The Mt. Sterling advocate., 1901-03-12
Governors Reason For Pardoning
Ed Alvey.

sentenced 10 the peniientisry for 2
years. February 81 Gov. Beckham
granted him full pardon.
So much having been said re-
garding this act of the Governor,
we give his reason.
Y "Keasons for pardon Of Ed Alvey:
Afhis is the most barefaced and in
tcusabie case oi'juiiciai aud po'!;t
n persecution that ever came be-
e my notice. BY . bold and
amehhl conspiracy this man Alvey
Vas been selected as the helpless
victim, while others equally as gull
ty or more so, who seem to bask in
the sunshine of official favor, are
allowed absolute immunity from
prosecution in the Jefferson Crimi-
nal Court. Has the prosecution
been animated by an earnest and
honest desire to stamp cut all gam
bling in the city of Louisville? If
so, then they would have met with
the hearty cooperation of the Chief
Executive in their efforts, and /
! stand ready now, whenever and
wherever it may be in my power to
aid the officers of the law, where
they are honest in seeking to en-
force the law against gambling,
without psrtiality or favor to any
one.
HAS such been the case in the
recent indictments and trial in Lou
isville2 The record before me and
the Information have received GER
tainly do not show it. Why is it
that indictments have not been re-
turned against the most notorious
gambler in the cityP And why is
VI that indictments agaiIs: o:he:s
have been dismissed under a cor
rupt bargain that they would he
given immunity if they would give
evidence against this man and one
Miles. Is Alvey made the object of
particular vengeance because he
had become dangerous rival in
the business to some others2
"Gambliug is a crime punished
by severe penalties under our stat
utes and it ought to be stamped
out if possible by rigid and i'm
partial enforcement OF The law. l
would gladly see the city Of Louis
Vile freed from this vice, but if it
is allowed at all, then l woald say
it would be preferable under the
principles of competition rather
than of monopoly.
This warfare seems To have been
inspired, not by an intention to
suppress gambling. but by desire
to destroy competition in that bus
mess. The papers before me show
beyond doubt that this man was
convicted upon evidence secured by
one of the most infamous bargains
ever tolerated in any court.
"One of the employed prosecu-
tors, who has been conspicuous in
his professed advocacy of honest
elections and has been Peter the
Hermit in this one eyed crusade
against the gambling vice, accord
ing to the papers before me, nego-
tiated the deal, claiming TO act
with the sanction and approval Of
the court.
"By this agreement, which, by
the proceedings in court recently,
seemed to be fully carried out, these
men were dismissed from the char
ges against them, and by their tes-
timony a verdict was secured
against Alvey, who, either by rea
son of his competitive qualities or
his political affiliations, seems to
have incurred the especial hatred
and animosity OF the prosecution.
II have filed before me, in what l
am assured is the handwriting of
the Prosecuting Attorney before re
feed to, Geidavits which he pre-
pared for these men to sign after
the agreement was made. 1 copy
the first paragraph.
State of Kentucky, 9. s.--Jeffer-