The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-05-21
PENNSYLVANIA IN PERIL.
WILL THE PARDON BOIRD ITBERf TIE
THE MOLLY MIGJIREs?
Gov. Unrtrnnu's Conscience Keeper. to De-
tcrmine the Fate or 4 ssnssin. whom presi.
dent Gowen has Dragged from their Dens.

Gov. Unrtrnnn's Conscience Keeper. to De-
tcrmine the Fate of A-snssins whom presi-
dent Gowen has Dragged from their Dens.
PHILADELPHIA, May 2O.-Thc trainers of
the Constitution Of Pennsylvania in 1873 UNDER
took TO relieve the Governor Of the State of the
labor connected with the prudent exercise OF
the pardoning power bv very awkward and
ineffective regulation The Lieutenant Cover
nor. Secretary OF the Commonwealth Attorney
General. and Secretary OF Internal Affairs or
any three of them, are constituted board to
hear all petitions for pardon in open session.
Their favorable recommendation thereafter il
made a condition precedent to the exercise OF
Executive clcmcncy. While the Governor can
not grant pardon unloss the board shall roe
ommcnd IT, he IS not bound 10 heed their roc
ommcndation II against his judgment 1t IL
evident this arrangement fails TO effect any ma
tcrial change II somewhat reduces the power
of the Governor without tightening his rcspon-
sibility. Unless he deems the Bonrd Of parlons
infalliblc. he must continue to examine and de-
tcrminc for himself in n matter SO nearly con-
corning the life and liberty Of the citiz'n. and
80 gravcy involving the conscientious dis
charge of duty. The board are also relieved Of
complete responsibility. Their action is not
final on the side Of mercy They ran prevent
pardon, but they cannot certainly procure IT,
The Board Of rarions n now constituted is
made M Of two Republicans. Secretary Quay
and Attorney General Lear. and two Demo-
Gratis, Lieut.. Gov. luia and Secretary No
Caudlo~- all aspiring POLITICIANS. Quay tx
q candidate for Governor. Mr.. Iear i- am
bilious oI nlacc hut has net named the pla c.
Tho conscience Of the board IL monnpOlzod
10y Lear. but is not available because II takes
two cons 'irncgs t. mako tie. Quay trains
under Capt. krmhle ard is So smart that Ikn
swift water. h. j. shallow Mr.. Lnita IL q windy
demagogue. McCandle-- is a little coNcomh
ranfts conscience. Through this sieve is
strained the iqrdoning power to mike II clean
Hnl lur. Tor ! \" utlNc consideration.
The Molly Mcguire cases. which must now
immcdairiy come up for review h'fora the
Board of Pardons. are certain tn mako its pro-
e'odlngs maUer of greater public interest inan
icndcn'y o tho bodfd TO rsiax iIc admin stra-
tion Of justice Is we'll known. In tn" first year
oi their sess ions the number OF pnrdons issued
WIS doubled as compared with the previous
\,ar II is also 20 le remembered that the Molly
Nuiguir. organization Is nptconinod IN IL. iunc-
Tons 10 the mere pa-timc ui homicide. II also
play, iis pari IN politics. II ient IT. support ON
ae'pnino oiailng terms tu Gov HuurHnit in his
campaign against Buckalow. and Il id not for
E'l MIN when he was opposed to judge pcr~h-
ing al the last Gubcrnltofia election l}v virtue
OF is m ion az the polls a large degree. NJ
liberation was INDUCED Tor It's undruiable tAste
foI mans daughter.
For t'n years this secret body Of assnssins
maio justice hyWpri in The cauio'ratic counties
oi l"nn-ylVnin. - far a. th" police authority
''t itt ''i.t' rt.Nfl III iil''iI way ilfN W.
pa. ITO tiNc an tho chances. II th" worst came
L. the worst. anl iurJ was found with courage
adSne upon o ,e ,an ~ hnasIqtGd ron
H. .lr an, .ionMt' I-"udonym for th" Governor
oi ine stat. Ikey cyn,i.iui.i Themselves thr
- ''lal champions 20 n" miners. and kept ny
uu evil communication with them rnnS,' dol
vcr~ IN tue earth nurse ia their gloomy work
house perpetual gricvan .es Thr Mollis- war.
thrir pnid avengers They graiifed the mos;
malrNulent Spit's of their clontAge hy breaking
M heads or taking the life ot persons deemed
wild and broken country oithc Allegheny range
III which these depredations We're carried on Is
a. favorable location for bricandac ms IL is pos
hints OF an radc such lovely hooks for secure
murder. that a bloody minded man beholding
Victim. Here the Moilies sci up their tents
II was not until thor audacious cnnroach-
mrni- hat reached such height II insolcnre
that mother lir nor property. was held but upon
."nditn ~ their TOLERANCE ihWihey rrt witlia
lhladelphia and Reading lairuad Company.
4,''r lruul'ssly calling upon Hercules nni
ilaruWnit. Put us own shoulder to me- wheel
W tA the pistol IA" torch aul the hlil ll,eou thn
Nolll"- had disputed the tnl, of this corpora-
tion. IT, franeh-rs and It's o-tntr- w,r' held
~uNc. iu u new tenure not embraced in the f.e
simple. President Gowcn -,t himself r,solutrly
l9 work t. remedy this intolrrahle state II
court. H. hunted them In their secret hnunts.
as rats nre hunted. At the proper tme cnmc
exposure, rapidly followed MP hy repeated ar
resis, pali"nt irin~. and inNariablc convictions
T. toN'n or NOR" oi ihc-e mon now angli-h
IN inc lNllS convicted of murder They have
appealed IN vain tu the Suprem" Court. Tn.
ani' lawyers who managed the cgsr of the Com
mohw'Alth Al their trials l"it mo- technical loop
hole between The verdict oi the lury and III.
halter. Their last appeal lies a. tn Executive.
what can he dp: Probably greater Offenders
neN'r appealed for mercy. II WIS u pnit ui the
"a cursed sysiom of these criminals tl butcher
men unknown to them. and euii'l - Of any p.r.
sonal injury calling Tor bloody aDquiiu Their |
murders were committed for nlrr, and had not
IN" usual lallatiun Of revenge. These CON
-ldcraiions call for the un-hrnk ing execution
oi justice. But on ia" other band are the claims
nl partisan service, the guilty comrlicty ~ ihn
stat" ~ the harhorer Of these maruid' r. the |
appalling sp"ciac" II double and triple rNc.u-
IONS, the dread OF impl 'atinE confessions AMI |
ihn clhinor ol mawklSh s"niimentnli~ts who |
would cultivate crime by eondunins II.
B-twe"n the horns Of this dilemma Gov Hart
RANT Is certain 10 fall back upon the Board Of
iarlons and lay down the burden of his roSpon-
snlliiy IN So lar a- he can rid himself Oi II.
When III" mukr-up ~ that lonrd j. cons idcr,l |
the peru Of the propl" of PENNSYLVANIA may he |
Judged oi. Already un' ui the Pardon Board. !
Wth iongury indi-er'tion, IT, giving out that |
n" Molli"S were convicted in u burst of public |
clanor. AMI that il was impossible tor them to |
secure fair trials in the counties whore their
crimes wrr' committed. The other members. |
~ IN" board probably share these sentiments
- more pain-iaking and patient trials were
meyer had than were accorded these men,