Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1878-12-11

hesllhtlon, no apology 10 crime when
lbey were consigned by his death war
rants to the gallows, nor did be consult
The seasons or the cbb or flow Of poli,i |
,al conflicts when be measured the
number of their days. They were
they commanded no follow
ing they had no contracts Of the past,
no votes iordelivery IN thciuturei there
were none TO nsake political capital
3df'Oi their eases, and they died unwept
save by the smitten household gods OF
their lowly homes But when tho life
Of Kchoc was to be weighed in the
scales Of justice when he had been
convicted before one Of the most i'm
partial andcapable Judges Of the State
when the full Court OF three Judges
learned in the law, patiently heard the
motion for new trial and refused it,
aud when the Supreme Court unani.
mously affirmed the judgment of the
lower Court, distinctly declaring the
verdict to be IN accord with both the
law and the evidence, the most dis
graceful ugglery that blots the admin
istration of justice in Pennsylvania,
was played between the Board of Par.
dnns and uartanit to save Kchoe from
the penalty Of the law. We speak
plainly because Governor llartranit has
made il necessary He had resolved,
for reasons we cannot assume to state
for him, that Kehoe should not be cx.
ecuted. His desire to reach clcmency
IN the case and escape absolute re.
sponsibility for it himself, was an open
secret ! and the method preferred was
to delay by every possible pretext un.
til be could end his term and thus give
Kchoe over to his successor under the
custom, now universally respected
law that iorblds one Governor TO issue
II death warrant when his predecessor
had opportunity to do so. The Board
of Pardons, two Of whom were bis own
confidential Cabinet officers (Secretary
Quay and Attorney General Lear), was
obedicnt to his purpose On January
q, 1877, the Supreme Court decided
that Kehoe had been legally and justly
condemned, and the counsel OF Kehoe,
onco Of whom was of the Kehoe.Slattcry
party at General Siglried's home to
barter for Hartranlt in 1875, according
to Slattery's testimony, well under
stood that delay was safety. They
made no formal effort for pardon or
commutation until after the death war
rant had been issued in March and then
they appeared with their prayer for
hearing. 1t was granted as they well
knew it would be- the death warrant
was recalled by Hartranft, and the
Board of Pardons decided by a tie vote
not to recommend clcmcncy.
Attorney General Lear then voted
with Secretary McCandless against
saving Keboe, and Secretary Quay and
Lieutenant Governor Latta voted to
commend him TO the Executive favor.
The facts OF the case were then TEN
peratcly stated by this journal, and
the Governor appealed to not topermit
the administration OF Justice TO become
involved in another political struggle,
as it was in 1915. Neither at that
time, nor at any time thereafter, did
we demand the life of Kohoe. On the
contrary We urged the Governor TO dc
eide the case on its merits and if in
his judgment Keboe had been convicted
mainly by reason of his general bad
character, or by the tide of passion
that followed the exposure of the Mol.
lie Mcguire murders, or if there was
alter discovered evidence that threw
any reasonable doubt upon the issue
Of his guilt, we declared that the law
loving people of all parties would sus-
tain him in refusing to execute Kehoe,
We begged him 10 dispose OF the case
manfully ss ITS exceptional importance
meritod, and warned him that with the
law unexecuted while its judgment was
unquestioncd, and Kehoe in prison dur
ing a desperate partisan battle neither
the Executive nor the administration
Of justice could escape the gravest inn
putations Of porfdy in the one or un.
pardonable weakness in both. And
this journal but spoke and appealed as
did the entire unshackled press of the
Commonwealth, and they voiced the
universal convictions OF honest citizens.
But Governor Hartranit halted and
turned the hopes of the criminal classes
of the State toward the very fountain
OF authority. Had he halted bravely
he would have commanded respect !;
but be halted, trembling as be halted,
and counseled only with his fears OF
something that was undeclared to the
world. The Board of Pardons was
made the little sand.pile into which he
thrust his head. 1t was made TO re.
consider tho case, ostensibly 20 decide
whether the sentence should be com
mutcd to imprisonment Tor liie-just
what had been decided before and Tor
three months the Board played Hart.
rants part, by delay on various pre-.
texts, until September, when a tie vote
again decided to refuse recommenda-
tion for clemency. Secretary Quay
having retired from the Cabinet to be-
come Recorder Of Philadelphia, Secre
tary Linn had succeeded him, and
Linn, being undriled in running sharp
curves, he refused to follow Quay and
favor KchOc. But as one OF Hartfanit's
Cabinet had fallen out Of line, he bad
Attorney General brar, oi little use
beyond playing political jumping, jack,
IN beer pot, and Lear was made to
reverse Lear and favor the repricve be
had Oppuerd before Lear nnd I,atta