The Savannah morning news., 1904-05-21
GAMBLERS LEFT
FOR OTHER PARTS
PROSPECT OF TIME IN JAIL
WAS NOT RELISHED BY CHARLES
ODELL AND CAD BRY IN.

OdcII Left Two Weeks AgO-Brynn
Departed From Union station
Early Yesterday Morning-Dr. Jor-
dan Happened to BE Before Prison
Commission When Cases of Gam
bIcrs Were Taken Up-Was Asked
to Give standing of Signers of Pc
titiOn.
That the Prison Commission acted so
quickly in the matter of the application
for pardons for Cad D. Bryan, Ir.'
ana Charles Odell, was a complete sur
prise to Rev. DR.. John D. Jordan, pas
tor of the First Baptist Church. who
appeared against the pardon applicants.
The first intimaton that Or. Jordan
had that the pardons had been refused,
came with the Geographic dispatch in
the Morning News.
DR.. Jordan returned home yesterday
morning. In speaking of his appear
ance before the Prison Commission, he
said that it was purely accidental that
he touched upon the gamblers cases.
"When l went before the commission
! did not know that the application for
pardon for Charles OdeH and Cad Bry-
an was before the board" said DR.. Jor e
dan. i appeared before it on an
entirely different matter.
Il had just finished talking with
Judge Turner about the matter on
which l had gone before the commits
sion, ard had started to leave the roonl
I'M ID
Der of papers. wish you would look
over these. he said and toll me who
the men are that have signed them.
Then il was that | noticed that the
papers were the petitions for pardon
for Bryan and Odell.
Chatham to BE Congratulated.
when Judge Turner asked me about
the conviction" continued DR.. Jordon,
Il told him l was confident that the
majority of the people of Chatham
county did not wish the sentence of
the court to be suspended. l then
went into details. My talk was en-
tirely eXtemporaneous, but as nearly
as l can remember l said:
When Chatham county secures a
conviction for such an offense, and its
court imposes jail sentence.
the conditions are such that it must
be apparent that the violations of the
law were very fragrant. | do not be-
lieve that the best people of the city,
religious or otherwise, expect a par
don. In fact, were l to tell them that
a pardon had been granted, l do not
believe that they would believe such a
thing possible
Discussed Names on List.
Il then went over the names of
those who had signed the petition of
-
told Judge Turner just who each was
When he asked me for an opinion on
the petitions in general l told him
would call them rather black, and that
the majority of SaVannahians would
agree with me.
Il do not care to mention, for publ
cation, the names of the signers, but
can say that with few exceptions, they
were very weak. With one exception l
could tell the commission that there
were mitigating circumstances where
the signers were men of unquestioned
standing. There were five or six names
on the list that could not be ques-
toned, otherwise the standing of the
slgners in this community was laugh
able to me.
When 1 turned to leave the COM
mission Judge Turner thanked me for
telling him who was on the list. Gov
L
not to be decided until Tuesday. With
this assurance, you can imagine my
surprise when l picked up the Morn
ing News and saw that the pardons
had been denied
Defendants Have Left City.
DR.. Jordan stated that he had not
said that both men had been frequently
convicted of gambling. He had claim
ed simnly that they were gambling
constantly, admitting that he was n
doubt as to the number of convictions
Yesterday morning Gov. Terrell APP
proved the findings of the Prison Com
mission, thus booming Bryan and Odell
to Jail sentences. But the birds had
flown. No attempt at arrest was made
by the authorities here, as the remit
turs had not arrived.
Bryan left the city, it was said, at 4
o'clock. He received notice of
the refusal of pardon from
the Prison Commission Thursday night,
and seemingly lost no time in moving.
Odell left Immediately upon receipt OF
the news that his application for a new
uial had been turned down by the Su-
prerne Court. and was not in the CITY
when the news of the refusal of par
don arrived.
1t is not probable that any effort viii
be made to bring the two prisoners
back to Savannah to serve their Jail
sentences. AS soon as the remitturs
arrive from the Supreme Court and the
Prison Commission. an sifort will be
made to arrest the men. When they
are not found in Chatham county, as
Is certain to be the case, their bonds
will be declared eStreatad