The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-07-04
Action in the Gold Brick and Dan
Teachey Case.
SENTENCES MUST BE EXECUTED
application Scr the Pardon of the
Noted Swindlers. Howard and Haw-
ley Declined - Death Sentence
Against Dan TeaChey for tue Muir
Especial to The Messenger.)

Raleigh, \. c., June Ex-Governor
Glenn declines to pardon the gold brick
swindlers, J. L. Howard, alias Frank
Thompson, of New York, and Ell. d.
Hawley, alias S. \. Early, of Chicago.
who were convicted in Guilford Supe-
rlor court at June term, 1901, of con-
splracy and sentenced to ten years each
i'll the penitentiar,y. Governors rea-
SONS follow:
The defendants were convicted by
jury and sentenced by the court. On
appeal to he Supreme court, the rui-
ing Of the lower court was affirmed.
The defendants ask for pardon on the
ground that they have already been
punished enough and are old men. ley
also furnish testimonial from every
section of the country as to their pre-
vious good character. Ordinarily these
facts would appear very much in their
favor, but the evidence shows cOnclu-
sively they equipped themselves with
implements and materials with which
to perpetrate Il great fraud, and also
signed the names of other persons to
letters i'll order to enable them carry
out their fraudulent schemes. They
took every advantage they could of the
law. even carrying the case to the
Supreme court of the United States,
but i'll every instance the opinion of
Ii lower court was upheld, and the
supreme court, in affirming the lower
courts decision, saw fit to express it.
self upon the fact that they were try
ing to perpetrate great wrong and
were not u~njustly punished. After full
consideration of the evidence [ feel it
would be wrong to pardon these men.
They were educated; they knew better,
they were CONTEMPLATING trying to de-
fraud citizens of our state; they at
tempted to do so, and when caught
could not expect an outraged law to
deal gently with them. The applica-
ton is, therefore, denied"
Governor Glenn declines to commute
the death sentence of Dan Teachey,
who was convicted at August term IN
1903 in Duplin Superior court of muir
der in the first degree and sentenced to
be hanged. The governor gives the
following reason:
ION appear to the Supreme court a
Rev trial vas granted for error in re-
CeptiOn of evidence. The second trial
was had before Moore, Judge. and u
jury, at the August term, O94 when
the prisoner was again convicted of
murder in the first degree and sentenc-
ed to be hanged. Again he appealed to
the Supreme court, out no error was
found, and the judgment of the lower
court was affirmed. In his application
for communication of sentence from the
death penalty to life Imprisonment, the
prisoner has been faithfully and earn
eStly represented. l have carefully
al the evidence, heard pa
ttently all the argument, have even al
lowed the prisoner to see me and make
his statement, but after hearing every
thing that could be urged by his coun
sci and the prisoner Or deduced from
abe testimony, my conclusion is IRE
:SiStable. First, that Bob Riverbark
was wilfully and with malice afOre-
thought, murdered; and, second, that
the prisoner, Dan Teachey, committed
the crime. Two fair and impartial Ju-
ries said the prisoner was guilty; the
trial judge and solicitor refused to rec
commend Communication Of his sentence;
tihe Supreme court, without any dis
sent, has affirmed the judgment of the
lower court, and say there is abund-
ant evidence Ill the fecofu 10 JUSTLY
the finding of the jury that h homl-
eide was committed i'll pursuance of a
fixed design deliberately formed be.
forehand and under circumstances at
tended with heartless brutality. For
these reasons, | cannot disturb the
finding Of the jury, and the sentence
of the court. Application for commu-
tation is, therefore, denied and the
sentence pronounced must be enforced.