Evening journal., 1899-07-10
HIS PARDON REFUSED.
Efforts of Colouel Cooper's
Friends Fruitless.
He RECEIVES THE BAD NEWS


LEWIS c. VANDEGRIFT REFUSE
TO APPROVE THE APPLICATION,
AND IT DOES NOT REACH THE
PRESIDENT.
Colonel Ezekiel T. Cooper, who is
just completing his term Of eighteen
months Imprisonment in the New Jer-
sey state prison at Trenton for con-
spiring with William ~ Boggs to de-
fraud the First National Bank of Do
yer, will not receive his pardon. In
fact. it is extremely doubtful whether
the application will ever reach the
eyes of President Mckinley.
Judge Bradford, who tried Colonel
Cooper, and Lewis c. vandegrift, the
United States district attorney who
prosecuted him, have both refused to
recommend the granting of the pardon,
and, under the red tape which governs
intercourse between the president and
the Department OF Justice, this pre-
vents the matter from even being laid
before the president. The application
remains in the hands Of the pardon
clerk Of the Department Of Justice, and
there it viii remain unless President
Mckinley should feel inclined to break
through the red tape and take the mat
ter up at the instance Of influential
men whose assistance Will now be in
voked.
THE PETITIONS SENT IN.
For several months a systematic Of
fort to obtain a pardon for Colonel
Cooper has been in course Of prosecu-
tion. In all parts of the ntate petitions
were put in circulation, and thousands
OF persons signed them, regardless Of
political aniliatlon. In all three coun-
ties there was general desire to haye
the president exercise his executive
clemeney. The movement was also par
ticipated in by many prominent men
from all parts of the country. These
letters and petitions were sent to the
Department of Justice, and by it refer
red to Judge Bradford and Mr.. Vande-
grit To the latter Colonel Cooper
wrote a letter asking him to use his
good offices in his behalf Mr. Vande-
grift wrote reply in which he de-
'clined to approve the application, say
ing that he regarded the sentence as
just; that the crime, being a misde-
meanor and not felony,
would not deprive the colonel
of his citizenship, and that he
would not advise the granting Of a par
don. a copy of this letter he also sent
I to the Department Of Justice as an ex-
'pression Of his views.
THE BAD NEWS RECEIVED.
On Friday ex-Congressman L. Irving
Handy and a friend went to the New
Jersey state prison 10 see Colonel
Cooper When they arrived. there the
warden showed them letter which he
had just received from the Department
! Of Justice informing the colonel that
his application had failed. Mr.. Handy
requested the warden not to communi-
cate it to the colonel until they had
prepared him, in a measure, for the
disappointment. He agreed Then
they went to the colonel and talked
over the matter. He was hopeful, but
they took particular pains TO point out
to him that. with Judge Bradford and
Mr. Vandegrift both opposing his ap-
plication, it would be almost a miracle
7 if he received a pardon. After thus
breaking down his hopes as best they
could they left him, and the warden
conveyed to him the letter from the
pardon clerk of the Department Of JUS
tlco. It recited that his petition for a
pardon had been filed, but that it had
been disapproved Of Consequently il
would not be forwarded to the presi-
dent for his consideration, but placed
on the files of the office. Enclosed with
the letter was copy OF
the rules of the Depart
mentment Of Justice concerning par
dons with two Of the rules marked. One
rule was that all petitions and papers
for a pardon should be formally for
warded by the Department Of Justice tc
the district attorney and the tria'
Judge for their recommendation. If the
Recommendation of both, or either OF
them, was favorable to a pardon, the
papers should be forwarded to the
president for his action. But if the
recommendation of both the distric
attorney who tried the case and the
trial judge should he adverse
the papers would not be forwarded t
the president for his consideration. an,
no further action would be taken in th'
matter.
The other rule marked was that fail
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