The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1877-04-09

tions Of the prison discipline has
been marked feature OF bis
conduct Since he has been under our
supervision, and that after allowing him
the credit for good time under the laws
there remains about two years and elgnt
months to complete his sentence, and
learning that an effort is being made BY
certain citizens of the State to induce the
Executive clemency to interfere IN his
behalf, and being requested to submit
statement of his conduct while pris.
oner to your consideration, do most
cheerfully submit that his conduct has
been sll that could be desired by the
Board of Directors; that it has been pro.
motive of good discipline and that .
strict compliance with the discipline of
the prison, cheerfully rendered, has been
q marked characteristic of the man since
his imprisonment; but further, we would
say that bis service to the State In the
many acts of labor performed for
the institution have been of marked and
valuable character. All OF which We
submit ss promotive OF good discipline in
recognizing the good conduct oil prisoners
when they merit and deserve it."
The superintendent and all the officers
of the penitentiary, in communication
dated West Virginia Penitentisry, March
81, 1877, say: "We beg leave to certify
to the uniform good conduct of A. q.
Quarter, who has been herein imprison-
ed since the 18th of October, 1871. In
consideration of his valuable services to
the State, the just reward due prisoner
for uuexceptisnablec conduct and fidelity
IN the discharge of every duty imposed
upon him, together with his long i'm
prisonment and very severe punishment,
we beg leave to ask Of and recommend
that Your Excellepcy issue to the said A.
q. Quarter free and full pardon at
ICE"
Hon. Charles Hedrick, late Secretary
of State, in letter to the Governor,
dated March Goth, 1877, says:
CHAkLEsToN, KANAwHA Co., /
March 80, 1871. !
To HIS ErceILency II. NJ Matthews, Coz
ernor of Vest Virginia:
DEAR SIR-Col. B. II. Smith just read
me letter he wrote to you, asking you
to pardon Alexander Quarter. concur
with him in this application.
In this connection, allow me to recall
to your mind that the otiense for which
Quarter is now suffering was not re-
gsrded or punished as crime by the
common law of England, but only
breach of trust, carrying its own punish
~ ~
tailed. so was the law here until altered
by statute; nor is it now regarded as an
oftense of the malignant type which q
public sense OF justice to the COM
munity Is reluctant to forgive. 1t is
rather great error, which public pol
icy Cthe outgrowth OF the comparatively
modern methods of conducting the COM
mercial and flEsEclal business of the
requires shall be treated with
q moro severe and pronounced punish
ment than formerly.
MIR. Quarter has been confined in the
penitentisry more than five years, and
by his usefulness and good conduct there
has earned, and has credit for, rs l am
informed, about eleven months diminu-
ton of the term (eight years. to which
he was sentenced. His punishment has
already been more than it has been
usual to mete out for similar otfense',
and | understand the executive clemency
of other States and of the United States
has not been slow TO act when invoked in
such cases.
Until Quarrler's fall, as Your Excel.
hn
and rs business man in the community
in which he lived. He is closely con
neeted by bio ID with many of the most
respectable people in the State. His
fall was therefore, of ITSELF severe and
overwhelming punishment. Nor is his
the only heart that was pierced on ac-
count OF this bad affair. Surely some.
thing is due to the tender senslbllities 81
a widowed mother, to brothers and sis
tiers. and other near relations, all OF the
highest respectability.
That he erred and committed a great
wrong against the public, and largely
damaged individuals, all admit. But
we have an old maxim, made sacred by
the unanlmi.y with which it has been
received, that "To err is human. to for.
give divine" And here, l beg leave to
say, in conclusion, that during a recent
residence of near two years IN Wheeling,
where the offence was committed. Jaw
prevailing il this case, this spirit OF for
giveness. And | hope your Excellency,
MS the representative OF the general pub
lie, will be moved by the same spirit,
and will now grant pardon to this I'm.
fortunate and erring man.
sm very truly, &c,
T.. HEDRICK.
Letters have been received from the
following gentlemen: Thomas Hughes,
r. Crangle, Andrew Wilson, George K.
TAYLOR, Dr. NJ. +. Hulihen, w. +. Peter
son, Thomas Hornbrook and l.. 5. Della
plain, of the city of Wheeling; Hon. j.
j. Davis, of Harrison county; b. II.
Smith and n. FitzhuSh, OF ksnswha
county, urging the pardon OF A. Z
Quarrler, upon the grounds of his exem-
pIarv conduct since mis- confinement in
the penltentiary, his unexceptlonabie
life before the commission of the ottense
of which he was convicted, and because
they think that the demands of justice
have been satisfied, and that the majesty
of th Q law has been INDICATED.
A petition for the pardon of said
Quarter has been presented, signed by
Thos. q. Smith, Alex. Campbell, 5.
Brady, s. B: McCulloch, ). s. Fairfax,
j. Butterfield. j. ID. Ewing, II. Criswell,
w. II. Wolfe, j. n. Smith, James Nor.
row, Jr., .. 6. Scofeld, james w.
Sweeney, S. A. Miller, R. B Sherrard,
G. Nj. Bishep. w. II. Hogeman, John L.
Kenna, Henry Fitzhugh, Oliver A. Pat
ton, James &. Laidley. james F. Huns
ford, ID. ID. johnson, j. NJ. Bennett,
James Withrow, John Slack, Jr, j. NJ.
Furguson. John }. Thompson, 7. &.
Eastman, J. E. Mcdonald, G. F. Scott,
c. S. Lewis, Z. a Summers. Rev. Chas.
Il. Page, b. w. Price, Robert F. Dennis,
L, \. Arnet,, Ira j. McGinnis, j. B,