Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-12-16
PARD0NS REFUSED
tor Mrs. Clara E. Getche'I
ard John Miller, Jr.
laid on Table Till Next Council Meet
ing, on Dec. 80.
Haynes and chadbourne Cases to Come
Up in January.

VI the Governor and Council, yeSter-
day afternoon, and the attraction
around which the interest of all pres
ent clustered was the hearing upon the
petition for the pardon Of Mrs. Clara
NJ. Getchell, who is serving life. SEN
tence at Thomaston State prison, for
the murder of her husband.
This hearing, with that on the John
Miller, Jr., case of Calais, and the
.outine business, constituted the work
of the meeting. The routine work was
attended to first, and consisted of the
usual number of accounts which were
brought in for official approval.
An interesting report was that of
Chas A. Rolfe, the State Indian agent.
Among other statistics, Mr.. Rolfe gives
the census of the Passamaquoddy In
dians as follows: Dec. l, 1902, there
were 1853 members. During the past
year there have been IL births and 16
1eaths, making total of 464. The gen.
aral health of the tribe has been good.
The schools have been kept the usual
number of months, and scholars have
made good progress. There was an
attendance at the two schools of 102
Mr.. Rolfe also speaks highly of the
work done in teaching, by the Sisters
of Mercy. The new church at Pleasant
Point was completed, last fall.
In agriculture the Indians show a
little falling off in the average of crops
raised. The past season their har-
vest was 1890 bushels of potatoes, 76
bushels Of turnips and carrots, 30
bushels of oats, and 81 bushels of beans
land peas.
Their election was held Oct. and Z,
and resulted in the choice of Tomah
Joseph for Governor, and Samuel
Tomah for Lieut. Governor.
Mr.. Rolfe ascribes the falling off in
crops to the fact that many of the
older Indians, who were good farmers,
have passed away, and that the young
err generation do not seem to take any
pride in trying to raise paying crops.
The hearing in the John Miller, Jr,
pardon case was taken up first. Miller
was represented by N. NJ. Mckusick of
Calais, who presented petition signed
by many of the leading business men
of the city. He then went on to state
the case of Miller, who was he said, a
young man. poor, and with eleven
small children dependant upon him.
He had been arrested for selling intox-
icating liquors. had gone into court
without counsel and without knowl-
edge and had pleaded guilty, never ex-
pecting a sentence like what was given
him.
That was at the September term of
court in Washington county. and Mil
Ter received sentences of Imprisonment,
and fine which he could not pay. suffi-
cient to amount to a Jail sentence of
II months.
Mr.. McKusick cited other cases in
Washington county at the same term
of court, none of them, with the excep-
ton of Millers being accorded q SEN
tence of over 60 days, and most of them
were let off with a fine. He also read
letters from several prominent men of
Calais asking for Miller to be pardoned.
The Getchell case was taken up at
about o'clock Hon. H. M. Heath
opened the case by reading a petition
from EnOch Glidden, a brother of Mrs.
Getchell, asking for a pardon for her.
Mr.. Heath explained that Mr.. Glidden
was not present because he lived in
Michigan, and though he had been in
Augusta, at that time the hearing was
put off. he could not wait. as he
was a laboring man, in the employ of
others. The attorney then read num-
Der of letters, among them one from
the jury which convicted Mrs. Getchell
in which six of the eight Jurors who
signed recommended pardon.
He reviewed the case and in begin
ming said that in early life he had made
rule never to ask others to do what
he would not do himself, and that no
attorney would come before board
and ask for pardon that he would not
grant himself. He spoke of the case
i'm a general way, taking up the gov
eminent testimony bit by bit and pick
ing it to pieces in order to show the
impossibility of the prisoners connec-
ton with the crime.
He concluded his statement at about
s 90 and after being questioned to some
extent by the Council. rested his case.
County Attorney Leigh. who was
present and opposed the granting of
the pardon, followed Mr.. Heath. He
stated that he was there to oppose the
movement because he had read and re-
TelQ testimony VI tic u Idi III ioui
bound volumes and felt it his duty to
be present to oppose the granting of
the pardon. and that if anyone ever
had a fair. impartial trial, Clara Emma
Getchell had it.
Mr.. Leigh read selections from the
charge of Judge Wiswell to the jury
and then reviewed the details of the
crime and of the trial. He spoke in
forcible manner and entered an earn
est plea to the Council that the pardon
be refused.
The Council then went into executive
session, and it was voted to lay the two
pardons on the table until the next
meeting of the Council. which Will be
Wednesday, Dec. 80.
The Council also considered the
bills of the joint special leg
islative committee on statutes.
which had been before them for some
time. and fixed the compensation at
$500 and expenses.
The Haynes and Chadbourne pardon
cases will come UP in the January
meeting. The date of the January
meeting was assigned to Friday,
the 22d.