The Canon City record with which is consolidated the Canon City cannon., 1916-01-20
GATES or
PEN ARE
OPENED
FOR LIFE
CONVICT
RUSSELL o. eoLEs, CONVICTED
FOR MURDER OF DENVER BOY,
is GRANTED AN uNcoNDlTIoN-
AL PARDON.
THE FIRST IN SEVEN YEARS

ClOCh w cuhCcddy Al6hL AAuooOh
!. Boles, convict No. 60S6, was sum
moned by Night Captain 2. B. Spur
geon into the office Of Warden Ty-
nan and told that he had been grant
ed an unconditional pardon by Cover
nor Carlson for the alleged murder
of Harold Fridorn, Denver boy.
who was killed while trying to pro-
tect his sister from assault, and would
be permitted to leave the prison to-
day free man.
Boles did not say anything for a
few seconds, being, apparently unable
to comprehend the full meaning and
import of the statement of the war
den. When he had sufficiently recov-
cred from the surprise to talk he re-
piled, Il am mighty glad to hear it,"
AS the warden grasped Boles' hand
to congratulate him on his release
from imprisonment he said. This is
what I've been looking for eleven
years"
Boles was not in the least demon
strative over his good fortune and ac-
cepted the pardon with composure
and the newspape3 correspondents
when the announcement was made.
Boles thanked the warden for the in
terest he had taken in him and ex-
pressed his gratitude to the governor,
the board of pardons and the friends
who had been instrumental in secur-
ing his release. Boles said that he
did not know what he would do in
the future as he had not made any
plans, but indicated his intention of
joining his wife and family in Cali
fornia as soon as he could get suffi-
cient money together to make the
trip to the Pacific ocast.
When asked if he was better man
for his twelve years in the penitenti-
ary he said he thought he was and
that he was determined to go out
into the world again a reformed man.
He said that in his opinion no man,
however, depraved he might be, could
serve term of Imprisonment in the
penitentiary without being benefited
by the discipline and restrictions of
such an institution. He said that he
had been in the penitentiary long
enough to be entirely cured of the
booze" habit, to which he was one
time greatly addicted. and that in
the future he would be completely
divorced from John Barleycorn.
Boles is forty-fve years of age and
has been in the penitentiary since
June "a, 1904, and, for more than
ten years, has been the leader and
director of the prison band, an excel
lent organization of twenty pieces.
Boles said that ne disliked leaving
the band more than anything else at
the institution and he suggested that
Convict Carlton be made his success
sor as its leader. The band. he said.
was in splendid condition and would
get along all right without him. but
in spite of that fact he would think
of It often.
Boles. had never been paroled. al
though as bandmaster he had enjoyed
special privileges. being frequently
permitted to take his boys" most of
whom are lifetimers, outside the pris.
on walls without guard. Boles SAYS
lie was offered a parole during the
wardenship of John Cleghorn, but re-
fused IT on the ground that it would
take him away from the band, to which
he was SO devoted.
Boles is wood turner by trade
and worked in the carpenter shop AT
the prison, where his mechanical skill
and his cheerful disposition made him
a fayorite with his associates.
Warden lyman gave Boles some
good. wholesome advice to follow af.
ter he got out Of prison and told him
that II he lived good life there wouId
be no danger of his ever being GENT
TO the penitentiary again. Boles said
III l had left whiskey alone | would
have had q good name and could have
made money, for had plenty OF
chances of success"
Boles came to Colorado from sulIi.
van, Ynd-. and made his home I'm
Rocky Ford for number of years be. |
fore going to Denver.
His pardon. which was granted ON
the ground OF his supposed innocence
Of the crime for which lie was convict.
I'd, was the first to come to the prison !.