The age-herald., 1902-02-23

Montgomery, February 22.-tSpeciai) )-- Unlike Bob Taylor. the famous fiddlins governor of Tennessee. who through his sympathy for mankind incurred the dis favor of many of the prominent men of his state for using the pardoning power to excess, William Dorsey Jelks, gov ernor of Alabama, has made sentiment secondary and has guarded the great privilege of administering mercy to his unfortunate fellow beings with a Jealous care for justice
 Especially was this noticeable during the first months of his administration, as he knew that almost every inmate of the penitentiary tries his or her chances with the incoming executive, reeiing some hope of securing clemency.
 In one respect Governor Jelks has been more fortunate than his predecessors. He has been aided by an advisory pardoning board and to some degree this has re- Iieved him of the trials incident to the requests for pardofs.
 The creation of this advisory board was In large measure due to the delicate health of the late Governor Sanford. Recognizing this duty as one of the most severe vested in the governor, the Legis- lature sought to Tighten the strain, ana the Railroad Commission was designated IS an advisory pardoning board.
 The intent of this act was to remove the large correspondence heretofore car red on from the governors office to the office of the board, and have that body first pass upon all applications, sending recommendations to the governor in such cases as in their Judgment were fit sub jects for executive clemency.
 This act did not remove all the worry from the executive office, however When Governor Jelks was inducted into office a new spark of hope sprung Into the breast of every convict for clemency. and there was renewal of the stream of pardon-seekers to the capitol These callers are largely composed of lawyers and old negro women. The latter are the most frequent visitors and 1t is not un- usual for them to walk from twenty to forty miles to reach the capitol ana speak ter de Guvner'' in behalf of a "wrongfully 'scused" husband or way ward son. Many of these old creatures are shown into the governors private of- fee for brief conference and their piti- full stories In some lnSIdnceS eHiist eho sympathies of the man who is both strong and sympathetic.
 Governor Jelks' Record.
 Governor Jelks is naturally of a sympa- thetic nature, but he has successfully coped with the pardon situation, as is shown by his official record. His record bids fair to rank next to that of Governor Oates, who issued fewer pardons than any governor the State has had since the early seventies.
 During the first six months of his term as governor. MT. Jelks granted executive clemency to sixty-four convicts. Of this number pardons were issued to thirty seven, eighteen were paroled, three had their political rights restored. while six fines were remitted. Twenty-seven differ ent crimes were represented by these sixty-four prisoners, and majority of them were sent up for terms of less than two years. The crimes for which these persons were serving sentence were as follows:
 Grand larceny nine, murder eight, bur- glary six, unlawful riding on railroad train four, forgery three, petit larceny