Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1872-10-11
The YcrkeS Pardon.

Public opinion, or at least the more intel
ligent and honest portion of it, is fast set
ting down into the belief that Y crkes forced
Governor Geary to release him from the
penitentiary to keep him from making ad-
ditional confessions and disclosures invOl-
wing other prominent Radicals in Pennsyl-
vaLia in the crimes for which he was con-
victed. We confess that there is very
plausible ground for this belief. Cameron,
Hartranft, Geary and the other parties
concerned in this matter are by no means
fools. They xne full well what they
were doing. And yet, unless these men
were fools, they could not expect the peo-
pie of Pennsylvania to believe the testimony
of jail bird convicted of stealing, exhon-
Grating a confederate il crime who had
been Instrumental in procuring his release
Sensible men could not help knowing that
The public would not give any credence
to SO lame a story. Nor could the people
fail to remember how even the Radicals
themselves clamOred, only u few short
months ago, for the conviction Of this same
man Yerkes. In spite Of all this, however,
Just upon the eve of an important and ex-
citing election, when every act Of every
party is always watched with the most
jealous scrutiny, this man 4erkes Is re-
leased from the penitentiary, and the first
thing he does is to make q statement eX-
hOnerating the man who sought his pardon
from the Governor! OF course the matter
would bring upon them a torrent of indig-
nation that would make them lose votes.
They expected nothing else. And yet
Yerkes is nevertheless pardOned. The
most simple-minded man could not help
suspecting that Yerles was released,
not to open his mouth, but to shut
it that he had these men in his
power, and could force them to release
him or t . share his fate. Governor Geary
resisted for months the appeals for Y erkes'
pardon, and declared she might rot in .jail''
before he would exercise Executive clem-
ency i'll his behalf But Yerkes was nei-
ther afraid nor a fool. Before going to
prison lie drew up certain atidavits relating
to the stock operations of Hartranft, swOre
to them before Justice Dougherty, accord
ing to the testimony of the latter, and then
placed them in the hands of friend, to be
used in certaiti contingency. He then
went to prison and bided his time. Hart
ranft became candidate for Governor
! The canvass became warm and approached
SO near to its close as to render it impossi-
/ bic to change leaders with any hope OF
! victory, and Yerkes' opportunity had
! come. He was not slow to seize 1t and tC
lay down his platform, "Pardon " and
silence, one and inseparablc." Straight
way erkes, the thief, became Yerkes, the
martyr, and Municipal, State and National
officials came to his rescue. Govcrno!
Geary was besieged in due form, and the
pressure being greater than he could with
! stand, surrendered Internationally. And
the result is that to-day the thief, Y erkes
vouches for the honesty of uartranft, the
i Radical candidate for Governor Of penu
/ sylvania. Addition, division and silence
! Yerkes and ualtranft, both out Of the
! penitentiary. Ii 1erkes is a convicted
thief, he has played his cards well!