Barney Hughes: A desperate & Dangerous Man

Barney Hughes was born Mar 1859 in Ireland 

Inmate: #1036 Nevada State Prison

Rec: 12 May 1908

Crime: Assault With intent to Commit Robbery

Age: 52

Term: 10 Yrs

He was paroled 12 Nov 1911 and pardoned 8 Sep 1913.

Before this he was in Montana and was arrested for Grand Larceny. He was a miner.

While in Nevada by 1910 he was married and had children. His wife was Mary and his children were.

James Hughes

1893–

Josephine Hughes

1897–

Pauline Hughes

1898–

Cecelia Hughes

1900–

Funny thing is that in the 1900 census he is in Montana State Prison and is listed as single. How was his wife surviving to care for those children while he was in prison? 

I didn't find much more except some articles about the mines in Montana.

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/102365861/barney-hughes/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/102365634/barney-hughes/

It really surprised me that he was pardoned, as it is stated right on his record that he was a desperate & dangerous man.