Evening journal., 1902-04-02
COLES PARDON
STIRS LAWYERS
Many Local Attorneys Sur
priSed at Boards Action
PRISONER NOW Is FREE
philadelphia ATTORNEY Had the Case
Because Local Men Refused TO
Take II

In tho pardoniug or Montyaloo A. 5
Cole. who murdered William A. Mon j
taguo. of Wyoming, this state, n May, ,
1899. ID Is the general opinion that the J
Board OF Pardons has made a grave
mistake. and much indignation is ex-
pressed throughout the city. lhe par
don was the one topic OF discussion ,
among the lawyers this morning, and
a majority expressed the opinion that
the granting OF uhe pardon was
blundor One of the grounds on which
It was granted was given in the tesu-
mony of Howard NJ. Long, a Phladel-
rllia lawyer. who presented ceruh-
cate from physicians who examined
Cole TO the effect that his healuh was
being undermined by the confinement.
Cole. however is said TO have been
able to work every day since he. had
been in the worShouse and had not
been known TO complain Of illness.
Another argument was that he
would leave nhis country This rs not
sufficient, IL is Thought to warrant a
murderer being granted his liberty
and local attorneys think that bad
precedent has been established. IL
lseems that il wac the influence Of At
/ ltorney-General Ward which won the
pardon. lie recommended the applica-
/ tion. which Is something unusual. Mr.
Ward gave reasons of state for his /
lappearanco I'm the case, and 10 is said
lthat Cole Is to be used as witness by
the Attolney-General I'm the trial of
certain county officials, who arc TO be !
presented at the May term of court !
Disnleasurp over the action of the
board was expressed by Governor
i lHunn When the pardon first was
!, presented 20 him for his signature Inc
u refused 10 sign g. The Governor is OF
1.-The town in which Montague lived, the
Young man who was murdered. and
knowing the feeling against Cole at
the time the deed was committed, the
Governor was 10th to sign the pardon.
However ne has no option in a case of
This kind and. after being SO informed.
. signed Gle paper thnt gives Cole his
freedom
Walter H. Hayes and Sylvester ID.
TowuFend Jr., who represented Cole
lat his trial. were surprised when they
received the news last night Another
fact that caused surprise was the ap-
pearance of a Philadelphia lawyer in
the case, as IL was known that o bro
ther-in-law of Coles was here I'm the
city working for a pardon, and was
i'm consultation with local attorneys.
The pardon reached tho workhouse
this morning. and Cole is now in the
, city with mis- brother-in-law
In speaking of the pardon of Cole
this mornng Sylvester d. Townsend.
% one of THE attorneys who represented
him at his trial. said that he and Wal
Ia 4 r..aIaa 10. tlI l. a
b duplication for his pardon. but had
refused for several reasons. one Of
which was THAT they thought there
were no legitimate grounds at this
p time for doing so. MT Townsend said
s. the first time he ever slw Cole was
in the Municipal Court i'm May, 1899,
and his attention was attracted 90 him
-lby a certain fraternal order pin which
p ne wore i'm his necktie. Cole was with
ont money or friends, and Mr. Town
send agreed to defend him at The hear
ing out Of friendship for a member OF
f the order who was i'm trouble.
When Cole was held without bail,
z MIR. Townsend said he communicated
a. with his family i'm Canada, q member
!. of which is q brother, who was sup
~ posed TO be wealthy. Nothing was
elheard from Coles relatives, and Mr..
Townsend employed and paid spe-
lcialist to examine Montague at the
hospital. Shortly before the day of the
trial. Coles two brothers and bro
Ieither-inllaw arrived in town, and ask
.e ed what had been done Mr. Town
4 send told them that he had associated
D. MIR Hayes with himself. and would de-
y fend the case i'm court if a satisfactory
D. agreement could be made.
ISL After Coles conviction his relatives
went home. but recently the brother
in-law appeared in This city for tho
purpose Of having him pardoned. H'
~ was discouraged by his attorneys, as i
70 would cause an expenditure OF more
~ money than he would want to pay
VI and they did not think II possible tha
the board would look favorably onsuci
proposition. He said he was no
M willing to spend $4,000. which was tn
figure the attorneys Thought 1t woul'
ID cost, and nothing more was heard O
iu him. It is supposed that the arrange
ment was made with the Phlladelphl
,t- LAWYER, and when he heard that Col
in might prove valuable witness 10 I'm
~, Atfornev-Gencral he immediatel
~ communicated with him. The pardo
-. came as a surprise to Messrs. Haye
s and Townsend. and one suspected tn
other of being the attorney in th
NJ case. and thought that one had pre-
~ ceeded without notifying the othe
y" Matters between them, however, wer
h0 adjusted this morning when bot
ng learned that neither had figured in th
raj case. When Mr. Hayes heard of
ng yesterday. he Thought it was, perhap
on an April fool joke being played upo
eir him. Although both attorneys al
re- glad TO hear of Coles release, the
)se feel that there was not sufficient ev
ee- dence presented TO have him set
I1fkarfy