The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-03-19
BELIEVES IN THE LAW
ROOSEVELT DOES NOT ISSUE PAR
DONS ON DEMAND.
Proper Punishment for Offenders Who
Have Been Justly ConVioted-Rebuke
to a Judge and District Attorney.
Especial TO The Post.)

Washington, March Is. -Presldent Roose'
welt seems to be restraining his usual ten
dcucy toward strcuuousuess In At least one
way, lie has on one or two recent ocra-
sions shown himself tn lac rather Chary IN
the use OF the power to pardon.
LATELY two applications for pardons have
been presented to him, each holding con
siderable interest for It's peculiar acces-
sories The presidents expressed views on
these applications are characteristic,
one ot the applications came from attor-
neys for one Richard Butts Of South Dd
kota rhey wanted him pardoned from the
Dakota pcnltentiary, where he Is now sery-
ing a hyc-ycar sentence for sending Oh'
scene letters through the malls, tho letters
attacking the character of a woman Tine
petition for pardon was signed by .tnc
United States judge ami district attorney
WHO tried thc ease. ~ the jurors Who
found tho defendant gmty and by iargh
number oI prominent cillzens OF south iiA-
ahOta. "A congressman Ind Interested him
4 SELF In thr matter and mad Appealed ~
the president ia person to issue the par
But mere is what Roosevelt wrote on the
back OF the appncaton:
"DCnIcd.-lu my Judgment those sending
this peutiou. az least ne Judge ana tie
district attorney. should he nOtincd that
sincerely rcgrrt n is not In my power ma
terlUlly to Increase the sentence Tor Llls
Sconudrcl Theodore Roosevelt
The o,hcr application came from attor-
Heys fur one sen be bemos, u lawyer Of
Lowudes county. Ala. Dc Lemus T. serv'
lug term in the Alabama peniteUtagy
amer conviction on the charge % fraud
u!ently Ohtain.ug pension money. Tue at
torneys called on the president with toe
application related to MIN The facts that
the prisoner mad Refunded all the pension
money he had obtained. that he was SUI
feung from epilepsy and that he had been
tried twice for he same onense.
The president listened to The story Of De
Lemos penitence aud illness Us told by
the attorneys Then he quietly informed
the callers that ne considered pension
10 Interfere with the verdict Of the courts
| In conYleung persons who tampeled wi b
| such funds, He suggested thar the epileptic
! ms 10 which the prisoner was subject might
! he more scientifically treated In the gov
! eminent hospital connected with the PRISON
/ ihan az any institution outside Of the pris-
( on ON the subject Of the second trial for
I the same otIensc, he said he would he glad
Z io look over the lawyer brief relating a.
4 that ana III he was satisfied any error had
/ been madc he would probably do some
/ thing for the prisoner. lie warned only
/ justice done. he said, hut that Justice
/ Ahonld bc eycn-handed With due considera-
/ uon for all parties concerned.
Another incident somewhat similar 10
! those related herb occurred with reference
I To one John Glass, formerly u member ~
/ The United States navy during the civil
I NAI ' HAEFNHn lAnHfN u Hil iFulnNlhE tue
| charge Of desertlon from Glass record and
7 this bill the president promptly vetoed, Il
/ being the frst time he had exercised the
veto power. II WAS stated ON the floor OF
J the senate ana elsewhere that Glass, then
a lad Of but 10 years Of age. was so uh,
| fortunate as TO ind one Of the officers OF
| his vessel In a certain compromising posi-
fion on the following day this officer.
who realized that Glass testimony might
| he very damaging Ia him took the hoy
| ashore, gave him money wherewith 70 pur.
fak ftv In n
make himself scarce" II subsequently,