The Opelousas courier., 1874-02-28
The Pardoning Business.
HOW THE GOVERNOR RELEASES STATE PRIs
ONERs.
IN. o. Picayune. Feb 2o1


The numerous instances. of hate. in which
the Executive clemency has been extended ia
persons convicted of heinous crimes has nj
last awakened considerable inquiry. and the
1acts OF these cases have been endeavored to
be arrived at
Two eases-those of man convicted twice
OF murder, and another convicted as at least
one OF the principals in a celebrated robbery
case In which certain parties were charged
with drugglng stranger named Edmund
Keith and robbing him of some $I5O0-are es-
pecIaily worthy of attention, as in them GER
tain members of both houses of the Legislature
are charged as being largely interested.
From statements made it appears that as
soon as person having any means is convict
ed OF any crime, certain outside operators,
aided by members of the Legislature, go
around with petition carefully drawn, and
the members of both Houses. they present to
the Governor He, of course, under the pres
sure thus brought has frequently signed re-
prieves without, it is believed, knowing much
ABOUT the merits of the case, the representa-
tlons made to him being false altogether.
In the case of one of these parties at least
efforts will be made to induce certain men,
bers, by offers of money, to sign the petition.
while others are induced to do so by promises
of influence in other affairs.
Now, the question pertinently arises in such
cases, suppose they go on uninterruptedly,
WA1I VIA oC uco VI COHflCIiBS any one ,
1t is universally conceded that convictions
are, with the plainest evidence, very diff cult
to procure, and now, when they are procured,
and the prisoners are released by pardon, the
matter grows very much worse indeed. 1t is
further stated that there are at least two
more persons, who have been convicted of
robbery, in Jail expecting q pardon; while
there is still another, convicted Of murder,
who feels hopeful of accomplishing the same.
In regard to these, however, it is said the law
will be allowed to take its course, as the Exc
cutive clemency viii be no further extended
As an illustration of the foregoing remarks
we will mention, that we have been shown a
letter written from the State Penitentiary to
party here in New Orleans, which letter
stated that, by procuring two dollars each
from ten persons, all of whom were named,
and transmitting the amount to gentleman
IN Baton Rouge, who was also Daneds the
pardon of the writer would be secured
Twenty dollars seems rather moderate for q
pardon, aud yet We have authority for saying
that he writer of that letter is now at large.
We do not believe, nor mean to imply that
Gov. Kellogg has any part in these transac-
tions. As W. indicated above, the whole busi-
ness appears to bs managed By ring of peo-
pie, who procure signatures in some way un-
known to men. aud present their documents
in shape which the Governor, without seem
ing to be capti0us or tyrannical. cannot well
ignore. But for all that, it begins to be
plain that the pardoning business needs in
vestigation, and that Gov. Kellogg has
reached stage Of its development where he
must brave the suspicion of unkindness if he
would escape the more unpleasant suspicion
of colIusion.