Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1894-06-16
GOV. O'FERRALL'S PARDOAS
RELEASING PRISONERS
In THOSE GLOOMY
PRISON WALLS.
Reforms by the Superintendent.

from the Governors Ornce last rriuay
by John Mitchell, Jr.,
While there he was given two Others
to carry over to the penitcntiary. IL
was nearly p. M. before the white |
house on the hilP' was reached The
tall. military form OF superintendent b. !
w. Lynn was seen. There were numbers
of blue coated officials IN his immediate |.
vicinity.
The heavily grated iron door With ise
ponderour lock swung open and mo
uent later, the PLANET man was ~ {Ae
Office OF the superinteDdent rendering
the pardon and. commutations of seS
fences OF which the following % copy 81
one:
CoMstoNwEALTs OF NiRe'Sis
10 all 70 whom these fresenfs t1als
come:-6reetmg-
whereas, 50 hnsungs Court held fn
ana ior the ciSy ot hicnmono ~ 1ne
month OF uecember IN the year one L1QE
sano eiRnt hundred ana ninety. fn t<h
GARY was convicted OF housebreaknS
ana was Cnereupon sentenced 20 pe I'M
prisoned IN the penitent'ary Tor the term
OF nve years, and whereas nc appears TO
the Executive tnat ne rs nu supJect for
ciemency,
rnerelore' 4, Charles L. fsrTalI, 1ov
ernor OF tne commonwealth OF virginia,
nave oy virtue oi authority vested IN me
pardoned and do hereby pardon the
SAID Peter Gary and do ORDER tnat ne ne
forthwith discharged from lmprison
Taent-
Given unoer my nano anu
unoer the Lesser sea- OF
the Commonwealth OF
richmond, this -tn-
day ot-June,-in the
year of our LORD one tnou
lsEAL.J sano eignt nunored ana
ninety iour, ano IN tne--
1lotn-year OF the CON-
monweaitn;
CHARLEs L. " ERRALL.
secretary OF the commonwealth.
"Wiu Won take the bows with vou7D re-
. marked the efficient superintendent.
After receiving a renlv in the aff,rma-
five he instructed that the men be
+ brought into the ward.
Seated in the grated window. he
awaited the arrival of the convicts.
3 Away in the ward could be seen the men
scrubbipg the benches and a boy not
r | more than Is wears walked across the
r ward. All was bristle and activity.
y few moments later. a man appear.
ed. "What is your name?" Peter Co.
e rev >, For how long were Won sent
L bere9v "Five wears -,
Well here is a pardon for YOU from the
Governor A smile lit up his counte-
nance. He was holding his left side
)? docs your side hurt your ayes sir
was the response. He told the officer to
take off the prison clothes and get hin
n out a suit. This was done. "You'l
wear a white shirt after this he re
marked. After a little delay another
prisoner appeared. "What is youl
manner" "Charles Johnson" For how
many wears were you sent? 40 years.
, "Well, here is a pardon from the Cover
n nor for you.' genuine look of happi-
ness overspread his countenance. "DC
Re YOU want to go?'' Eyes, sir'' was tn
reply. being further questioned, b,
, stated that bad company brought hin
l. to this. The man killed was in a crowd
rs He claimed he did not fire the shot, bu
l. was sworn into the trouble
1e The next was William Coleman, 6n
~ similar questions Piled.
81 1t was nearly two hours before th
of men were ready.
g. In the mean time, the sheriff from Pag
ar County arrived with two youthful pri
oners, one white and one colored-
to The sheriff remarked that Spiller we
in hanged that morning at Staunton.
at How many years Tor this one?' "1w
of years" He spoke of the white youth:
u would do that should be severely pu