The Detroit times., 1915-01-02
FROM GALLONS
TO LIFE TERM,
FREE IN 1916
Hale, Convicted of Killing of
Sweetheart's Husband, Given
Communication of Sentence
ACCUSED BY WIFE
OF SLAIN MAN
Impossible For Me To Have
Killed Him, Says Convict,
From Cell

LEAVONWORTH, Kan, Jan. L.
The prospect OF spending the balance
OF his life In Lansing prison was
changed to that of freedom within a
year for Howard Hale recently. He
is one of the few prisoners left at the
institution who came there with a
sentence to be kept at the prison for
one year and then hanged. The law
making life Imprisonment the penalty
for a capital crime saved him from
the gallows.
Hale was sitting on bench mend
Ing the spring In watch belonging
to a fellow prisoners when visitor
called.
Howard, the governor has com
muted your sentence to IL years fat,
he was told.
The man with a hang sentence
dropped a pair of pliers TO the stone
floor and the watch slipped from his
fingers. He leaned back in his, chair
and his blond boyish face went ashen
white.
i've been expecting something
would be DONE" he said, but | hard
ly dared hope | would be shown such
consideration. That will make the
date OF my release April IL, 1916"
Howard Hale was convicted in the
District court of Linn county OF the
killing Of Ora Ross. a young farmer.
The crime was committed the night
OF Dec. 10, 1903. April 8, 1904, Judge
Simons sentenced him. He was re-
ceived April IL, 1904 He was then
~ years old.
The crime for which Hale was con
victed was one OF the most sensa-
tional in that section Of the state II
was shown in the testimony that
Hale. an attendant at the Osawaomie
insane asylum. left the institution the
evening OF Dec. 10. He walked to
Paloa, hired livery team and drove
TO the Ross home, where he shot and
killed Ross. He remained at the
Ross home for several hours in the
company OF Mrs. Ross, former
sweetheart. and then drove to within
short distance OF Paola, where he
turned the team loose and made his
way on foot back to the asylum.
The next morning Mrs. Ross gave
news of the crime, and when the
word reached the asylum Hale asked
for leave of absence TO go to the Ross
farm to Offer consolation to Mrs. Ross
This request was granted and he
started on his journey.
a Something in the action OF Mrs.
Ross aroused suspicion, and thee Off.
GERS began pressing her for further
details. She finally admitted that she
knew the slayer and named Hale.
Upon his arrival Hale was at once
placed under arrest and taken TO the
jail at Miami. where formal charge
OF murder was placed against him.
Because OF her confession Mrs. Ross
was promised immunity.
Hale was sent to the Hutchinson
reformatory for burglary committed
in Linn county. Upon his release
from that institution he was paroled
to the superintendent OF the Osawat-
omie asylum. Upon his arrival at
Osawatomie he found that his former
sweetheart had welded Ross few
months before. She was then about
10 years old. With his return Hale
renewed the former friendship.
1T has been proved practically inn
possible for me to have committed
the crime In the manner the state 8
witnesses testified" said Hale. THE
Ross home was IL miles from the
asylum, and IL was proved that
was in my accustomed place at seven
o'clock on the night OF the crime.