Sunday morning globe., 1901-12-01
Ohio Penitentlary.
Columbus. o., Aug. 26. 1895.

sullivan ana OLubI8 QaLeu August D.
1895, referring to the parole apphca-
tion OF Patrick Elliott, and to other
matters.
In reply we beg leave to state that
the authors Of that letter have been
shamefully misintormed in the mat
ters to which IL refers.
This board did not, either directly
or indirectly, compel or suggest, that
Patrick Elliott secure or stand trial on
the indictment pending, and upon
which he was tried and acquitted.
No member Of this board had any
knowledge, before the announcement
in the public prints, that application
for such trial had been made.
The application for parole of Pat
rick Elliott has been pending before
this board for nearly two years, and
the grounds upon which that applica-
tion rests have been frequently and
ably presented by eminent counsel and
urged by earnest and devoted friends.
Under the law Of Ohio the sole respon-
sibility Of parole rests upon this board.
Mr.. Patrick Elliott has served but a
little more than three years Of a 20
years sentence for manslaughter.
We are convinced that it would not
be q proper exercise Of the authority
vested in us to parole him at this time.
In reaching this conclusion, the board
is unanimous. No member is actuated
by bitterness or prompted by bigotry.
The matter Of race, politics or religion
has never in any manner or degree in
fluenced our action OF even entered
into our discussion OF any parole ap-
plicaton.
While it is immaterial it is a fact
that we did parole a prisoner, who had
served half his sentence, against whom
an indictment was pending; but we
had before us the written statement
Of the trial judge that in passing SEN
tence he had taken all pending indict.
ments into consideration.
No parole to our knowledge has ever
been granted to any convict who had
committed rape on a child,
This board does not contemplate, and
there is no current report that It con-
templates, the parole OF Varney, the
man who threw vitriol in William j.
Elliott's eyes. The insinuation Is
absurd. Under the law Varney is not
eligible TO parole. For throwing vitroil
into William J. Elliott's eyes, Varney
was indicted in Franklin county, tried,
convicted and sentenced to ten years
imprisonment which sentence he is
now serving in this institution.
In the case Of W. j. Elliott this board
has no authority or responsibility; but
in order that no portion OF the letter
under consideration may be passed un-
noticed by us, and TO meet the unjust
and unkind insinuation that w. j. FL
Dott is being kept in confinement and
in danger Of becoming bnnd, in reward
for his devotion to law and order in
exposing an attempt Of prisoners to es.
cape, we beg leave to state that no
such event has occurred during this ad.
ministration; but upon inquiry we are
Informed that a short time prior there
to ~. j. Elliott participated in a plot
Of prisoners to escape that he furnish
ed plans and drawings in aid Of the
same, and that before its consumma-
tion, either from fear Of detection or
to obtain favor, he revealed the plot
through another party, leaving his ac-
completes to suffer the consequences.
Varney was suspected of being in
this plot At that time he and W. J.
Elliott we're bosom friends. The
trouble which subsequently arose be-
tween them, and which eliminated
in Varney throwing vitriol, had no re-
lation to the attempted escape, but grew
out OF a conflict Of authority between
the two men in the department in
which they were both engaged.
Through Elliott's action, Varney was
deprived one after another Of all the
privileges he had enjoyed as a trusty
prisoner added to these losses the ieers
of Elliott over Yarney's downfall so
angered him that he assaulted Elliott
and threw vitriol."
The statements herein made concern.
ing w, ]. Elliott are not offered as
charges against him, but are submit
ted as the best information touching
the reference to him In the letter trans
mitted to US.
Very respectfully
j, H. Bingham.
A. B. Cole,
George A. Hay,
Henry Apthorp,
j. Whiting, Jr.
(Copy)
There never was a document COM
posed by any official board with less
truth as a basis or more deliberate NAL
ice and devilish hatred Of the men NAL.
igned. Unable to trust our pen in suit.
able denuncation Of the scoundrel
composing it Julius Whiting, the
cheap attorney OF Canton, Ohio) and
the slavish colleagues OF this vile and
contemplate little cur who attached
their signatures to give II weight,
proceed to furnish the answer which
completely unmasked not alone the
board Of managers but the men behind
governor Mckinley who were then
managing his political fortunes. Here
It is:
Chicago, November II, 1895.
Hon. William Mckinley, Governor Of
Ohio
DEAR SIR; In due time we received
your communication, enclosing a copy
Of a document dated Columbus, o.,
August 26, 1895, and signed by the
board which. under your laws has the
power to grant paroles to persons serv.
Ing sentences in your state peniten.
farv