The Saint Paul globe., 1905-04-11
CONVICT DAVIS is
PARDONEO BY BOARD
Long List of Applications Are
Either Continued or
Denied

state ISlOIIiidiOly dl St. OlOuQ Dec. z.
1901. for manslaughter committed at
st. Peter. Nicollet county, was the
only one of long list of applicants
| to receive a gift of freedom at the
| hands of the state pardon board,
which met in Gov. Johnson's office
yesterday.
There We're thirty-four cases be-
fore the board. One case was con-
tinued. one was commuted TO a shorter
term, and many were taken under ad-
visement, while quite a number were
denied. Attorney General Young and
Chief Justice Start. with the governor,
comprise the board
All afternoon the members sat and
| listened patiently to the pathetic pleas
made by attorneys and friends OF men
| In the penal institutions of the state
| Several parents appeared to plead for
| wayward sons.
Perhaps the most pathetic plea pre-
sented was that for the pardon Of
| Pietro Villella, an Italian, now serv-
| ing a four year term In Saltwater for
! assault in the second degree. He was
| convicted of the shooting of a police
| officer in st. Paul in the spring OF
| 1903. His case was taken under ad-
visement.
Italian Model Prisoner
Warden Wolfer of the penitentiary
| said that Villella was a model pris-
| oner. but that he was in the iron grip
| of consumption, and his life was per-
haps only question of months. VII
! lella's parents In the old country are
| in a complete state of poverty. ac-
| cording to the letters read by the at
| torney. He came to this country to
| earn money to help support them. and.
his relatives said. always sent them
money until he was convicted of the
| crime.
In one of the letters read. the father
Of Villella wrote that they were now
| homeless since the money from his
| son had ceased to come. There had
! been an incumbrance on the home.
| but it was gradually being wiped out
! by the remfttances that the son was
sending from America. When this
| failed, they were without means, ana
the old homestead was sold over their
heads. A large family of sisters could
| scarcely support themselves. The let
| ter ended with a pathetic plea to the
| governor to pardon the son. A half
| brother Of Villella has agreed to send
| him home, where he can be with his
| old parents until he dies under the
| sunny skies of Italy.
Malone Was Only Joking
Willie Malone, sent to the reforma-
| tory at Red Wing from Wright coun-
| ty, is said to have been only trying to
perpetrate a boyish trick. He was
| charged with assault with intent to
| rob. His friends claimed that he
| grabbed a woman's shawl and threw
it over her head to frighten her, but
| did not intend to steal 1t. His case
| was taken under advisement, as he did
| not have a good record
In the case of Frank NJ. Cosgrove,
the board had an example Of fatherly
! love extended to a wayward, adopted
son. Cosgrove was sent to the state
! reformatory and later to prison for
| grand larceny in the second degree.
| There was no recommendation for
clemency. His record was bad. Cos
groves father appeared to ask that
he be given his liberty.
Didn't this boy steal $3.50 from
| you and your wife?" asked Chief Jus
tice Start
| YES" admitted Cosgrove. land he
| spent it all in a week. But took that
boy when he was a little fellow from
his father, and / want to do my duty
by him. 1 know, judge, he has been
wayward, but If there Is anything 1
can do, 1 want to do it. / thought
| that If / got his term shortened he
| might not feel hard at me for having
him sent to prison"
You have certainly been very kind
| to one who is a stranger to your
blood responded the justice. "but his
| record is so bad that am afraid we
| can do nothing"
The pardon was denied.
Larson's Chances Bright
| The case of Frank Larson, sentenced
| from Beltrami county for manslaugh-
ter. was taken under advisement. He
is now out on parole. 1t was claimed
| that Larson shot man as the result
| Of a Halloween raid on the house
| where he was staying. Larson is now
| said to be working for the same man
4 whose house he was defending at the
| time. He was sentenced for seven
| years in 1900.
George S. Brainerd was denied a
\ pardon. He was sentenced to FIVE
| years on Feb. 26, 1904. for accepting
money into an insolvent bank at
| Montgomery. A. w. Wright OF Aus
| tin appeared for him. and his father
also addressed the board. Brainerd
| was largely interested in banks and
lumber yards over the state and In
| Minneapolis. He was sentenced from
LIE Seuer county.
| Following is list of the cases con-
sidered and passed on:
Norbeck's Pardon Denied
James Rowe ST. Louis county. taken
| under amusement; Henry Welden He'll
| nepin county, denied; John Thompson, WI
| mona county, denied: Phil d. Sherry, Swift
| county, denied; Conrad j. Murray Mobiles
! county, denied: James Dermidy Hennepin
county. denied; Frank Larson, Beltrami
county. advisement: Alfred Bordeaux,
! Hennepin county. denied: Guy Aultman.
| Hehnepin county, denied; Thomas Murphy,
! Rock county, denied; George Demars Polk
county advisement; Archibald H Hall.
| Martin county. denied; Harry B. Smith,
| Hennepin county, denied; Christopher c.
| Norbeck. Hennepin county. denied; George
| e. Newman, Dakota county, denied; Louis
Wolf, Hennepin county, denied; James
| Thomas, Clay county. denied; James
Swallow, Blue Earth county, denied; Jo-
| seph A. Dalton, Clay county. denied:
| Frank M. Cosgrove, Swift county. denied
| George S. Dill. Crow Wing. county ad-
| visement; Arthur Braunick Beitraml
| county. advisement; Herbert E. Erickson
| Hennepin county, denied; John Pfester
Fillmore county. commuted TO ten years;
R NJ. Scott, Clay county, denied Alex
| Hanson, Hennepin county denied; John
f. Ryan Ramsey county, advisement;
! George S. Brainerd. LIE Sueur county, de-
| MED; Fred r. Davis. Nicollet county.
| granted; Willie Malone Wright county.
| advisement; William Verrili, St Louis
| county, denied; Pietro Vfllella Ramsey
| county advisement: Ed Finnell Itasca
| county continued. W. A. Collins Henne-
pin county, adviSement.