The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1888-08-01

Saltwater, Minn, Wednesday, Aug. l. 1888.

corrections and charities was left to pursue
the even tenor of its way, if the board of
pardons was created with proper scope OF
authority; so we pass to the other writer
who seems well defined as to the pOsSibil-
ties which lie within its reach, but seems to
have slender idea of the actual work
which this Office would receSSitate.
The reasons given for its creation are suf-
ficient to convince the fair reader. and as
such boards exist in other states. giving en-
tire satisfaction, will pass to the most i'm
pOrtantsphase of the question. who should
compose it. and what should be it's powers
and duties?
make this statement, that no officer of
the prison, nor no person holding an office,
state OF federal, should be member of this
board. 1t should be free from politics, free
from religious requirements or control, free
from every influence that could thwart i'm
partial consideration of every matter
brought before it, The question suggests
itself, could such an Office exist in this
country? l answer yes, and cite our Su.
preme courts as examples. When G. E.
says he would make the warden a member
he must have failed to reach its true pur
pose. The present duties of the warden
are amply sufficient to entitle him to his
salary and occupy his time, and even
if he had the time. l would still
oppose his being member of the board for
the reason that no man can fill his position
without having his likes and dislikes"
among the inmates. If man is true
man, always in his place, he will naturally
think more of him than the unprincipled
hypocrite. This would prejudice him in
favor of the man of good principles, yet it
might be discovered that the hypOcrite was
entitled to a pardon. while the other was
not. The place of the warden would be to
give the board the benefit Of his judgment
in any case where it was needed, but he
could do this as his duties now stand.
The physician should not be a member
for the same reasons assigned in the case of
the warden, and for the further reason that
he is brought in contact with the men under
circumstances that would serve to unfit him
for passing on the case of a chronic hypO-
chondriac with the same fairness he would
on man who had a tooth pulled and
walked quietly back to his work.
AS for the working member of the board.
can only say that no one man could do
one third of the work of such an Office and
do it right. The board of pardons in Pen
sylvana consists of fifty members, and they
have enough to do.
l have had something to do with looking
after the correspondence and outside buSi-
ness arrangements of few of the inmates,
and in those cases which have come under
my own observation in less than one year.
one man could be fully employed in looking
after their rights, such as would naturally
come within the duties OF such board.
''What are they?" Perjured testimony to
secure conviction; undue prejudice brought
to bear at and previous to trial; newly dis
covered evidence; excessive sentence--and
thus we might 60 through the various causes
which constitute the grounds of pardon.
That class of offenders who gain the general
reputation for the inmates of our prisons,
would be found to be surprisingly diminu-
tive if there was working board of par
liberty. In less than one year l have done
writing for three men who have been par
dOned, and these three would have been
pardOned much sooner than they were had
there been some one to take hold of their
cases who had the right and the authority
to act promptly. Among others with whom
l am acquainted l know several who are
fully deserving of their liberty, but the cir
cumlocutiOn through which they must pass,
and their inability to reach by speedy means,
| the ear of the executive, makes all such
doubtful. and requires many man to serve
an unjust sentence. If board of three
working members was appointed tomorrow
and would enter at once upon their duties.
it would take three months to get fOOthOld
from which to work Systematically, and I