The Unlikely Redemption of a Prison Inmate
After eighteen months of hard labor, a Seattle convict wins his freedom through an overwhelming petition of support from his community and even the victims he robbed.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
Governor W. C. Squire has granted a conditional pardon to Dixon, an inmate at the Territorial prison. Dixon’s case is remarkable: he had previously been a model citizen until he fell in with a visitor who led him astray, resulting in a prison sentence for robbery. Dixon sought to be reformed and set to work, and he is now happy to know that his efforts have been successful. His petition for pardon included certificates of good conduct from the Superintendent and Warden of the penitentiary, and a recommendation for pardon from 68 prominent citizens of Napa, California. Remarkably, he also included a letter from his former employer and a recommendation from the foreman of the Grand Jury which indicted him, Mr. D. T. Denny, as well as a recommendation from Fred McKen, one of the men who was robbed. A petition signed by 100 prominent citizens of Seattle was also filed. Dixon is to be pardoned on the day the prisoners are transferred from Seattle to Walla Walla, and the pardon is only valid during good behavior. Since his commitment to the penitentiary, Dixon has learned the trade of brick and building, and after his release, he will probably remain for a time at least in the Seattle factory.
“It is safe to say that Mrs. Castle will not be troubled with burglars hereafter, notwithstanding her poor marksmanship.”
This 1887 story of a community rallying for a prisoner's redemption—even including the support of his victims—offers a striking counter-narrative to the rigid 'tough on crime' rhetoric that has dominated Pacific Northwest criminal justice policy for decades. It reflects a time when civic pardon was a more localized, communal act of mercy rather than a purely bureaucratic function.
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