Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1920-04-12
Quiet Wedding
Of Prisoners
Opens Old Case

A which had its inception
witnin me -four gray walls Of the stas,
prison here eliminated in the mar
rage at Yancouyer. Washington. April
!, q Mrs. Anna Booth to Claude Ross,
both paroled prisoners. 1he wedding
took place with the knowledge and con
sent OF prison authorities and Mr.. and
Mrs. Ross returned to Salem imme-
diately thereafter. Ross being employ
ed In a local snoe repair shop and Mrs.
Ross having employment IN a restaur-
ant here.
Mrs Ross, formerly Mrs. Booth, was
received az tna state PRISON mere March
10. 1917. upon conviction Of eompli-
ity A. ~ --al-e. :. --e- --s~aa
liam Booth at Wilamina, Yamhill coun-
~, for which crime william Branson
Is nov ss...ng a nle So. a. -
Oregon penitentiary. She was paroled
January 81. last.
Ross was convicted IN Portland on a
charge Of obtaining money under false
pretenses entering the state prison in
Aprai, Isl4. under a sen nee Of from
one TO five years. While serving this
sentence he was convicted Of a statu-
tory charge brought against him in
Marion county for which he was SEN
fenced to an additional ten years In
prison. He was paroled October Is,
1918.
Both Ross and Mrs. Booth were
model prisoners while lncarcerated in
the p~enitentiary here and are held in
high esq., > g.
whom both are now reporting regular
iy as paroled prisoners.
The event has revived interest here
in the fate OF William Branson an in
mate Of the state prison for the murder
Of the hubsand OF Mrs. Booth, now
Mrs. Ross. who was convicted on pure
IL circumstantlai evidence and who
believed by practically every official
who has any knowledge of the crime to
be innocent OF the crime for which he
IS servinA a life sentence.
Branson's conviction was secured
only after Mrs. Booth had signed a
confession to the crime duplicating
Branson. Previous to this, however,
Mrs. Booth has served practically
two years In the fan.nIIt vou~ty Jdl
pending the action of the slow-movinq
wheels Of the courts and since signing
the confession she has stated that she
did Il only under pressure and on the
promise Of leniency In exchange for
the act. the only alternative, according
70 her story being the possibility Of SIN
further delays with the prospect Of a
long prison term In the end.
Branson has steadfastly protested
his Innocence OF the crime and Is said
10 haze refused several opportunities
for q parole which would have re
quired his leaving the state. Nothing
short Of an unconditional pardon will
satisfy him. II Is said, after which h
plans to return TO his former home
where he. VIII prove to the world the
innocence which he so stoutly main
fains.
Since the conviction Of Branson and
Mrs. Both, William Riggin, now a pa
ltnt AZ tue Htuit HvnDiAhi hNiNt nus
confessed TO the Booth murder and has
even gone 80 far as TO rehearse minute
ly every detail OF the crime to the en-
tire Subtraction, II Is said. OF many off
clals while others are inclined to place
no credence IN his confession,
Branson is a model prisoner, In
whom the prison authorities repose the
utmost confidence, In spite of the fact
that he maintains his Innocence Of the
crime for which he is serving q prison
sentence and the further fact that the
circumstances surrounding the crime
are such as 10 lead many who are fl
miliar with Il TO believe In Branson's
Innocence no does not display any of
the bitterness which could be expected
or d man who Il being unjustly perse-
cuted but is OF u cheerful, optimistic
disposition, looking forward to the
time when his innocence shall have
been fully established and ne a
again so forth into the world a free
man entirely indicated OF the charge
which has already robbed him OF some
Of the best years OF his life.