The Forrest City times., 1903-08-28

DAVIS administration was brought
to light q few days ago, when Tr.
Lee Johnson. of Sebastian county,
convicted in 1891 of attempted
criminal assault and other unnatuy-
al crimes against and upon the per
son of his own daughter, was par.
doned and restored TO citizenship
in Arkansas.
The pardon was granted on
Thursday, but was not delivered
until Monday, the delay being due
to DR.. Johnson's failure TO deliver
to Attorneys James 4 Fuller deed
to his property in Eureka Springs
10 cover the fee allowed them for
securing the pardon. DR.. Johnson
having properly acknowledged and
delivered the deed TO his property,
he was released on Monday and Is
now enjoying bis freedom.
The crime fer which DR.. John
son was sentenced was revolving in
its details, and when brought to
trial the prisoner pleaded guilty
and was sentenced to seven years
in the state penitentlary. His own
daughter, young girl under
twenty, was tie witness who pro-
duced the testimony that convict
ed her father. This was in 1901,
and since his commitment To the
penitentiary Johnson is said to
have enjoyed fairly good health,
50 that his physical condition can
not be said by the governor to
have furnished cause for his re-
lease, though the pardon attorneys
did on several occasions undertake
to persuade the penitentiary ply
stefan TO make an official statement
to that effect.
What the cause of his pardon
may have been can only be surmis-
ed by the people of Arkansas who
have looked upon the governors
abuse of the pardoning power as
menace 10 the institutions of the
state.
With list of some seven hun.
dred pardons to his credit, or rath.
er discredit, Jeff Davis is rapidly
becoming an annihiIator of law in
Arkansas. Among the 700 crim-
mails pardoned were some guilty Of
the most shocking otfenses against
society and the state that are re-
corded in the annals of crime.
Every good citizen must protest
against this wholesale prostitution
OF his high Office. Unless checked,
burglars, rapists, criminal assault
ters and those guilty Of other I'M
natural crimes who are now IN the
penltentiary may with reason look
forward to a pardon before their
term OF punishment has expired.
Governor Davis has attempted
TO explain number of his pardons,
and has fatty denied having made
others. Davis denied at Buffers.
vile that he ever pardoned a me-
gro who had been guilty of crimi-
nal assault, but Mr. andeyeHter.
who was present, asked him to ex-
plain about the negro Brown of
Conway county, whom he pardon.
ed Tor attempted criminal assault
Oh ii MeCullough's laughter. To
Mr.. Nandeveuters question Davis
has given no satisfactory answer.
Davis official conduct in the
matter of pardoning criminals has
made him Il vioIator of his oath of
office when he swore to uphold the
laws of the state.
Speaking of pardons Mr.. Vande-
venter, while speaking at Brink
ley, said the truth when he utter
cd the following;
Il believe IN mercy. Without
mercy none of You would see sal
walton. There are times when ex.
ecutive clemency is right and prop.
er, when circumstances unite to
mitigate the crime. Gov. Davis
has granted in two years and five
months about 700 pardons. He has
pardened men for every crime
known to the laws. Think of it!
Judges aud juries and prosecuting
ATTORNEYS passed upon their eases
and said that they were guilty, but
700 times Davis has set aside the
verdict OF iurles until the law has
become mockery. He has par
don attorneys in almost every
county in the state. lie grants
pardons for his political friends,
and trades pardons for political
influence