The Washington times., 1901-07-20
THE RECORD OF PARDoNs.
Two Administrations Compared in
Cases of Executive CIemency.


James S. Easby-Smith Pardon Attorney
of the Department of Justice, has pre-
pared an interesting report for the use
of the Attorney General, upon the appli-
cation for pardon of persons vino have
been convicted of violations of the ma
tional banking laws. The Attorney Cen
eral presented the information therein
contained to the President at Canton,
Ohio, where Mr. Knox was recently
called into conference by Mr.. Mckinley.
Mr.. Easby-Smith compares the second
Administration of Cleveland with the first
Administration of Mckinley. During Mr..
Cleveland's second Administration there
were filed forty-four applications for par
don in banking cases, of which three were
denied and forty-one were favordbly act
ed upon. OF these latter, twenty-one par
dons, one restoration to citizenship, eigh-
teen combinations, and one communication
and restoration to citizenship were
granted.
During Mr.. McKinley's first administra-
tion sixty cases were acted upon, of which
twenty-four were adversely reported and
denied and thirty-six were favorably act
ed upon, as follows: Eardoned, fifteen
restoration to citizenship, five; commuted
twelve; commuted and restored to citi-
-zenship, four.
Mr.. Easby-Smith says: From this it
will be seen that the proportion of the
total acts of clemency by President Nc
kinley during his first administration was
nearly 40 per cent less than the same
action by President Cleveland, and the
proportion of absolute pardons granted
by President Mckinley is just half the
proportion of absolute pardons granted
by President Cleveland"
Bringing the report up TO date, the Par
don Attorney shows that during his
two Administrations to date, President
Mckinley has acted upon sixty-two appH-
cations for pardons in bank cases. The
total acts of clemency are forty-three. as
follows: Pardoned, twenty-one; pardoned
to restore TO civil rights. six; commuted
and restored to civil rights, four; commut-
ed, twelve.
Comparing these figures with those of
CIeveland's two Administrations, it was
seen that Mckinley in four years and four
months has granted the same number of
pardons as Mr.. Cleveland in four years.
During this time, Mckinley has denied
nineteen applications, while Cleveland in
four years denied but three applications
OF the twenty pardons which Mckinley
has granted, five were allowed solely on
account Of ill-health, and two in order to
allow the prisoners TO be credited with the
time which they served in jail awaiting
trial
1t is interesting 10 note the proportion
of the sentences which have been served
by recipients of executive clemency. The
SO prisoners who received executive elem
ency in some form from Mckinley during
his first Administration received SEN
tences aggregating 2O3 years and
months, an average of about years and
months each. They served before re-
ceiving pdrdons or communications l02
years, or an average of years and 6
months each.
Mr.. EasbySmith notes that many of
the violations of the national banking
laws are purely technical, actually result
ing in no harm to the bank or to any
person. Many others are for the embez-
OF trifiing sums. For instance,
one petitioner, eighty years old, cashier
of n bank, cashed his own check for $500,
thus overdrawins his account to the ex-
tent of 5000. For this he was sentenced TO
a term of five years. The bank was re-
imhursed and his sentence was com
muted to the payment of fire of $500
Another case was that OF boy en-
ployed as bank clerk, who transferred
about 5000 from the account of a customer
to his own account. He subsequently, re-
imbursed the bank, but was convicted
and sentenced to a term of five years
After serving all but three months of his
he was pardoned.
In many bank cases the applicants have
been pardoned or sentence commuted
upon the report of the trial judge that he
the minimum sentence too Sc
we're, and would have imposed a lighter
sentence had il been IN his power.
Pardons TO restore civil rights are not
granted until after the prisoner has serv-
charged for a considerable period, pre-
sents certificates of good conduct