The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-03-18
MUST STAY IN PRISON
Pardon Is Refused to Thomas
Williams.
HARMER CASE is HEARD
RTsHoP WHO WAS CONVICTED
OF ADULTERY.
After Listening to Evidence on Both
Sides the State Board of Pardons
Yesterday Decided That Williams
Should Not Be Freed-Harmer
Case Goes Over One Month.

The state board OF pardOnS held their
regular monthly session yesterday. The
rase Of Thomas Williams, under a life
sentence since 1883 for the murder of
Joseph E Hutchings, was taken up,
among others, and it was decided that
Williams was not a fit object for Glenn
fncy and the pardon was denied. Henry
Kohl testified tc having been an eye
witness Of the murder, and that after
tbe shooting he had heard Williams
acknowledge that he had shot Hutch
iugs Attorney Lippman also testified
with REGARD to two of the affidaYits
presented by Judge Powers, those of
Kohl and Dillon, being word for word
the same.
Harmer Case Up.
The case Of Lorin II. Harmer of
Springville, Utah county, an ex-bishop
of the Mormon church, sentenced to a
years Imprisonment in the state peni-
tentiary for adultery, had a hearing
Yesterday and was continued TO the
next meeting of the board.
The crime for which Bishop Harmer
IS imprisoned, was accomplishing the
ruin Of Ella Anderson, who was a do
nestle in the service of his family. The
bishop, who already had at the time of
his liaisOn with the servant girl, two
wives, claimed that he had married
Ella. There was, however, no evidence
Of marriage. Had he been able to
prove that Ella was a plural wife Of
his he would have had to stand trial for
p0lygamy instead of adultery. His year
of Imprisonment commenced on Dec. II
last.
A number of witnesses appeared be-
fore the board and testified in favor of
the bishop. A. l.. Booth of Springville
spoke favorably Of his character previ-
GUS 20 the event which caused his dis
grace, and Judge J. L. Booth, the trial
Judge who passed sentence on him, in
terpOsed no objection. H. T. Reynolds,
a Springville merchant, spoke of the
excellent character the bishop had here
tOfOre borne for morality.
He had provided well for his families,
who were put TO considerable straits
through the lack of his assistance in
the management Of his farms. District
Attorney S. A. King, who prosecuted
% the case. could not see how the bishop
was deserving of pardon, and after
considerable argument on each side of
the case the board considered it ex-
pedient to suspend action till the next
meeting.
Other Cases Heard.
The board disposed of a number of
other cases as follows:
August Nielsen, convicted Of murder
in the second degree on Nov. ., 1892, in
Utah county and sentenced TO life i'm
prisonment; case continued one month.
NielS 2. Christensen, convicted of for
nicatiOn on Feb. 8, 1900, and sentenced
to seventy-five days Imprisonment in
Sewer county Jail; pardon denied.
William d. Reeves, convicted of bur
glary on Dec >. 1899, in salt Lake, and
sentenced TO three years; case cOntin-
Ued one month.
Joseph Smith, convicted of grand lar
ceny Nov. Is, 1899, in Garfield county
and sentenced to one year; case contin-
ued one month.
William H. WOOlsey, convicted of
grand larceny on Nov. IS, 1899, in Kane
county and sentenced to one year; case
continued one month.
James j. Booth. convicted of rape
and adultery Oct. II, 1896, in Washing
ton county, and sentenced to fourteen
years on the rape charge and one year
for adultery; case continued for one
month.
James W. Riddle, convicted of grand
larceny on Nov %. 1898. in Juab coun-
", and sentenced to two and One-half
years; pardon denied.