Holyoke, Mass

Walence Case, Part XV

by Laurel | May 7th, 2012

12 December 1933

Petition For Pardon of Mrs. Walence

A petition for the pardon of Mrs. Mary A. Walence of Linden Street, signed by Mayor Henry J. Toepfert, Senator Frank Hurley, Representatives Charles D. Chevalier, William E. Kirkpatrick and Francis Clark, and many of the prominent local people, was filed with Governor Joseph B. Ely at Boston today by Atty. Thomas C. Maher, who defended Mrs. Walence on a murder charge in the trial held in Springfield last March. Mrs. Walence is serving an 18 months sentence in the house of correction for manslaughter in connection with the death of her husband Paul J. Walence, on July 11, 1932.

Adapted from The Springfield Republican.

Previously published articles about this case:

Part I: Police to Charge Wife With Killing of Holyoke Man

Part II: Probable Cause Found in Murder Trial at Holyoke

Part III: Thousands Gather at Walence Rites

Part IV: Indictment Given to Court By Grand Jury

Part V: Executors Appointed, Source of Gun Held Accountable

Part VI: Judge Assigned, Jury Selected

Part VII: Trial Testimony Starts at Holyoke Today

Part VIII: Marital Relations of the Walences

Part IX: Testimony and the “Other Woman”

Part X: Mary Walence Takes the Stand

Part XI: Final Arguments and Summation

Part XII: Sudden Death of Star Witness

Part XIII: Star Witness Found Dead

Part XIV: Sensational Trial Ends, Judge Imposes Sentence

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Suggested Holyoke Books

Mountain Park -- The Holyoke destination we all loved.

Mount Holyoke College, Postcard History by Donna Albino. Many Holyoke women have attended Mount Holyoke. Author also maintains an amazing MHC website based upon her personal collection.

Holyoke-Chicopee: A Perspective, by Ella Merkel DiCarlo. DiCarlo, a former Transcript columnist offers a fascinating compilation of her essays. Published in 1982, this out-of-print book is worth looking for in the aftermarket.

Holyoke, by Craig Della Penna. The first Holyoke book in the Arcadia series, published in 1997.

Belle Skinner Collection, by Ruth Isabel Skinner. Published in 1933, this book is long out of print but copies are still available in the aftermarket.