The record-union., 1898-10-22
WIN. R. MELV|LLE'S LUCK.
GOVERNOR BUDD HAS COM
MUTED HIS SENTENCE.
He Will be Free Next Monday to
Commence Leading an Up
right Life.

On the Both day of June, 1894, Will
lam r. Melville, counting house clerk
for the Bank of California, San Fran
cisco, was arrested for embezzling
sums aggregating $500 from the
funds of the bank and aproprlating
the same to his own use.
On August /, 1894, he was arraigned
in Judge Belchers court, and pleaded
guilty as charged. On August 4th he
was sentenced to serve eight years in
the State Prison at San Quentin.
On November 10, 1897, an application
for Melville's pardon, headed by Will
lam S. Barnes, District Attorney, and
signed by fifty of San Francisco's most
prominent citizens, was received and
filed at the Governors Office, and was
subsequently referred to the Board OF
State Prison Directors
On August 18th of the present year,
General w. H. l.. Barnes addressed a
personal letter to the Board of Prison
Directors, urging favorable recommen-
dation on the pardon application. In
the course of his letter General Barnes
said:
L venture to express to you my per
sonal interest in the application and
the reasons for it. A good many years
ago l undertook the performance Of
the leading role in the play of Rose
dale at the California Theater, for
the benefit of the exhausted funds of
the Mercantile Library of this city,
San Francisco, of which I was then
President. My part was that of Elliott
Gray, and whose principal feat was
the rescue of a child stolen by gypsies
The little fellow who played this part
was Prisoner Melville. He was an ex
ceedingly interesting and intelligent
child, and | took a great fancy to MIN
| put him to school at McClure's Acad-
emy in Oakland, and kept him there
until he was fit to take a place in the
Bank of California as a 10rt of mes
senger or errand boy, which [ obtained
for him. For years he gave great sat-
isfaction to his employers and was
promoted. The discovery of his offense
against the bank was a very painful
surprise to all Melvlle's friends, and
to none more than myself
think he has been so punished that
hereafter he will be better man, and
I am sure his poor old mother has suf-
fered even more than he has. If Mel
by your good selves and Governor
Budd, he has friends who will take
him by the hand and help him build
up new character"
In their recommendation to Governor
Budd the members of the Board of
Prison Directors referred to the fact
that the offense for which he was con-
victed was the first of any kind
charged against the prisoner; that lie
was not addicted to the vicious ex-
cesses prevalent among embeZzlers;
that he saved the State the expense
Of trial by pleading guilty, and that
he had been an exemplary prisoner.
The recommendation closes with the
following words:
1T appears that his pardon is rec
commended and favored by the trial
Judge in the following words in sum
ming up a letter in evidence before the
board: In my estimation the purposes
Of judgment in this instance have been
fulfilled and you and the Directors
would be justified in releasing the
prisoner from his confinement There
appears a petition for his pardon
signed by the Hon. w. H L. Barnes,
William L. Barnes, District Attorney
John F. Seymour, for the police de-
partment of San Francisco, and a large
number Of highly reputable citizens of
this Commonwealth, persons whose
names rarely appear appended to petit
tions, and then only in cases of much
merit, and never unless they honestly
believe and intelligently understand
what they are signing and vouching
for. Thus the petition carries great
weight with this board
Therefore. 1t is the opinion of this
board that Convict William r. Melville
is worthy of executive clemency, and
it does most respectfully recommend
that the Governor of California do par
don him"
Governor Budd has had the matter
Of the application under consideration
since its receipt, and yesterday issued
Communication of Melville's sentence,
to take effect Monday next. In issuing
the communication the Governor refers
to the arguments set forth in the petit
ton, and to the personal letters of Gen
eral Barnes and Judge Belcher, who
pronounced sentence on Melville, both
of whom recommended executive Glenn
ency Melville would have less than a
year Of his original sentence to serve
at the time his Communication will 60
into effect.