The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-02-01
N A SPASN Of ECONOMY
RESOLUTION INTRODUCED IN THE
SENATE TO CUT OFF A
CLERKSHIP
ALL ABOUT MoLL1E MORRIS
1t Is Suspected That n Recent Local
Scandal Is at the Bottom
of the Proposed
Change.

The Mollie Morris pardon case has
reached the Minnesota senate, although
it is not shown in the open. 1t is hidden
behind the cloak Of economy. For sew
eral days it has been whispered around
that j. S. Vandiver would be asked to
resign from the clerkship which had been
especially created for him through the
efforts of Senator Sheehan. The repcrt
took form yesterday when Senator Mi l.
er introduced a resolution setting forth
that the clerkship created FOR Mr.. Van
diver was a wholly unnecessary one, and
that its elimination would cause the SEN
ate no discomfort.
Notice of debate was given and it is
probable there will be an interesting half
hour when the resolution comes up for
consideration today. The Republican ma
chine has wholesome respect for J. S.
Vandiver and will not see him turned
down without making an effort on his
behalf. He has been in the secret coun-
Gil of the party so many years that they
will think twice. it is said, before turning
him down once
Senator Miller would not be interview
ed with regard to the causes leading to
the introduction of his resolution, other
than to say that he is not one of these
who believes in creating sinecure offices
for political workers. Asked if the intro
do with the pardon case. Senator Mill
er said briefly that the resolution stat
ed the grounds upon which it was in
troduced.
Mr.. VandiVer makes the following witt
ten sta tement:
On the morning of Jan II, [ think 1t
was, l presented to the governor the mat
ter of the pardon of Mollie Morris, ask
ing him if he cared to interest himself
in the matter and telling him that 1 be-
lieved an injustice had been done tire
woman. The governor said he would In
nc instance consent 10 a pardon in a
workhouse case unless it was obvious
that an injustice had been done. He re-
quested me to look further in the matter
and report to him. He suggested that 7
should ask the attorney general what
proceeding was customary in such cases.
The attorney general told me that the
custom was to have Mr.. Whittier, the
state prison agent, investigate the facts
in such cases and report to the board or
pardons. He suggested that 1 should see
Mr.. Whittier, present the matter TO him
and go with him to the chief of pol &c
and the trial court. 1 did this and In
company with Mr.. Whittier visited Chief
OConnor and the municipal court. Judge
Hine was. absent from the city, but ire
clerk of the court informed us of the cir
cumstanceS as they were subsequently
presented to the governor, and the fact
that Judge Hine had sentenced the wom-
an without trial. seemed to me TO he
OF itself confederation of the statement
that there was no evidence III the case
connecting her with the crime.
Having gone thus far in the matter I
returned to the governor and told him
what L had done, MIR. Whittier having
already reported to the board of pardons
That he had verified the facts set forth in
the petition for pardon. The governor
then stated that he would not cOncIr in
the pardon unless the chief of police and
the prosecuting attorney, who conducted
the case, Joined in the application Chief
(G(tOnnOr HAVING tbar bo Ia
2heerfully join in the application, l called
MIN up by telephone, but he was not at
his office, and | went down there and
found him. He came TO the capitol
With me, and verbally and in writing con-
firmed what 1 had said namely, that
there was no evidence connecting this
| woman with the commission OF the crime
l had been informed that Mr.. Zoilman
| would join in the petition, and l asked
the first reporter whom saw, MIR. Hen
messy, al, LINK I'M NIX IT was, to go down and
! did So By this time 1t was O'Clock
and the governor was about ready TO go
| The only recommendation that l made to
| him was that if the woman was to be re-
leased because of sickness 1t would seem
! that 1t might be better to act immedi-
ately than to wait another day, and a
| letter from MIR. Zollman arrived a. that
time, and as the papers which attorney
| general had drawn up were already for
| the signatures. the matter was closed at
| once by the governors instruction to the
LIE
| superintendent of the Workhouse after
| the usual custom, ordering the release of
the woman, and stating that the pardon
| would follow the next day. No one
! then or at any other time suggested that
| the matter be suppressed, and I had no
idea that it would be-
/ do not believe that / was deceived
| misled or imposed upon myself, and as
| the only information that gave OH the
| subject was that which was impaired to
me as above stated. do not believe that
anybody else was deceived, misled OF i'm
| posed upon. l have it from the Hps of
| the governor himself that he does not
| blame ME, nor suspect me of any i'm
| proper conduct in the matter, and 1 have
no regrets to express, but that the gov
ernor has been unjustly criticised in the
matter, and the implication set up
against him that he acted without oroner
| Investigation. 1 have no favors 10 ask
in this matter at the hands of the senate,
and do not even plead that the senators
| investigate the facts. if they desire to
| dismiss me from my position, without an
| inves tgatiCn, and without charges being
preferred against me, it is my Judgment
| that they and not l will be the sufferers
In the estimation of the public. / have
| no excuses, apologies or regrets to make
for what have done, and only the state
ment above set forth. Were I confront
ed with the same circumstances again
NY actions would not deViate hair from
what they were in the original case.
| The motives which prompted me in this
case were not of that exalted moral char.
acter which led other gentlemen to com.
pound felony In the case of q really
guilty woman. In order that the stoleI