The San Francisco call., 1895-12-15
"L|FERS" ASK CLEMENCY,
Governor Petitioned to Pardon
One Life.Timer Every
Christmas.
Warden Aull and Prison Commissioners
Believe 1t an Advanced Step
in Prison Reform.

Governor Budd is considering petition
from the prisoners at San Quentin serving
life terms, in which his Excellency is re-
quested to inaugurate the custom of ex-
tending executive clemency to one among
their mum ber every year, either by pardon
or Communication of sentence. The petition
represents that among the life prisoners
are many who have been faithful servants
of the State for periods ranging from ff-
teen to twenty-four years, who have long
since atoned their misdeeds; that their
lives are hopeless, but that the hope that
he might be the one selected would give
them all something to live for and serve
as an incentive to good behavior, repent
ance and greater industry for them all.
The Governor asked to fix Christmas
of each year as day upon which one of
their number should be selected in accord
ance with mis- prison record and period of
confinement and given either his libery by
pardon or shortening of his sentence.
Governor Budd, upon receipt of the pc
tition, forwarded it to Warden Charles
Aull of Folsom Prison requesting his
opinion upon the subject Warden Aull
has replied to Governor Budd expressing
his hearty approval of the idea. His views
are expressed in the following extracts
from his letter:
have been engaged In handling the crimi-
nal element of this State for twenty-four con-
secutive years-sixteen as an official OF the
State Prison at San Quentin and Folsom. 1t is
my convection, derived from my experience
that the element of hope conduces more largely
than all other factors to the good conduct and
reformation of criminals. Hope, however dim
and distant, prompts obedience and good order
and spurs on the convlcts to sustained and in
dustrious effort. Promptltude, attention 10 de-
tails and habits of self-control are thus incul-
Gated and become in time the natural order of
life, exerting in the end vast mental, moral
and physical benefit on the prisoner
To this may be added skill and proficiency in
the use of tools and industry as fixed habit
Eliminate hope from the mind and heart of
| the convict, and you have nothing left that is
| amenable to reformatory agencies There is no
| incentive to obedience and work When bereft
| of this pleasing and sustaining anticipation
the convict becomes sodden in his degrade
ton and imbued with an implacable and
vengeful hostility against society. Regenera-
ton is the trult OF repentance and atonement
Denied the hope OF forgiveness, there is
nothing to lift the life-term convict above the
| level Of the chained brute. The unceasing
enemy OF authority within the prison, he is
| the embittered foe of society and all law with
| out. Evil passions obtain full control of his
soul, and his mind closes against righteous
precepts and wholesome reflections.
Seventy men are serving life sentences in
this prison: they have no incentive to good
behavior save the hope of executive clemency
or punishment by physical deprivation. Take
all announcement from them and you crush
out everything human and leave only the
animal.
My view is dictated by business study of
criminalogy es much as it is by humanitarian
consideration. Whatever lifts the convict from
a life OF sloth and wickedness and elevates
him morally is distinct gain to society,
whether considered from moral or economic
standpoint. pardon held out as an annual
4 fnrf fhn r,onC inc aVnn ha ffl
termers would be an act of mercy which could
not be abused and would greatly aid in pro-
noting discipline, industry and correct be-
havior. The recipient of this clemency must
have shown himself worthy of it by a long
period of hard work and strict obedience.
Itmust be borne in mind that large pro-
portion of life termers are convicted of homi-
eide. Such usually have more character than
men who commit crimes against property
points to some extenuating circumstance in
the commission of the crime, or q lingering
doubt of guilt. Many of these men will not lie
or steal. Not few of them were excellent
fathers and husbands, who had led fairly use
full and respectable lives prior to vio-
lating the law. Shall there be no expiation for
these? 1t seems to me that society may, with
out injury to itself or insult to justice, hold
out the hope of pardon in recognition of con-
triton and good works. Otherwise society
might better save itself expense and the hope
less EQUALIZATION of its offenders by executing
them at once. In taking this view have not
lost sight OF the deterrent influence of punish
ment.
An actual act of mercy in this form would, 1
am convinced, encourage those habits of
thought and energy which constitute the very
foundation stone of all reformatlon and inau-
gurate q species of emulation that would exert
d most healthful moral influence inside the
prison, an influence which would be felt by all
classes OF convicts, and be of material assist