Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1915-04-09

track. About it, on two sides OF the
Kentucky river, sprawled the town OF
Frankfort; sleepy, more or less dishev-
eled at the center, and stretching to
shaded environs of colonial houses SET
in lawns Of rich bluegrass, amid the
shade Of forest treets. Circling the
town in an embrace Of quiet beauty
rose the Kentucky river hills.
Turning in to the gate Of the state
house enclosure, q 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 moment In the
rotunda, he entered the secretarys OF
flee Of the executive suite, and asked
for an interview with the governor.
Have you an appointment" the
secretary asked.
The visitor shook his head. Scrib-
bling a brief note on slip Of paper,
he inclosed it in an envelope and hand
ed it to his questioner.
You must pardon my seeming mys-
teriousness," he said, but If you let
me send in that note think the gov
ernor will see me-"
Once more the secretary studied his
man with slightly puzzled air, then
nodded and went through the door
that gave admission to the executives
office.
His excellency opened the envelope
and his face showed an expression of
surprise. He raised his brows ques-
tioningly.
"Tough-looking sort?" he inquired.
"Mountaineer?"
mo, 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
hills. Then, hearing 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 q moment, stood comparing
the name and the message with the
man who had sent them in. There
seemed to be in his mind some irrecon-
cilible 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 pardon. Whose
pardon is it, Mr.. South?"
MY own, sir"
The governor raised his brows
slightly.
Your pardon for what? The news
papers do not even report that you
have yet been indicted He shaded
the word yet" with a slight ephasis
II think 1 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 the
wildcat" from press dispatches was
warning with the pleasing personal
presence of this visitor Then his fore
head wrinkled under his black hair
and his lips drew themselves sternly.
you have come to me too soon,
SIR" he said curtly. 1.-The pardoning
power is thing to be most cautiously
used at all times, and certainly never
until the courts have acted. A case not
yet adjudicated cannot address itself
to executive clemency."
Samson nodded.
"Quite true" he admitted. IF I an
nounced that had come on the mat
ter Of a pordon, it was largely that l
had to state some business and that
seemed the briefest way of putting it."
Then there is something else?"
Yes. If it were only a plea for
clemency I should expect the matter
to be chiefly important to myself. In
point of fact, hope to make it equally
interesting to you. Whether you give
me a pardon in a fashion which vio-
lates all precedent, or whether l sur
render myself and go back to a trial
which will be merely a form of assas-
sination rests entirely with you, sir.
You will not find me insistent."
Then Samson launched into the
story of his desires and the details of
conditions which outside influences
had been powerless to remedy-be-
cause they were outside influences.
Some men Of sufficient vigor and COM
prehension. acting from the center of
disturbance, must be armed with the
power to undertake the house-clean-
ing, and for awhile must do work that
would not be pretty. AS far as he was
personally concerned, a pardon after
trial would be matter of purely aca-
demic interest. He could not expect
to survive the trial. He was at present
able to hold the Souths in leash. If
the governor was not of that mind he
was now ready to surrender himself
and permit matters to take their
course.
And now, Mr. South" suggested
the governor, after half-hour of alb
sorbed listening, there is one point
you have overlooked. Since in the end
the whole thing comes back to the eX-
ercise of the pardoning power, it is
after all the crux of the situation. You
may be able to render such services as
those for which you volunteer. Let us
for the moment assume that to be true.
You have not yet told me very i'm
portant thing. Did you or did you not
kill Purvy and Hollis?"
Il killed Hollis" said Samson, as
though he were answering question
as to the time of day, land l did not
kill Purvy."
Kindly" suggested the governor,
give me the full particulars of that
affair"
The two were still closeted when a