The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-10-24
PARDON THAT SHOULD NOT BE
GRANTED.
Charlotte News.

Charlotte News.
There has been appearing recently in Il
Charlotte paper the advertisement which
Governor Aycock wisely requires now as
condition to the granting OF pardon.
This advertisement states that after, No
vember Is, 1908, application will be made
to Governor Aycock for the pardon OF
Walter Daniel, from the judgment ana
sentence of the Superior Court of Meek
lenburg county, rendered at the Apri!
term of court. One would suppose from
the form of the advertisement that Wal
ter Daniel was now serving his sentence,
whatever that may be. The fact Is that
an appeal was taken 70 the Supreme
Court, and as the Supreme Court will
not reach the case before November Il,
the application is really that Walter
Daniel may be gracously allowed to
escape altogether the sentence that has
been passed upon him.
1t is very easy matter to sign petl
ton for a pardon and it is always q
harder matter to say by a refusal to
sign or by the counsel to others not 20
sign, that a man should serve the SEN
tence that the law has righteously de-
creed. And yet we think that this ought
to be said that the Governor shou
pardon Walter Daniel and that the coed
people of Charlotte should not lend
their names to a petition for his pardon.
Gambling has been hard thing to stop
in Charlotte and it has been here as
everywhere, one of the demoralizing vice.
Of the community. Walter Daniel was
fairly caught, was bound over by tne
Recorders Court to the Superior Court,
and, after the legal technicalitios had
been exhausted he submitted, that is
confessed his crime en- account OF She
complete chain Of evidence against him.
Fortunately for the cause of Justice.
Judge Shaw was on the bench. There
were several aggravations in the Daniel
case. He was sentenced to the cham
gang for six months. A gambler laughs
at q fine. The fine can be paid by the
gambler that is not caught But the real
punishment OF the crime OF gambling Is
another thing. The case was appealed
tic the Supreme Court and Walter Daniel
released under heavy bail.
1t would be interesting 10 know just
who are backing Mr.. Daniel in his appll-
cation for pardon. One mold that Tam
many has in New York upon the criminal
classes is the willingness always of Tam
many to take care of it's own. It would
be interesting to know if there is q
small sized Tammany III Charlotte.
And the due course of justice in this
instance is so easily shown to be the
truest mercy. The serving of their son
tence by Daniel and the other convicted
with him will put quietus upon gambling
in Charlotte for long time to come.
And the practise of gambling in any com
munity where the honesty of employees is
taken for granted and the safe guards
thrown around them are rot perfect. too
often means that a young man who has
lost his own money first will try to recoup
himself from the funds that are not his
and the next thing there is a sentence
to the penitentiary for embezzlement
instead OF to the chaingang for gambling.
The real issue is whether it is better
for hardened and convicted gamblers who
have already done a plenty of mischief.
to go to the chain-gang where the law
has put them, or whether those compare
lively innocent now shall be tempted into
crimes that have severer penalty. The
pardon is a good one not TO grant.