His steps
carried him direct to the main en-.
trance of the administration building,
and, having paused a moment in the
srotunda, he entered the secretarys Of
flee of the executive suite, and asked
for an interview with the governor.
"HaYe you an appointment? ?" the sec
retaTy asked.
The visitor shook his head. Serb
bling abrief note on a slip of paper, he
Enclosed 1t ia an envelope and handed
tt to his questioner.
You must pardon my seeming mys-
nervousness" he said. but if you let
tIae send In that note think the gov
ernor will see me-"
Once more the secretary studied his
imam with a slightly puzzled air, then
nodded and went through the door that
gave admission to the executives Of
ice.
His eXcellency opened the envelope
aud his face showed an expression of
Surprise. He raised his brows question
tngIy.
~RSugh-IooEing sort?" he inquired.
HMountaineer?"
"NS, sir. New Yorker would be my
guess. Is there anything suspicious?"
Il guess not" The governor laughed
"Rather extraordinary note, but send
him in."
Through his eastern window the
governor gazed off across the hills of
South Frankfort, to the ribbon of river
that came down from the troublesome
bills. Then, hearing a movement at his
back, he turned, and his eyes took in
"a well-dressed figure with confidence.
inspiring features.
He picked up the slip from his desk
and, for a moment, stood comparing
the name and the message with the
iInan who had 7ent them in. There
seemed to be in his mind some irrecon
cilable contradiction between the two
With a slightly frowning seriousness
the executive suggested:
This note says that you are Samson
South and that you want to see me
with reference to a pardon. Whose
NaTdon is it. Mr. South"
my own, sir"
The governor raised his brows
slightly.
your pardon for what? The news
.Yapers do not even report that you
have yet been indicted" He shaded the
word yet" with slight emphasis.
Il think have been indicted within
the past day or two I'm not sure my
self"
The governor continued to stare
The impression he had formed of tn
wildcat" from press dispatches wa
warning with the pleasing persona
presence of this visitor Then his fore
head wrinkled under his black hair an
his lips drew themselves sternly.
You have come to me too soon, sir,
he said eurtly The pardoning powe
Is a thing to be most cautiously use
at all times. and certainly never unit
the courts have acted. A case not We
adiudicated cannot address itself to 81
ssntiye eleneney"
Samson nodded
quite true" he admitted Of / al
nonnced that had come on the matte
of pardon. it was largely that ha
70 state some business and the
~semed the briefest way OF putting it
s'rhen there is something else?"
yes. IL 1t were only a plea fC
cIsmency | should expect The matte
20 be chiefly important to myself.
point of fact, hope TO make IL equal
interesting to you Whether you civ
me a pardon in a fashion which vi
hates all precedent. or whether So
render myself and go back to a tri
which win be merely a form Of ASA
stnAtion rests entirely with you, 81
YoR will not find me insistent.
Then samson launched into Il
story OF his desires and the details
conditions which outside influences
had been poBerless to remedy-b