The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-08-21
Couyicts Who Owe Their Freedom
to Gov. Rogers.
IGNORES BOARD or PARDohs.
state Pagers Take the Chief Exeeo-
live q Task for setting II IdssH-
a. xseh N~tprious Crooks ~ Ja@es
uavfs-yoa . Aedseming Feature
In HE Case-Mstd Up Nes asa
Later Lea Jais nreak-stevens Case

Since his elevation 10 the high once q
e!sfe1 executive ~ the state o. washington
Gov John X. Rogers has ccrtsfse1 70 keep
himself before the public With remarkable
success. In 10 one way .sas the governor
attracted more public attention ans excited
more cernxnezs sssroughog, the state than
by his unaccoantable Use Of the pardonins
power and bis cheerful habit OF Ignoring
the recommends sions OF the board OF par
ccns wherever sss conclusions hare faised
"a coincide with his own. For months the
u,sss OF tie state has been flied with arii-
cies attacking tho chief executive for al
legged abuses Of tiss nature. or defending
~ against such attacks.
Usu rec1nsiy tho pesDss Of Seattle have
had little occasion 20 critieise sha gov
ernor. for most of the cases coming before
she hoard OF psrdons have been Of 10 local
interest In tie case OF James Davis. who
was recently granted a fun pardon, II II
different. Although II has been nearly
nlre years slrce Davis left Seattle 10 serve
OUT 4 sentence Of thirty-s.x years for high
way robbery and subsequent jail breaking,
his Mans is SUI well remembered. espe-
csaily in police cirelss. as that OF one Of
tho boldest eespeGadoss who ever looked
out through the bars of King eosnty's
Jail. and his release. after less than ore
fourth Of his term had expired, has SET
tongues 10 wagging freely. not only In
Seattle, bit In other places where Davis
d. E. ffy "a. nf s5A
comment has not been favorable TO the
governor, for the lstter's action was taken
in spite Of the recommendation Of the
board OF pardons that tho sentence be
commnted 10 six years.
Davis Work NJ n Highwnyman.
60 far a. the general public know. there
was not, II is alleged. a single redeeming
feature In Davis case. nor has the chief
executive found II necessary up to the
present time to sni.shten his critics as to
any private Information he may have had
In the matter.
Concerning the record Of Davis before
coming TO Seattle, the police Of this city
know little At the time Of his arrest
he was almost q total stranger III the city,
although he claimed 10 have been working
Ear = time at Ballard snifsge mall. At
that tifna he was young man. about 3
years of age, not large but sturdy built,
and With a brutal face. indicating both
dissemination and personal courage. quail
ties which every successful criminal, az
a rule. Possesses.
Davis crime and subsequent events
proved that he was no exception To the
rule. In September. 1883. In company
with a young man named Tom Clark,
who. 80 far rs known. had never been in
any serious trouble with the law. he COM
united SIX of III. beidest highway rob-
heries sn ths history Of the state. Start
Ing out In the evening just after dark.
The entire SERIES OF crimes WAS completed
before midnight. and by good fortune
hour later both highwayusen were cap
tured by the police. Davis and Clark
pursued their work In "A manner that the
police consider shows Davis to have been
no novice. He did the hoid-up work prop
cry. and Clark. II 10 claimed. was only
taken along % search the victims at the
naxx,e OF pas!s' revolver.
Their last victim was commercial trav-
efer whe rooming at the Grifsth
house. on Second avenue. lie was way
laid In the hail Just al he entered the
house and robbed OF SIS and other vaiu-
ables. II CHANGED tina, he had once been
u private detective, ard with Iauiaile cool
ness he allowed the footpads 10 do their
work while he made mental notes con-
Corning their personal appearance. When
the job was finished he quietly followed
Davis and Clark down into the city, and
az length into a saloon on what In now
Second avenue south He then notified
the police. ard the two mon were cap
sured without "a struggle. outnnuber by
three pasrolmen.
Davis and Clark had hardly been IN 'an
week when they were the Yingleaiers
IN the meet desperate tailhreak an the hts
la
evsrpowcree and terribly. slasiss9i with a
razor. and the prisoners swafmed over the
Jail fence. Davis was shot fn fhe hack
ard forced to surrender Clark was also
returned To hts cell. Nlles th,. bullet Was
cat from Davis wound he never within
refed unaer ths surgeons knife lie
was dad game. Rs the police ssid
Both men risaded guilty before Judge
HanforS n little later, ard In spite az
that fact were each giver A sentence N.Y.