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Ckristma3 Pardons.There is an old man of Dear threescore and 2 ten and his son in the Indiana state prison. The old man has dark hair, is straight and strong, e and a line type of the frontier Kentuckian. His ^ eye is undimmed and could dash true along a ride barrel yet. His son's spirit has chafed ^ acrainst the prison bars and coniine meat has , made a deeper mark on him than on the father. f The beginning *of his life was blighted, while his father’s hail borne it3 fruit. And these two were sentenced to imprisonment for life, and have already been In prison eight years. Why arc they there I r In the winter of 18G3 Lieut. Hampton exercised a sort of special command in that part of Kentucky, where this father and son lived the quiet lifo of farmers, respected by all their neighbors. ’ There is evidence 011 file among the court ree-» ords that a number of persons in Kentucky and . Illinois were seized and put to death by Humy-_ ton’s order. Among those shot in Kentucky were Elijah and Ilenry Browning, brothers, the eldest not twenty and tho younger only fifteen.^ This was near Vauderburg, Webster countj’, - and shortly afterwards Hampton and his men » wentoverinto Illinois, and in the vicinity of Elm Grove 6olzed and shot two brothers, James and Joseph Quinn. The next day Hampton shot Thomas Carlisle, while at work near Scotts-1 villc. Thomas Carlisle was the eon of John M. Carlisle and brother of Cyrus ? Carlisle of Webster county, Kentucky. There was no reason for the killing of the Brownings, Quinns and Carlisle, excepting their supposed sympathy with the Soutn. l Lieut. Iliinpton and rour of his men wero subsequently indicted iu the Webster county circuit court for the murder of the Brownings, and a warrant was issued for their arrest. John M. and Cyrus Carlisle, father and son, armed with this warrant, as they assert, crossed the Ohio river and seized Lieut. Hampton in the state of Indiana. They started with their prisoner for tho county seat of Webster county, and after landing on the Kentucky shore tho Carlisles left Hampton in charge of Davidson aud McDaniels, two assistants, and started to take the skiff to its owner, a few hundred yards up the river. On their way they hoard a pistol fired aud returned at once. Lieut. Hampton was missing. The assistants above named told them that Hampton had attempted to escape by swimming across the river. They shot at him. and called to him to come back and they would not injure him. He turned to come back, but sank and was seen no more. There was mystery about Hampton’s seizure and death—his arrest by tho Carlisles, who mourned a son aud brother slaughtered by him: a boat ride across tho Ohio by night: his attempting to swlra tho river; the pistol shot in the absence of the Carlisles, and the disappearance of t ho assistants, Davidson and McDaniels. Gov. Morron called the atteution of the Indiana legislature to the case and secured a special appropriation from that body to conduct tho prosecution. Tno Carlisles were arresTed in Kentucky, taken to Indiana for trial and sen teneed to imprisonment for life. John M. and Cyrus Carlisle are the father and son wearing out their days in the Indiaua state prlsou. Eight years have dragged themselves away, and Cyrus Carlisle has .just c.omo out of tho peniteu-tiary hospital—where he lay some time from a pocket-knite stab given him by a “trusty”— Back McKinney. Buck had been in a dozen years, and expected to be pardoned this Christmas. His affair with Cyrus Carlisle has put him in disgrace and lie is no more a “trusty.•* It will take years to wipe out tho stain. No pardon for him this Christmas.But tho Carlisles have not been forgotten. The governor of Kentucky, ninoty members of the Kentucky legislature, all of the Carlisles* old friends aud neighbors, prominent incu of both political parties In Kentucky and Indiana, the representative iu cougress from the district where the Carlisles resided, aud many others of influence and power, recommend to Gov. Hendricks of Indiana clemency and pardon for the Cariisles, with the sentiment, that their offence was rather * *a vice of the time3 than the men. ” And this is Gov. Ilcmlricks’ reply:General amnesty and forgivenos* of offences grovving our of the war has become the police of the country, supported by the sentiment of the people. Experience has demonstrated the wisdom of the policy and we all feel its humanity. Its tendency lias been to cement and strengthen the union of the people in all sections and to promote their happiness. In harmony with this ; policy it would appear proper now to pardon ! Joint M. Carlisle and Cyrus Carlisle. Others ! who committed liko offences during that period | have either been pardoned or not punished at ail.And John M. and Cvrns Carlisle, father and son. will go forth from tho Indiaua slate prison and cross the Ohio river fur their old Kentucky home this Christmas dav.
Newspaper Details
St Louis Republican
St Louis, Missouri, US
Thu, Dec 25, 1873
Page 6
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
USA 19 Mar 2024
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