The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-01-27
SANFORD JACOBI PARDONED:
 YOUNG MAN IS NOW AT HOME

Court of Montgomery on the 9th day of August, 1901, of assault with intent to ravish, and sentenced to a term of twenty years in the penitentiary.
 The defendant was tried twice. The nrst trial resulted in mistrial. and the second in the conviction and sentence above mentioned.
 At the first trial the young lady upon whom the assault was charged appeared in court and testified as a witness; at the second trial she was out of the State and her evidence was given at second hand oy a witness who heard her testify at the hrststrial. The Judge who presided at the first trial states that the case was han dled with great skin by counsel on both sides. and that he believes every fact tending to shed light on the subject of the charge against petitioner was developed. He states that he formed the deliberate opinion that while defendant was guilty of a very reprehensible assault upon the prosecuting witness, he was not guilty Of assault with intent to ravish. The Sonc- itor who prosecuted and several of the jurors. are of like opinion.
 If the petitioner had been convicted only of assault and battery the maximum punishment would have been six months at hard labor and fine of five hundred
 
 county jail and in the penitentiary- to- gether for about three years.
 ' Appeals Were Unusual.
 Many representative citizens of Mont gomery ask for petitioners pardon. Among the number are petitions or prl- vate letters from most, if not all. Of the officials of the present and preceding city administration, the county officials, edi- tors and proprietors of newspapers in the city, leading merchants and business men, as we'll as prominent professional men ln the city. A more representative or urg- ent application has seldom been presented to the Pardoning Board. All of these gea- tlemen had knowledge of the facts and circumstances either from a reading of the testimony as published in the daily papers at the time of the trial, or from having heard witnesses testify, or from having ben connected with the case at the time of the trial.
 We do not wish to be understood as in any maner condoning or justifying the crime of the young man, but in view If the matters above referred to, of the fact that it is extremely doubtful if the crime committed was more than an aggravated case of assault and battery, and of the further fact that up to the time Of the commission of this crime the petitioner
 
 to recommend Executive clemency.
 "Petitioner' is still young man, and we recommend a full pardon rather than a parole. in the hope that it may serve as an incentive to the young man to become an upright and useful citizen.
 This January 26. 1904.
 "Thomas l.. Sowell
 .~.... ... State Auditor.
 .-i "J. Thomas Hefiin,
 Secretary of State. Massey Wilson. Attorney General
 Governor Jelks, it is understood, spen all of the afternoon examining the rec ords and petitions in Jacobfs case. At 5 o'clock 1t was announced that tho Governor had authorized a pardon fol the young man.
 Endorsement of Governor. By direction of the Governor the fol lowing endorsement was made on th' record of Jacobfs papers:
 This man has spent about three year' l in confinement. He had a sentence O twenty years. A mistrial grew out O. | the first attempt to convict him. Judg' Sayre, then presiding, now says that thu evidence before him was not sufficient t' convict Jacobi of a higher offense thai assault and battery. That was when th' | prosecuting witness was HeESelL pIeSSh | and on the stand.
 1 Able attorneys in this city, including | the present county solicitor and prescott ing attorneys, at the time of the convic tion. and others, are of the opinion tha he has been sufficiently punished anC most of them agree that the highest of l fense of which he could have been guilt. was assault and battery. He has alread! suffered sufficiently to pay the penalt! for such crime
 Many of the most respectable citizen of this city recommend that he be nov pardoned. The ex-Mayor of Montgomer! the present Mayor. every member of tn City Council, probably every county off cer and ten of the twelve jurors asl that a pardon issue to him. The Boart of Pardons recommend that the praye of the petitioners be granted. I am con vinced that he has been punished suffi I ciently.
 Tt Is ordered that pardon issue. | "W. D. Jelks. Governor"
 January 26 1904"
 relative of Jacobi said last nigh that the young man would probably re main in MOntROmerv with his family