The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-12-24
TWO CONNECTS FREED
LOT HOLLAND OF MOBILE AND GREEN ABERNATHY OF COLBERT.
Both Are Negroes and Were Serving Long Terms-CleEeacy Exercis- cd On Recommendation of
 Pardon Board.

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 Trailing behind the main wagon of free convicts but out in time to spon l Christmas at home. Lot Holland, of Mo bile county, and Green Abernathy, of Colbert county, were yesterday ex- | tended clemency by Governor Jelks. Holland Is a negro who has been in the penitentiary for eighteen years on conviction for rape and Abernathy was convicted in October, 1904 for man slaughter.
 l Holland received parole and Aber- nathy was pardoned. There was rec ommendation for both by the State Board of Pardons and other officers. | The pardon of Abernathy was mostly the result of an agreement between his counsel and the trial judge and sceas-s- tor. The jury had returned verdict of guilty and the sentence was techni- cally made five years. However, on l account of the poor health of the con- vict and the unsatisfactory state of evidence the trial judge and solicitor agreed on the records 10 recommend a pardon for AbernathS at the end of a year Tn the penitentiary
 | The year has already expired and the Governor did not hesitate to issue the pardon. With the following eX- planation: l Green Abernathy was convicted in 1 the Circuit Court of Colbert County October. 1904. At the request of his attorneys said sentence was suspend ed on the theory that the defendant de- sired to take an appeal to the Supreme Court. The following agreement was entered into by the trial judge and Solicitor with the attorneys of the de- l fendant and was made a part of the record on the books of the Circuit | Clerk for the County of Colbert. In consideration of the unsatisfactory of 6n hn ( kI,.N defendant who has been confined in the county jail for some time previous | to his trial and is there now confined, and the undersigned, as Judge, and the undersigned. as Solicitor protem of said court, recommend that the defen- dant shall be pardoned, after he shall serve a legal sentence of twelve months in the State penitentiary."
 The year under the agreement has already expired. The Board of Par dons very probably unanimously rec commended that the agreement with the defendant's attorneys b.f the Judge and Solicitor be kept and that he be par doned.
 Tt is so ordered"
 | Holland has been an exemplary con
 vict for good conduct and this appealed to the Governor and the Board of Par dons. His sentence was for life inn prisOnmcnt but 1t. was considered that he has suffered sufficiently to expiate almost any crime. Ills offense was the
 rape of a negro girl in Mobile coun- | ty. He was convicted February 1, 1888 by the Mobile City Court. l The Governors explanation in this case Is as follows:
 The Board of Pardons advise elem ency in language as follows: At the time of this mans tr:al the shortest sentence that could be given for this crime was life Imprisonment, and had the law at that time been al it is now we doubt if the defendant would have l received a longer sentence than he has already served. On account of long service. and tho good character of this man during confinc.Ient. we recom- mend that parole issue"
 This old negro has made a good prisoner for eighteen long years. He has suffered sufficiently to pay for al- most any crime.
 Tt is ordered that he be paroled dependent on his future good con duct