The Honolulu republican. [volume] (Honolulu, T.H.) 1900-1902, 1901-06-04
pAaDoN FoR CONTEMPT OF
COURT.

President Mckinley has finally
granted q pardon 70 Alexander Nc
Ksnxfe. wno wzs sentenced To pay a
fne Of s1e0e and serve one year IN
jail. for contempt Of court. in disobsy-
ing an order Of the United Stats
Circuit Court Of Appeals o. fhe EInsh
Circuit. Quite in contrast with the
action Of Henry E Cooper. who lie
gaIly styles himself Acting Governor.
was the action Of the President in the
Mckenzie case The President dc
not send the United States Marshal
for the Northern District OF Califor
MIA a pardon TO reach him at the same
time the mittimus from the Court
would reach him
The Mckenzie case is one Of The
most notable in the history Of legal
Jurisprudence in the United Stasss-
Mckenzie was appointed receiver
Of some mining property in Alaska By
the United States Court Something
like six or eight months ago Mckenzie
was ordered by the Court to produce
certain papers and records Of the
property for which he was receiver
before the Court. Mckenzie refused
to obey the order and an officer was
sent 20 Alaska 70 bring him before
the bar Of the Court Brought before
the bar be continued to refuse to pro-
duce the papers and records called
for and was therefore sentenced by
the Court TO pay fine Of One Thou
ands Dollars and be committed to the
County jail OF Alameda County, Calf
ornia. for period of one year
The sentence was so severe that 1t
at once attracted national attention.
The fact OF a man being sentenced 10
pay such heavy fine and be impris-
oned for one year for contempt Of
court seemed extraordinary. But it
was made severe because the sending
OF an officer to Alaska after McKen-
zie. to compel him to obey the Courts
order, was no light or inexpensive
matter Mckenzie was not only a
man of wealth in his own right, but
was backed in his refusal to obey the
court by great moneyed interests. All
these interests at once set to work
to try to have the President pardon
Mckenzie. II was pointed out that
the sentence was unusual in it's seve-
rity and that under such circum-
stances the President should inter
pose a pardon. But President McKin-
ley absolutely refused to interfere IN.
less the court which sentenced Nc
Kenzie should itself recommend his
pardon. The President stated that he
believed the sentence was excessive
but he would not, by granting a par
don, nullify the act of a coordinate
branch of the government
Lately McKenzie's health began to
fail under the duress of confinement,
having been in Jail four months. and
renewed efforts were made to secure
his release. Mckenzie himself assist
ed in this direction by producing before
the court the papers called for and by
further writing a letter to the court
apologizing for his refusal to obey its
orders. Six physicians of Oakland
and San Francisco certified that Nc
Kenzie's health and strength were fast
breaking down under confinement AMI
that years confinement would PROC
ably result in his death. Under these
circumstances. Mckenzie having pro-
duced the papers ordered. before the
court. having written letter of apollo
gy to the court, and the Doctors iav-
ing certified to the effects of his con-
finement, Judge Morrow himself rec
commended to the President that he
pardon Mckenzie and on this recon-
mendation of the Judge. who SEN
fenced Mckenzie. President Mckinley
granted the pardon.
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