The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1872-10-05
Yerkes Pardoned.

nc D0iuest Violation oil the pnrd0u-
ing power that has ever occurred in this
conntry has been perpetrated by Gov.
Geary, in the release from prison Of
Yerkes and Marcer. Yerkes was
broker in Philadelphia. aud Marcer the
treasurer Of that city. They were both
convicted Of fraudulent use Of thu
funds of which Marcer was the custo.
dian Yerkes was sentenced, on the
10th Of February last, to solitary con
finement at labor 10 the State peniten.
tiary for two years aud nine months,
aud Marcer TO pay a fac of $500, 900,
and to suffer solitary confinement 1t
labor for four years and nine months.
The pleaion wlsch they aere pardoned
is that Yerkes has suffered .ip-,his. .busi-
ness, and that Marcer IS in i'll health.
The whole movement was kept so secret
that the public had no knowledge Of IL
until the men were liberated Besides
his money transactions with Marcer,
this man Yerkes was the confidential
broker Of General Iartrauft, but recent.
ly Auditor General OF the State Of
Pennsylvania, aud the Grant Cameron
candidate for Governor. Hartranft is
accused Of speculating, through the
agency Of Yerkes, with the money Of
the State The published letters ad.
dressed to Yerkes by Hartranft, confirm
the fact Of a multitude of stock trans
actions botweeu them, and 10 an afiiaa.
vit which Justice Dougherty declares
was made before him By Ycrkes, the
latter swore that Iiartranft had SO abus-
Cd his official position That affidavit
was made before Yerkes was scot to
prison, and has been before the public
for many months. 1t was known to
the friends of Yerkes, and could not OF
course fail 10 have been known to
Yerkes himself During all this period
however he never denied its authenticity,
but the moment be was-set free he
declared it to be a forgery As the
friends Of Hartranit were active in
procuring his pardon, there seems to
be but onA conclusion that can be reach.
ed Hartranft's chances for election
were becoming desperate, the Yerkes
affidavit had damaged him fearfully,
and it was necessary TO cast doubt on
its authenticity. So long as .Yerkes
was stubbornly silent 10 prison no
effort to get rid of the damning aceusa9
tion was of any avail If Ycrkes re-
mained 10 prison when Gsary went out
Of office, aud Bnckalew became Cover
nor, no pardon could be expected
from him, aud Yerkes would have
been Obliged TO serve out his term.
II, on the other hand, Geary should be
succeeded by Hartranft, the latter, su-
daeious as he is, would not have dared
to set his confederate free The act,
therefore, had to be done BY Geary, aud
there can scarcely be the shadow of
doubt that a stipulation was entered
into either with Yerkes, or the friends
who were acting in his behalf, aud that
the condition OF his liberation was that
he should repudiate as forgery this
affidavit against Hartranit. This he
has done 10 statement published ID
the Philadelphia North Anlericaa ther
morning after his liberation, appended
to which are letters from several bank
ers aud brokers, who say that the sig
nature attached to the original affidavit
of Yerkes is not bis. Thus the matter
stood on Saturday, aud whatever may
be the real facts Of the case, the pardon
of Yerkes, aud necessarily Marcer with
him, on the eve Of an important cleo,
ton, aud the swift repudihtiou by
Yerkes Of the affidavit Imputed to him
the authenticity Of whic hhe could
easily have denied months ago-are
circumstances surrounded with so many
elements Of grave suspicion that HART
rauft will scarcely derive any benefit
from the tardy statement Of his former
agent.
Moreover, as the crimc Of which
Yerkes and Marcer were convicted had
nothing whatever to do with the Hart
ranit manipulations of the State moneys.
aud as three judges sitting on the bench
confirmed the verdict Of the jury aud
agreed on tke penalty, any other reason
for the pardon of Yerkes, except as
means of whitewashing Hartranft, seems
inexplicable. .--Baitimore Gasette.