The Indianapolis journal., 1889-09-09
OOYIS ALLEGED PARDON.

ooYs ALLEGED PARDON.
The only reply needed to the persist
ent and malicious lying concerning the
alleged pardon of Coy is plain state
ment of the truth, and that appears in
our Washington special this morning.
In order that there might be no dispute
over statement based on the record,
the Journal correspondent was directed
to transcribe the record and correspond
ence itself. He has done so, and it is
printed just as it appears on the files of
the Department of Justice. 1t is COM
plete answer to each and all of the lies
recently formulated on this subject.
In the first place, it shows that Coy
was not pardoned at all. The use of the
word pardon in connection with the
case is unauthorized. The action of the
President simply remitted so much of
the sentence as required the payment of
a fine and costs. The President, him
self a lawyer and accustomed to exact
ness in the use of language, did not use
the word pardon in his Endorsement on
the application. He was explicit it stat
ing that he remitted only so much of the
sentence as required the payment of
fine and costs, and that he did this upon
the assurance that the convict had no
property out of which the fine and costs
could be collected. Coy remained
in prison for the full term named
in his sentence, less only the re-
duction he was entitled to for good
conduct. The President could not
deprive him of this reduction, and, with
that exception, ne served out his full
term of imprisonment as fixed by the
court. When Coy was sentenced it was
supposed that he would pay the fine and
costs. So he would have done but for
the treachery of one of his friends, and,
like himself, a Democratic boss and
office-holder. John E. Sullivan robbed
Coy, as he did others; plundered him
while he was in prison, and deprived
him of the means of paying his fine and
costs.
Second, Coy's impoverishment, caused
by Sullivan's rascality, gave rise to the
movement for an application for the re-
mission of the fine and costs. The as
sertion has been made that the move
ment originated with Republicans for
political purposes. The record shows
that it originated with Mr.. Charles M.
Cooper, at the request of Coy himself.
Mr.. Cooper drew up the petition for the
remission of the fine, obtained the sigma
lures to it, and forwarded it to the Pres
dent with letter in which he says it
was done at the request of Coy. Mr..
Cooper is not Republican and Coy is
not Republican. There is no trace of
Republican origin or influence in the
business. The signers of the petition
embrace representative men of both pO-
litical parties, including two members of
the Committee of One Hundred and Mr..
Claypool, who had assisted in the prose-
cution. That Mr.. Cooper had entire
charge of the application is shown by
the fact that more than month after it
had been forwarded by mail he tele-
graphed to Private Secretary Halford
calling the matter up and repeating the
assurance that "Coy has no means what
ever to pay fine and COSTS" Mr.. Cooper's
letter and telegram leave no doubt as to
the origin of the movement for the re-
mission of the fine, and completely dis
pose of the malicious lie that it was
originated by Republicans for political
purposes. If Republicans wanted Coy
back for political purposes, what did
William H. English, John r. Wilson,
DR.. LOftin, William Henderson, Silas Il.
Bowen and other Democrats want him
back fort There is an end of that silly
lie.
1t has been asserted that petition
| for Coy's pardon or a remission of part
| of his sentence was sent to Mr.. Cleve-
land, who declin ed to act upon it. Our
correspondent says, eff such petition
went to the Cleveland officials it is not
known" That means that no such
petition is on file at the Department of
Justice, and there is no official evidence
that it was ever sent.
From the day of the discovery of the
tally-sheet forgeries, during the long
struggle for Coy's indictment, trial and
conviction, he was the pet and hero of
the Democratic party. The Sentinel
and the Democratic press of the State
were unsparing in their abuse of Judge
Woods from the beginning to the end
of the proceedings, and did all in their
power to prevent the conviction of Coy.
| When he went to Michigan City he
went as a Democratic martyr. While
there he was Democratic office-holder,
and he returns as Democratic leader
and candidate for office. He and his
followers are as active and pernicious
in local politics as they ever were,. and
every attempt to divert public attention
| from this fact is made in the interest of
Coy and Coyism.