The New York herald., 1874-12-24
STOKES SENTENCE.

THE SLAYER OF JAMES FISK DEMANDS JUSTICE
NOT TEMPERED WITH MERCY"
SING SING PRISON. Dec. ~. 1874.
To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD:-
In your issue OF yesterday am informed there
appears an article criticsing my application for
pardon to Governor DIX. and setting forth. as the
principal grounds upon which l seek relief the
fact that claim on the 9th day OF next January
to have served under the present law an i'm
prisonment OF four years IN the Sing Sing Prison
ana City Prison, and you characterize this con-
struction on my part ''as peculiar and ingenious" :"
Before passing upon this critcism-wnich
think you have unwittingly made-anow me to
correct the misstatement that my claiming to
have served the tull penalty prescribed by law Is
the principal ground upon which claim my DIS
charge. The fun grounds upon which base my
application have not been officially presented, and
therefore not been made public. AS | am in.
formed Governor Dix feels that in justice TO him.
self he should not be expected to decide such
case. particularly on the verge OF his retirement
from ONCE.
And In this connection perhaps 1t Is only right
that / should state my reason for delaying It
was purely in order that the iull term OF imprson-
ment prescribed by law should first be inflicted
upon me, expecting thereby to preclude the pos
sibility OF refusal upon any tenable grounds. But
to my sorrow Governor DIX has held those six
days IN January an insuperaole objection to a
In this communication intended only to alude
to the structures leel you have so wrongfuly and
unwitiingly passea regarding what claim as the
just interpretation OF the law regarding the dura-
ton or my term of imprsonment, believing that
If you will carefully analyze little further the
surrounding circumstances you win not entirely
differ with me.
With that object in view permit me to ask a
question. Would you consider q man tried three
times for fe Kept TWO long years IN the pestilen-
tlal Tombs, once illegally convicted OF murder,
Kept month alter month in a foul dungeon ana
in continued suspense lest his life should be sacri
the highest tribunal in the State, declaring the
unJustness and llegaty Of the verdict-and
mark not upon any trivial technical point
either, but by unanimous vote aud upon five
different, exceptions; Judgment was reversed,
properly reheard convection only in the
third degree OF manslaughter was arrived at
aaa 6y a nsy the d Of ops whom a. s
IN the verdict because the case had occupied the
courts for nearly two years; would you think,
TO such oppression should expect some considera-
tionY The consideration shown to me was tnat
and sentence imposed that compels me to .iserve
over again those TWO long years OF torturen
have referred & TO- some ca,l ~ thus law; Perhaps Il
And now l ask for justice, not tempered with
mercy either-that day has passed long since. All
ask Is thai Justlce shah De tmpartia admins
tered.
Those preIudiced take pleasure In promulgatlng
that i seek to evade the aw-to crcumyeny
justice by raising technical objections &c. La
coBiutation OF such aspersions can only reply
search back the crimnal records for twenty years.
aud II they disclose single instance In any way
analogous TO NINE, even where the hardship IN.
nicted through Illegal -eon viction was infinitely
less-and there are several occurring within the
past i've years-wbere the deduction claim was
ever denied, will accept that Isolated case as an
instance controverting my theory.
Notorlety unfortunate notorlety, and the NOR
Did deslre Of many to gain prominence over my
aifiction has tended greatly TO my injury but
hope the day Is not far distant when can reason
ably nope Tor the same justice that Is meted out
to the mostumbe. EDWARD S. STOKES.