The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-02-02
FOUR PARDONS ARE GRANTED George Edward Denton is
 Released. TEN YEARS SENTENCE His Mother Was Faithful aud
 Diligent. Young Man Was Convicted of Rob- bery-other Pardons and Parole Recommended by Board and
 Granted by Governor.

sued to State convicts yesterday by Gov ernor Jelks Two of the convicts affected are white men and clemency in each case was recommended by the Pardoning Board, which had a meeting at the Capi- tol Friday.
 passed upon by the Governor yesterday was that of George Edward Denton. young white man, whose aged mother l has been faithful and diligent in her in- tercession with the Governor to give her son freedom. Denton was convicted | April F. 1900. of robbery and sentenced to ten years in the penitentiary. The case grew out of the robbery of one Milsapps on the streets of Birmingham in the winter of 1899. Denton, who is cripples tried to prove that Milsapps was drunk at the time.
 The trial of Denton took place in the Criminal Court of Jefferson County, and he was sentenced by Judge Samuel E. Greene.
 Denton is the son of Mrs. c. F. Denton, AR, aged and respectable woman, who lives at Longview.> She recently visited the Capitol and begged Governor Jelks to permit her son to live with her during the last days of her life. She said he was a cripple and it would kill him to remain in the penitentiary at Wetnmpka. Pe- titions were presented to the Governor in behalf of Denton from a number of citizens of Elmore and Jefferson Coun- ties and the officials at the State peni- tentisry also recommended him to clemency.
 In issuing a parole to Denton. Governor Jelks wrote on the application: This | man is a physical wreck, being a per | manent cripple. suffering severely from | white swelling with other. complications. EIa io at rhar0o | State. The judge presiding recommends | that Denton be paroled. Let parole | issue dependent upon his future good | conduct"
 | Immediately after the Governor acted | upon the Denton application, he wrote a l letter to Mrs. Denton, advising her that
 her son had been paroled.
 Bud Thompson. a young white boy. a member of a good Tennessee family. convicted May 28. 1901, of burglary and grand larceny by the Circuit Court of Lauderdale County and sentenced to | serve two years in the penitentiary.
 Thomas and two other persons broke into the dwelling house of William Falls, a
 Lauderdale County farmer.
 Thomson has been confined at Speig-
 ners. He created some excitement at the
 prison last July by escaping. The young
 
 In issuing the parole, Governor Jelks
 says: Tt is made to appear that the 1 convicted party is a mere youth. He was of previous good character and was ! possibly led to participate in this crime ! by older men who have themselves es-
 capped punishment. The judge presiding
 and the solicitor prosecuting recommend | a parole. Let a parole issue dependent l upon his future good conduct" | n mi cd | Alex White, a Lauderdale County negro.
 White was convicted of burglary in the Circuit Court of 1,auderdale County, in l March. 190i and sentenced to two years.
 In commenting on the case, Governor Jelks writes: This party is charged
 with breaking open a store. The party
 whose store was burglarized and upon
 whose testimony, largely. White was con- | victed, now expresses. very grave doubt whether White was guilty of more than 7 drinking some of the bitters that were stolen. The judge makes a statement
 that White Is not bright and recommends
 a pardon Let a pardon issue"
 The Governor also issued a pardon to
 Will Ashford, a negro, who is serving a
 sentence for grand larceny. Ashford was
 convicted January r, 1901 in the Circuit
 Court of Butler County and was sentenc-
 ed to two years. The negro Is leased to
 the Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad
 Company for $14 a month and is at work at Pratt Mines.
 The following is the endorsement of
 the Governor upon the application: This
 man lay in jail eight months before he
 was convicted. Six months of this time | he was held in jail in Butler County | under the presumption that an appeal to
 the Supreme Court had been taken when
 in fact no appeal had been taken at all. He thinks that six months should be | considered as a part of his sentence. He | had a previous good character and a | large number of the best citizens of Greenville advise his pardon. Counting this six months as a part of his sentence he has almost completed his term. Let a pardon issue" The conviction of Ashford grew out of the stealing of brass from the warehouse | of the Gulf Red Cedar Company near GreenvIlle.
 Al Hardy, a negro sent up from Bar
 bour County for fifteen months was par doned Hardy was convicted at the fall term of the Barbour Circuit Court of of grand larceny. The principal witness against him made a subsequent statement that new evidence had developed that made his guilt a matter of grave doubt. Upon the recommendation of the pre- siding judge, Governor Jelks granted an unconditional pardon. Hardy is. at Speigners.
 Charley Dukes a little negro boy was pardoned and the Governor takes the op- portunity to say that as the boy was but 13 years old when he was convicted of burglary 1t Is doubtful if he should have been incarcerated with older crimi- nals.
 Duke was convicted November g. 1900 In the Circuit Court of Bibb County and was sentenced to two years and POI days for costs. He is leased to A. P. Howison and is working on his farm in Bibb Co,inty Mir Howison haa maid the costs