The Mena weekly star., 1916-06-01
MOTHER GOT PARDON
 FOR ERRINC BOY"
Though seventy Years Old She Walked loo Miles to See Gov orner Hays-Son Wants
 to start Anew.

Little Rock, May 26 Mrs. Mary
 Gabbert, aged 70 years walked from Dermott. one hundred miles to Lit
 tie Rock, arriving Thursday morn
 ing with her s-year-old grandson,
 to make a plea for the pardon of her son, T. ]. Gabbert. She had been on the road two weeks, stop ping on the way to do washings and other work to pay her expenses.
 The governor had already had considerable correspondence about the case, and was familiar with the circumstances. After hearing the aged womanss plea for her boy the governor granted the pardon. But she could not deliver it in per- son. as he was at the state camp near Tucker, in Jefferson county, and 1t was forwarded to him there. He is expected to arrive today for his faithful old mother and his son.
 Gahbeft was convicted in Ashley county. August 20, 1915, of grand larceny, and sentenced to three years. Petitioners declare that this was his first oifense, and that pre- viously he had always borne a good reputation. He has a family de- pendent upon him, and the old mother who has suffered untold hardships in providing the barest necessities of life. Even though he be guilty of the crime for which ne is now suffering, say the petition CTS, there is no doubt but that heI has suffered sufficiently, and a par don now might work a complete reformation, where further punish ment might work the reverse. We believe that if he is permitted to go free and return to the support of his family and mother he will make a good citizen"
 In personal letter to the govern or begging for clemency. Gabbelt admitted his suit, and told the foi-
 lowing story of the circumstances:
 T had been down sick nearly two months during the Spring, and when l finally recovered enough to get out of bed, was out Of work and money. and my family faced starvation. I tried to get work. until there was not a bite to eat in the house, and not cent to buy 1t with. As
 looked upon my family starving, and plenty to eat all over the coun- try. l think 1 must have gone mad II broke into mans store and took from 1t groceries valued at S26, and
 took a one-horse wagon and a horse to carry them away. But the man from whom the horse and wagon were taken were particular friends Of mine, and each had once told me
 that if ever needed the horse or
 wagon, t0 go ahead and use them. and say nothing to them about it. Relying on this. l took the horse and wagon with the full intent of re- turning them as soon as | got the
 groceries away. But I was diseov- cred and arrested before I could re- turn them, and accused of stealing
 them The parties who owned them
 asked that l should not be prose- Icnted, but others pushed the charges and l plead guilty for the reason that l feared they would try 10 i'm lplicate the owners of the horse and wagon in some way But I have been told that they have come out boldly and told the truth. I have an invalid mother and young wife, at the mercy Of the world suffering luntold hardships on account ef my incarceration. as they have no means lof support except my labor It is cur desire io go away somewhere and start life anew, and try by good honest livine to wipe out this one fatal mistake of my past.