The Glenwood post., 1921-09-10
Nebraska Pardon Beard Re-
leases Educated "ifer''
Who Gets a Good Job
SAYS he IS INNOCENT

Lincoln, Neb., Sept. "A board of
pardons and paroles sat in executive
session in the warden's office of the
Nebraska state penitentiary the other
day.
On the secretary's desk was mass
of letters ,affidavits, and the court
records. Before the board stood q
young man, outstanding in figure and
possessed of straight, firm mouth,
sturdy jaw, and intelligent eyes. He
was, in the language of the prison, a
"lifer.n
Five years ago, in 1916, a jury had
convicted R. G. Lukens, young sales
man Of photographs, of being an ac-
cessory to murder. He was sentenced
to life imprisonment in the Nebraska
state penitentiary.
This day he stood before the board
of pardons and paroles, seeking liberty
and still protesting his innocence.
Confined to a cell in state 8 prison
and wearing the dull prison uniform,
Lukens is the advertising manager Of
large Lincoln furniture store-at a
salary of $3.50 a month.
He handles all of the stores adver-
Using. He writes the copy and buys
the space. He has the authority.
His was problem the board Of par
dons and paroles considered fearsomely
and obviously. For no pardon board
wants to turn loose upon the world 4
convicted murderer. Neither does it
want to hold behind prison bars an in
nocent man. And only one living man
can testify absolutely of the guilt or
innocence of r. G. Lukens-and he re-.
fuses to tell.
That man is Frank Cornell, also a
"lifer' at the Nebraska state pcniten-
tiary. He was sentenced with Lukens.
But since he entered the penitentiary
five years ago, Frank Cornell has re-
fused consistently to speak Of the
crime.
The story of the conviction Of
Lukens and Cornell, as shown by the
evidence, is as follows:
In 1916 Lukens was travelling IN
western Nebraska as a salesman for
photographer. Connel sold novelties
at leaast that is what he told Lukens
when they CHANGED to meet on the
road. The meeting subsequently re-
suited in = business partnership. They
bought an automobile and travelled to-
gether.
Early one morning in the summer of
1916 they drove into Sunol, Mob.
Lukens left Cornell to 60 into sa-
loon to get . drink.
While Lukens was in the saloon,
Cornell walked into bank, held up
the place, took 81 500 and fled into a
cornfield.
The banker aroused the town. A
posse was formed. Lukens started out
with the posse-in his own automobile
and alone.
90" hAhA sup MS cur at tne
edge of the cornfield and enter it. A
few minutes later they saw hin, emerge
from the cornfield with Cornell at his
side. They saw the two get into the
automobile and start back down the
road toward Sunol.
But at crossroad an armed posse
stopped them. Lukens leaped from the
machine, while Cornell backed the
car, turned it and fled.
In the chase that followed Paul
Vacik and Ira Paul were killed. Con.
nell was wounded and captured after
lie drove the car into q creek.
Lukens' story is that he went into
the cornfield to search for the robber.
He came upon Cornell, he says, and
much to his surprise, was held up at
the point of a revolver and ordered to
drive his Associate away.
When he was tried the trial Judge
offered him lighter sentence if he
would plead guilty to being an acces-
sorry to the robbery. But Lukens re-
fused
81 am guilty Of nothing" he per
sisted.
n But the circumstantial evidence
gainst him MAS strong. He admitted