The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-11-24

Special Dispatch TO the Post-Intelligencer.
OLYMPIA. Nov. Zs.-Pierce. county
friends Of George W. Boggs, formerly
city treasurer Of Tacoma, now confined in
the peui,enSiary under sentence for using
the public funds for purposes OF profit.
have been making 4 steady tight for some
time TO secure MS pardon.
George ". Boggs was elected treasurer
Of Tacoma In 1891 ard reelected for the
full term in the spring Of 1882. serving un-
I'll April II. 1894. lie was subsequently,
indicted for embezzi.ng city funds through
the Tacoma Trust 2 Savings bank and
the State Savings bank. both Of Tacoma
The last named institution failed soon at
ter Boggs retired from office He was ac-
quilted on this charge.
After removing 10 Southern oregon
Boggs was Indicted fer accepting in;eres;
on city funds on deposit In the Bank of
Tacoma. the successor of the Tacoma
Trust & Savings bank during his tenure OF
office. He was tried and convicted A
long legal battle for a new trial followed
the matter being taken to the supreme
court. The decision was against Boggs
Gov. McGraw refused 10 interfere and the
man VIE once welded mora political pow
er in Tacoma than any other one man was
sent 70 the penitent;ary.
1t appears. however. that the
work OF Boggs friends VIII go
for nothing, and that no executive
clemency can be looked for Gov. Rogers
today addressed the following letter 10
George III. Stone, OF Tacoma, who had been
active In working for Boggs' pardon:
November q 1895
George II. Stone. Sanford. Stone & Fish
er, Tacoma, Wash.-My dear sir: I have
your letter OF November -. relating 10
convict George W. Boggs.
In reply permit me 10 say that the posi-
ton / hold With relation 70 couvicts in the
state pani,eat.ary is the most trying part
y my duty. We have something like 80
men there confined ~ a punishment for
crime TAX with them and you VIII find
that most OF them consider themselves in
nOcent. The few who will confess that
they have d0Ee wrong arc of opinion that
4 they had been properly defended they
would Hot be where they are and AT any
rate they have already suffered a sufi-
cen, punishment by being convicted. You
VIII ftnd, roo. that the particular friends
- each q these convicts are Of opinion
that While i Is right ard proper that the
other coavicts should he punished and
should remain III prison, still this particu-
Is not a gross .1justic. Is done.
! flnd, Mr.. Stone. that people quite gen
orally look upon the penitent:ary as the
ucst II " 80 future place CT torment.
II - very geoa place fer people with
whom we are not acquainted and who iive
81 4 great distance. but none of US con-
sdsr that i Is a ~ place for any OF our
relatives or those with Waom We are a:
all acquainted.
liz these matters am simply an agent
e The general public. am ID do wha, the
majority want done. I am fully satisfied
thar r very large majority OF ;he people
of this state would consider that to nar-
DON az George ". Eoggs was in the na-
ti3Te % personal injury 10 than. Those
who know him q course. have a & fferaYt
view but these form a very small mir
Gritty oaIy.
Nj Boggs' ease is further complicated
by she fac; that ~ belongs . & class We
have. perhaps, n doZe9 county and city
freaS;sEers or custosiisrs cf pubic frnss
~ the peu.ter:fary. Men who have abuse4
the trusts ccGfl5ed - .hgm - al .ndui-
gent pgallc = t}oggs = pardoue1 there
are nearly a dozen more ~bo viii feel ;hat
they. TOO shonit - partane4. l suppose
you woui2 - oppressed - the pardon q. .he
ether eleven. ARA yet they stand precisely
upon 10 same crouad and ara equally
worthy o( pardon.
There Arr two classes of convic*x v no
easp3 e4 par5ored. First. those who can
Be proved .o go innocent. II later evidence
shows uan IA he i1nocvn; ne certainly
shou'3 r. s~eef S-eo,4@iy tAlSe vgho hass
received excess ve sentences This is often
tDs ease J1dEss Frequently impose sa-
we're sentences n order % proiur. a Sc
t"-rent eF~c; On The Tu!n3 - fhe g@aarYl
Tloitc- presume tass may ~ 3-f..r,Fa az
apaa p~of@- groan4s ~ any va:e. .his -
1-teu 1o-e. Afterward Ev@ai pressure =
: rlst -s1aS A~5G@n5. in as class q s-.sssS
~ Secu~e parton. Usually. huygexe- -aese
sever sentcNCes aEe .,rp0se5 uEru poor
e#Vls We lave no .rieEt:s ARD wao pc
2@'eFR ara fcrgCfte8 Tn's wa< the ras> in
~ e@sets Soa'e tea years <o. where
= ar .iet D. .s company wifH t1~s, c- sr..-
0t 0e-> r.d assisted 81 -h1f3 ur 1ir- vsar,fe
e@ fhe s;Tre-> 81 Ssas;le. Afta~v-ar* 81.
tsitI 60 ersaN s4l be xo+ Ke-r H--f@ II
0yt65nN &v tA5s an5 =yTs1ls a<a. ~ harm
: 3 roE Car1e % th@ pm Wno SER ~cfA.zd
Tass -.a- VAS given t>.rcy-s.x years IN rre
1x-&,e 4zy. Is reAr So can - ascertain.
e1 - 1s& 7~Fe- committed aay cr4n1e hs-
fa-e
; save eaB sasss 81 .ss s,sre-t5r e7s-.
~o.ue 5o r,s wita -e@rs ta n:s eyes ard ssk
~ th~ r2e-: :9s.&t.za ~ a 4en.e-ce t-7f-,ses
- -izeit saying t>a, ~ Wv saw tna.
cae sentence IMPOSED wss excessive T-n.Fs-
r7e c-rc4Tsss5A~ - coas 4er sails ? vary
rca.sg aT,Ay a. g. h-s pzr. II ;A.s e1asS
oe cases l. : se,e-ev.3e1t :h8t ccvassas.a-
ts,r <naa - made
1-eece = anetsss c.ass - csses .-s-se.sr.
qrssoa discipline waere gc~1grsss .asss.. =
seems - re, - oo,a -lgat ant proper. No;