New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-10-21

HE URGES THE GOVERNOR TO PARDON
JOHN v M'KANE

WRITES A LETTER TO THAT EFFECT AND SAYS
THE MAN HAS BEEN PUNISHED ENOUGH
MP nACKts ALSO ASKS FOR CLEMENCY.
Justice Gaynor has Joined the petitioners lot
the pardon Of John Y McKane. letter rom
him urging executive clernency. Is III t"e wv
ernor's hands This is the more reiharh""'e' 40
Judge Gaynor was. perhaps more IMAM any '"e
else. the cause of McKane's overthrow II was
he whose fight against the GraVeseho "o''
nrovoked the latter into the violent outbreaks
that resulted in his Imprisonment ne 10"
urges executive clemency on the grouho tii"'
McKane has beer punished enough anu tiia'
he has been made an example 10 eVi'-uoeIS y.
the punishment already imposed. which Is al
that is necessary His letter is as follows:
To the Governor: =, ,o,, Mo.
Kane but without restoration to forfeited political
rights. 49,, ,,o,oa % this mai,ly
nv the distressing appeals of himself and his wife
and children to me though eanno o sy ronsdera
tons. In the case Of proiessiona cin,i'aI All Sav
burgars FOR be 1nf in prison eranenty
or as much as possible for the protection Oh ne
a. respec OF which the imprisonment Is for punish
ment principally, as warning 10 o,n"IS a.io ~, ~
order 10 preserve the political and social Greer INC
tarm Of impris ornent should not be longer than
is necessary to that erd |; seems 10 me Il NV h
imnrisonmont for now more than two years ana
six rnonths His fall and d scrace coupled WIN WIN
al once a wofu punishment; TO him and sanitary
Th e.'i broSen health of McKane is me also
relevant subicc; for constellation as vel as a,e
fas, tSn ne rnn h by by Betrayal bet tru which
has been or vii be explained 10 you. also max
thas , mn ca: in whiSS mercy Win emphasize
the greatness and soemness 81 sovernmSh,, 81; IN
t snGa WIN Mb tie Mcan ce Hd
law have been great his punishment mas p nre
s,rnod have lcvelled him to nothing +, inaIh re-
spectfuily, etc, W. - "
A Tribune reporter called or Justice Gaynor
last night and asked for further Information
or the McKane case. The Justice was much
surprised that the existence of the letter shouio
have been made known, and said 1t was the
first information he had received that 1t was
now public property
IL have nothing to add to the letter ne coh-
tinued 1T expresses all that l want 10 say
But should like to know how 1t got out.
District Attorney Backus has also urged on
the Governor the propriety Of pardoning NC
Kane The following is extract from MT
Backus's letter:
The good a man has done should be credited 10
against him The jury would never nave conVcteo
mend in he stronges; possible terms light punish
ment by reason of his good character IN o'n s
words rcasonab BE doub, in the minds OF some OF me
Jury was dissolved in this extraordinar! ana eA
IRENE recommendation 10 mercy -. ,.. o..
II seems TO me that full force was no, gwen 70
that recommen dation in the sentence ana tne Oi,is
j. should have been given full force by the Jurors
who entertained such reasonable DOUBT SUI;
nathar tho Jurors nor the Judge who presided cou!d
an,icinate The extreme punishments which have
come to this prisoner
Among the others who have urged Executive
c,emency are Colonel E. c. James. Matthew
Hale and Peter ]. Vanderveer.