The Savannah morning news., 1904-03-18
STRONG PROTEST
AGAINST PARDON
FOR CONVICTED GAMBLERS
DON'T WANT SENTENCES OF ODELL
AND BRYAN COMMITTED.

Rev. w. A. Nesbit and Rev. A. NJ.
Williams Have Written Letters of
Protest to the Prison Commission,
Which Now Has Before 1t Petition
for the Communication of the Sem
tences-Mr. Nesbit Says Ii Would
BE DIsrespectfuI to the Memory OF
the Late Judge Barrow to Pardon
the Men-Preachers Want Jail
Sentences.
Protests against committing the sem
fences of Cad Bryan and Charles
Odel, convicted of gambling, have
been filed with the Prison Commission
by Rev. w. A. Nesbit, pastor of West
minister Church, and Rev A. NJ. Will
liams, pastor of Trinity Church.
Each of the ministers wrote a per-
sonal letter, asking that the sentences
as passed be allowed to stand There
is now before the Prison Commission
a large petition in each case asking
that the sentences be committed. The
ministers, however, have filed their
protest against such action.
"The sentencing of these men was
one of the last acts of our deceased
Judge" said Mr.. Nesbit in speaking
of his letter to the commission. "Out
of respect to his memory they should
not be changed. He did not, 1 am
sure, pass judgment without due
thought and consideration. I so wrote
the Prison Commission
Mr. NpShif stafo6 t11at RI coY11Y11t1 70
the sentences would be an encourage
ment to evil to flourish where evil is
now fiourshing. He said the gam
blers did not mind fines that they
made money enough out of their gam
ing to pay the fines easily.
Imprisonment Only Punishment.
Imprisonment, he said. was the only
punishment. Mr.. Nesbit said it would
be wrong to the people. who try 70
break UP gambling to commute these
sentences. The men have already been
handled mercifully, exceedingly so, he
said.
Mr.. Williams said he wrote his let
ter because he believed the sentences
ought to stand. 1t would be an ex-
cellent lesson. he said. A punishment
that is effective is what is wanted.
Mr.. Williams stated. He did not think
fines, however large, could have the
good effect of a Jail sentence.
The petitions for the Communication Of
the sentences of the two men We're
pretty generally signed and it is said
carry the signatures of several promi-
nent citizens.
What Defendants Want.
The following dispatch to the Morn
ing News tells of the receipt of the
letters by the Prison Commission:
Atlanta, March 1.-THE Prison Com
mission has received letters from Rev.
w. A Nisbet and others in Savannah,
entering a strong protest against the
Communication of the sentences imposed
upon Cad D. Bryan and Charles Odell
for keeping gaming houses.
The defendants have asked only to
be relieved of the Jail sentences of
three months, expressing a willingness
to pay the fine of 1000 each. The
ministers and others who have writ
ten the commission have called atteD-
ton to the recent shooting ARRAYS
among the Savannah gamblers, and
claim that the imposition of fines has
had no effect in checking the gambling
evil.
The applications of these parties for
relief from the Jail sentence was re-
Gently heard, D. c. Barrow and E. H.
Abrahams appearing for Bryan, and
Col p. w. Meldrim for Odell No de-
cision will be reached until the first
of next month.