The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-03-01
And strongly Denying There Has been
Discrimination i'm Favor of
Any Set of Gamblers.
BECKHAM ONCE PROTECTED
by JUDGE BARKER WHEN HE FLED
IN TERROR FROM FRANKFORT.
But for the Courts Action Then Tay-
lor Would Now BE GOvernor-An
Investigation Ordered.

LOUISVILLE, Feb. 2S.-Strong state
ments made by Governor Beckham In in
dorsing the pardon he granted on Tuesday
to Ed Alvey, convicted in the Criminal
Court at Louisville of setting up a game OF
chance and given two years in the peniten-
itary. had an extremely sensational after
math in the Criminal Court to-day. Gov
ernor Beckham was denounced to the court
by r. c. Kinkead. who was one of the at
torneys that prosecuted Alvey, and the ex-
ecutive was made the subject of a long ad-
dress to the grand jury by the judge of the
court.
Alvey was convicted on states evidence
turned by three men who were indicted
with him and pardoned by the Governor on
afiidavts which the Governor thought es-
tablished that Alvey was a subject of dis
elimination. In brief, Governor Beckham
charged that Alvey was convicted 'to sup
press competition in gambling" in Louis
vile. In his official Endorsement on the
pardon granted Alvey Governor Beckham
said:
This Is the most barefaced and inexcusa-
BILE case of judicial and political persecution
that ever came before my notice. BY
bold and shameful conspiracy this man AL
vey has been selected as the helpless vic
tim, while others equally as guilty or more
so, who seem TO bask in the sunshine of Of
ficial favor. are allowed absolute immunity
from prosecution in the Jefferson Criminal
Court. This warfare seems To have been
inspired. not by an intention TO suppress
gambling. but by a desire to destroy COM
petition in that business. The papers be-
fore me show beyond doubt that this man
was convicted upon evidence secured by one
of the most infamous bargains ever toll
Grated I'm any court"
II. C. Kinkead. who assisted in pro5ecut-
ing Alvey. considered that references to an
"employed prosecutor in Governor Beck
hams pardon Endorsement reflected on him.
and to-day, I'm the Criminal Court, on mo-
tion of Mr.. Kipkead, Judge Barker appoint
ed a committee of five lawyers TO investi-
gate statements concerning the attorney
made in the Governors Endorsement Judge
Barker ordered the entry of the following
order:
Comes r. c. Klnkead. member of this
bar, and moves the court for the appoint
ment OF a committee of not less than five
members OF the bar of Louisville. whose
duty 1t shall be to fully investigate the In
sinuation of professional misconduct on the
part of said Kinkead I'm the reasons as
signed by the Governor of Kentucky in
granting the pardon OF Ed Alvey, convicted
herein on Feb. %.
Judge Barker then called before him the
grand jury and explained his attitude in the
gambling cases. He said in part:
I'm so far as 1t is intimated that this
court has Disseminated between one set OF
gamblers and another. j desire TO state to
you. upon the honor of Il man. that that is
untrue. That whole potpourri of informa-
tion that Is filed Is made up of the state
ments of men who were either convicted or
who turned states evidence for fear OF con-
viction. IL was amazing TO me. because
could not but remember that when only n
little over a year ago. the present Governor
of Kentucky and his branch of the Legisla-
ture fled I'm terror from Frankfort To the
city of Louisville, when they were threat
ened with arrest by the military command
ed by the then Governor Taylor. IL was to
this court that they came for protection,
and IL was this Governor, and IN his favor
that invoked all the power with which the
Commonwealth had invested me. 1 have IL
from him and the members of the Legisla-
ture that but for the actions of this court
his Legislature would have fed In terror
and never have been assembled again.
Right I'm this court he came for protection
l do not say this I'm boastful spirit. but
merely TO show that IL this court could
have been awed then by the Governor, with
all his military at his back. there would
have been no Governor Beckham now TO in
suit this court"