The record-union., 1897-11-02
CONVICT STERNBERG FREE.
WAS PARDONED YESTERDAY
BY GOVERNOR BUDD.
Ramon Herrara, Convicted Of
Robbery, Also Granted
Pardon.

Governor Budd yesterday granted
pardon to Louis Sternberg, the San
FRANCISCO vote colonizer, who in FED
iurary, 1895. was convicted and sem
tenced to serve three years in the State
prison.
"A numerously-signed petition praying
The Governor to use the pardonlnS pow
er IN favor of Sternberg was presented
some time ago, but at the request OF
Mayor Phelan of San Francisco the
Chief Executive withheld action until
counter petition might be forwarded
The counter petition arrived recently,
and contained only 113 names, and yes
terday the Governor signed the procla-
nation which makes Sternberg free
man. 1t is as follows:
Whereas, in the month of February,
"A. D. 1S95 at a regular session of the
Superior Court, held in and for the city
and County of San Francisco, in said
State, Louis Sternberg was tried and
convicted Of the crime of felony and
sentenced to undergo an Imprisonment
in the State prison, for the term of
three years.
And, whereas, the crime for which
he was convicted was the procuring of
residents of the city who We're legal
voters, thereof, to register in Senate
rial district, other than that of their
residence; it not being charged that
they voted or registered more than
once.
This was a direct violation of the
election laws, known as colonization,
which has grown into a custom, but
was stopped by the vigorous proSecu-
tlon OF Sternberg and others under the
advice of myself and the State Commit
tee L advancing money, on the request
or the San Francisco Grand Jury, to
assist the prosecution.
And whereas, Sternberg's term ex-
pires by law August %, 1898, some nine
months hence, without allowing any
credits on his sentence for the ten
months and two weeks he was impris-
oned in the County Jail.
And, whereas, He is a young man of
excellent family, of previous good
character, and not of the criminal class.
and is the only one punished of all those
guilty of violating the election laws in
San Francisco in 1894;
And, whereas, 1t would be a matter
of impropriety and injustice for one
tion of Sternberg to refuse to grant
clemency, when the elected representa-
fives Of the people, composing some of
our ableSt and best citizens. thirty
seven out of forty State Senators. and
q majority of the Assemblymen. unit
ing in written request therefor all but
one Of the Senators from San Francisco.
in writing and personally uniting in the
fer11t 0f = h. 49,
ing with them, and A. J. Clunie. whose
able prosecution secured the conviction,
writing in Sternberg's behalf, and the
Board of Prison Directors, making IA
Vorable recommendation
ION October -, 1897, after the recon-
mendation Of the Prison Directors. the
Mayor of San Francisco, the Hon
James d. Phelan, did telegraph a re-
quest that I delay action on said rec
ommendation until a protest of the cit
liens OF San Francisco could be pro-
cured and forwarded. ! have waited.
and after two weeks delay have re-
ceived the protest. the language of
which, and the known ease with which
signatures can be secured, the Mayors
protests, three in number, contain but
ll3 names out of the upward of 10000
voters and $4,000 residents of San
Francisco.
AS we must assume that all pro-
ceedings in this behalf were in good
faith, the protest does not overbear the
facts, petitions and recommendations
above, but is an evidence of the acqui-
eScence of the citizens of San Francisco
in the acts of the Senators, Assembly
men and jurymen mentioned anL n
the Judgment Of the Board of Prison
Directors.
Fully agreeing with the Mayor and
protestants as to the seriousness of
offenses against the election laws-I
VIII be as ready to aid in their prose-
cution, as / was in securing the con-
viction Of Sternberg: but for the rea-
sons herein stated / deem the shorten
Ing of Sternberg's sentence proper
In conclusion the document sets forth
that "the sentence of Louis Sternberg
shall expire and terminate on the 1st
day of November. 1897 and is signed
by the Governor.