Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1898-06-10
A CONUNDRUM.

10 HIS EXCELLENCY, JOHN X. ROGERS:
What is the mission of the State
Board Of Pardons? Was it created as
an Advisory Board, or as safe retreat
to which you might fly when sorely
pressed?
In your subsidized Daily Times of
June 4, 1898, under the caption "The
State Capital" we find published the
following:
At is regular monthly session the
State Board of Pardons recommended
the pardon of ten cOnvicts. The follow
ing is the list of names and action of
the Governor thereon:
George X. Krumm, King county, for
gerry; sentence, two years Board
recommends immediate pardon. This
man tells very good story, which is
entirely unsupported. Says that he
was led away by designing woman.
Acknowledges the forgery, which was
! committed for the purpose of obtaining
money for the woman AS guilt is
acknowledged and sentence not ex.
cessive, decline to interfere.
John Drew, Spokane county, horse
stealing. ten years; term nearly expired.
Boards recommends immediate pardon.
Is given communication of sixty days for
good behavior.
Thomas Floid, Columbia county,
grand larceny; sentence, three years.
Board recommends immediate pardon.
1t appearing from papers in the case
that petitioner was entirely innocent of
crime committed pardon is granted.
Jens Nielsen, kitSap county; rape,
twenty years. Board recommends
sentence committed to five years.
Prisoner was convicted largely on his
own testimony. He was converted and
testified against himself; girl but nine
years of age. He has now served about
two years. Among the papers is pro-
test from the father of the child, ending
as follows: hope you will not pardon
a man who has been and feel sure will
he. dangerous to the public. Protest of
parent respected. Communication denied.
Robert Liddle, King county, petty lar
ceny; fine of 500 and costs, to stand
committed until paid. Board recon-
mends remission of fine. Trial justice
says: Since passing judgment upon
him | have made further investigation
into ihe case and believe that he is un.
Justly punished and should not have
been found guilty" Pardon issues.
Phil NJ. Isensee, Whatcom county
embezzling treasurer of Whatcom City
sentence four years; term expires this
fall. Board recommends immediate
pardon. Decline to interfere.
AL Heiser, King county, assault and
battery; sentence, thirty-six days in
Jail. Board recommends immediate
pardon. The man who gets drunk and
beats woman ought to serve at least
thirty-six days in Jail. No pardon.
NJ j Clump, Jefferson county; en-
bezzlement; sentence, six years. Board
recommends immediate pardon. Clump
was treasurer OF Jefferson county; has
served about two years; decline to in
terfere in this case.
A w Lauderback, Pacific county
burglary; sentence, four years. Board |
recommends immediate pardon. Prisoner
has been liberated by reason of expira-
ton of sentence. No pardon.
VIC Eddon. Lincoln county; murder
in the second degree; sentence, ten
years. Board recommends sentence to |
expire July l, 1898. Ten years for
murder in the second degrees is not ex-
cessive. This the prisoner will serve
out by good behavior in little more |
than six years. Decline to interfere.
r Baker and A p Tugwell, Pierce
contempt of Court fine of 1900
or 100 days in Jail. Board recommends
pardon. Sentence COM
muted from 100 to 90 days.
Of the above ten cases we find that
vnt, uroptaI op1,, two 20 ;es,,o n, .oo |
commended. In the case of Lauder
back you withheld your approval be-
cause the prisoner had served his time
and been duly discharged from the
custody of the State. (No comments.)
Another case worthy of mention, and
one that will prove very entertaining
to many OF your REFORM associates is
that of Geo. I. Stevens (the Captain
Kid OF the Loyal Mining Company
and the same convict that l gave the
record OF in my open letter to you
May 9th. On the 18th day OF March,
your manager, j. F. Addleman and NJ.
NJ. Holmes waited, on you with petit
tions and trumped up evidences of
Stevens innocence, and further evil
dence that he had the knowledge of
existence of a very rich gold mine and
a chest of nuggets, all of which he Of
fered to barter for his pardon, his sen.
tence being 10 years for grand lar
ceny, he having served 81 years, had
been severely punished three different
times and had forfeited all good time,
The dicker was made without the aid
or interference of the Board of Par
dons. You granted his pardon the
next day, March 10, and on March 20
he was liberated together with o. d.
Butterfield, his keeper, turnkey, and |
the Loyal Mining Co. was incorporated
March 80, and are now sailing the
briny deep in quest of the alleged gold |
mine and buried treasure.
H. r. HILL.