Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-07-23
STATE HOUSE.
Meeting Of Governor and Coun-
Gil Held Yesterday.
Hearing on Pardon Application Of
Walter H. Moore.
Pardon Refused Edward A. Chase and
Walter II. Moore.

orief portion of the two sessions held
was devoted to regular business a
nearing upon the pardon application Of
waiter II. Moore, now serving a life
sentence in State prison for robbery
committed while armed with a danger
| Gus weapon, occupying the greater part
of the time.
Hon. Warren G. PhilbrOok of Wafer
vile. appeared for the petitioner ann
County Attorney H. S. Wing of Frank
lin. where the crime was committed
Hon. Jos. c. Holman of Pennington.
! and DR.. A. B. Adams of Wilton. an
peared in opposition to granting the
, pardon asked for.
In opening the case for the petitioner,
Judge PhiIbrook read the petition of
the applicant, copy of the indictment
and record of conviction and sentence
and said:
walter H. Moore has no means to
secure assistance in his attempt to OBJ
tam pardon nor has he any influential
friends upon whom to call for aid, and
felt that the justice of his cause war;
rants me in appearing before your hon
orable body in his behalf. About three
years ago a friend of his secured pc
tition for his pardon containing more
than 100 names of residents of Somer-
set and Franklin counties, but no ap-
plication for pardon was presented.
This case presents nothing which is
spectacular, nothing which is dramatic,
nothing which calls for oratory. |
have but one point to bring to your at
tention. On the night of the 22d of
December, 1888, Walter H. Moore COM
mitted an assault upon the person of
II. Stinson HOughton of Wilton, and
robbed him of several hundred dollars
After the assault he went to his place
of residence over in the town of Jay.
Suspicion pointed to him and he was
brought to town, but was not formally
arraigned. He went to his mothers
home in NorridgewOck, and a few days
afterwards he was arrested and taken
to Pennington, where he was bound
over to the grand jury. AT the March
term of court following, he was in
dcted for robbery committed while
armed with a dangerous weapon. AS
the evidence appeared to be certain ne
was advised to plead guilty and his
sentence would be much lighter than it
otherwise would. He had restored all
the money which he had taken from
Mr.. HoughtOn. He made a clean
breast of the whole affair. He plead
guilty, and was brought up for SEN
tence. This was on the 18th of March.
1899. Justice Thos. II. Haskell was the
presiding justice and l am credibly in
formed that he said he would give the
prisoner a term of years rather than
life if the law did not prevent him from
doing so. AT the time the assault was
committed there was but one penalty
and that was Imprisonment for life. On
the 5th of March, which was between
the date of the commission of the crime
and the sentence, the Legislature of
Maine modified the law giving the pre-
siding justice alternative discretion in
the sentence of persons convicted of
| robbery. so that life or a term of years
might be imposed.
Il don't come here with any plead
ings for mercy, but only to place before
YOU the facts in this case Walter H.
Moore was sent to State prison for life
| on a given charge where the punish
ment was Imprisonment for life. No
| Justice could impose a different SEN
| tence in his case, no matter what the
circumstances of palliation might have
| been. | do not ask that you be influ-
enccd by the fact that every person
sentenced to State prison for life for
| precisely the same cause as Walter Fl.
| Moore was committed has been par
doned: and since the passage of the
| modified law, in 1899. person has
been given more than Is years. Moore
has already served 10 years.
I'm 1888 George II. Campbell was SEN
1 s., tl,A Art n
| crime He was pardoned in 1879
/ Charles A. Sawyer was sent to prison
| in 1889 and was pardoned in 1898. These
| two men were sentenced under the old
! law. Since the law was modified
] Charles Grover was given years,
| Ben. c. Godfrey, 10 years: Charles Z.
4 Dorsey. 6 years; John II. Fitzsimmons,
! wears. Frank Perley, 6 years; Frank
| Williams. Is years: and VIM. II. FL
4 bridge. years Every one of the
| crimes committed by these men were
| as wicked if not more so than the
crime of Walter II. Moore.
1T is remarkable that this man alone
| of those who have been committed foi
This particular sort of crime should De
the only one serving life sentence. Al
the time he committed the crime the
penalty was life: when he was sen
fenced the law had been changed
placing discretionary powers with the
| presiding justice, but it was not opera
tive because the crime occurred beIore
the law was modified. My only clam
for nardon is that Walter II. Moore !
entitled to the same clemency Which
others guilty of the same kino d
crime have been given
County Attorney Wing OF FRANKLIN
then opened the side of the remon-
strants. He said that the crime was
of such a brutal nature that the SEN
timent of the people of Franklin county
Twas strongly against granting a par.
don. "The crime was premealtateu,
said Mr.. Wing. 1T was deliberately
planned and brutally carried out 10y
his act that night Walter H. MOOT.
has forfeited all rights to liberty ano
citizenship. The people have rish'
to demand that a man who WAL oe
such a premeditated act shall not Of
given a pardon. SO long as ne ilve'
/ xtx- 81