The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-09-14
TOOK PAPERS FROM HIM
REFUSED ALL FACTS IN THE
CASE OF CONVICT BARNES.
WHO WAS SENT UP FOR ATTEMPT RAPE
And Secretly Pardon.d by the Governor in
April Last. Marshall Mott, Spencer
Adams and ]. C. [ Harris the
Champion Pardon Getters.

Do YOU want a pardon? then employ
Marshall Mott, J. G. Logan Harris or
Spencer Adams to get it for you.
They've got the only nickles that fit the
slot machine.
When Governor Daniel L. Russell was
indicted into office he did one good thing
he made a rule that the reasons for
each pardon of convicted criminal
should be given to the public. This
can be kent in mind all the more easily
because it is the only good thing he has
done or will do, except of course wnen
he turns over his office to his Demo
cratic successor.
This rule of the Governors did not
last. There were hungry henchmen who
saw GOLDEN possibilities in the pardon
mill. 1t began to rain pardons. To
make known the reasons for all OF
them would have kept the Rev. De-
cayed Baylus and the Governor busy
and would have monopolized the space
of the newspapers. The public began
to protest that it was not the business or
4 Governor to undo the work of the
courts in 90 counties. That settled the
only good thing of the Governor, and
since that time a fee to the right man
and dark lantern have been the only
requisites to the securing of pardon.
Nor did the Governor stop at merely
keeping secret the reasons for par
dom: even the fact that a pardon was
granted has been kept dark In many
cases and the first ntimation the public
received was often a resumption OF oper-
atoms at the old stand by the beneficial
ries of this sub rosa clemency.
Take the case of the man Barnes who
was sent up for long term from
Rocky Mount and whose neck was saved
Only by the skin of his teeth. He was
convicted of attempted assault ON a
young GIRL his ward. After a while
Barnes appeared at home. Not a word
had been said of Il pardon. But it
was found that Governor Russell had
pardoned him at the solicitation, it is
alleged, of J.. G. Il. Harris, whom
Barnes had employed after his incarce-
ration. Mott and Adams have sheen
equally fortunate in rain-making, as it
were easy to prove by cold instances.
Yesterday morning | went to the Gov
ernor's office and asked Secretary Cade
if / might see the papers In the Barnes
case. 1.-THE papers are confeedential,
replied the Rev. Baylus. They contain
matters that might be e-rlsed to the Diet
riment of living people
"When was Barnes pardoned!" The
Secretary looked the matter up and said
he had been pardoned on April It'll last.
What was the ground of the par
don?''
.sThe reason Of the pardon was as
signed in the papers according to law"
replied the Rev. Baylus, Il will have
to see His ExcelIency.'
Mr.. Cade vanished in the executive
office and remained a quarter of an
hour He came back and said that ellis
ExcelIency" would lay the reasons be-
fore the next Legislature but did not
wish to make them public now.
May | have the facts in the casey'
Mr. Cade said he thought so and went
to the cabinet stuffed with "pardons
granted" While he was fishing in the
files for the papers Governor Daniel
J.. waddled up to the door, putting as
usual.
Tell him no; he can't have the rea-
sons. Let me have those papers," he
added in the manner of an irate drum
mer to hotel porter. The Rev. Bay
lus took the package and shuffed sub
missiyely after His Excellency" and
that was the last seen Of him. The Rev
erend Baylus was sufficiently squelched.
1t may not be generally known, but
one of the conspicuous ornaments of the
executive office is big wicker basket
bearing the legend Pending Pardons.
1t is an indispensable adjunct, a sort OF
hopper to the mill.