The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-04-16
THE GOVERNORS MISTAKE.

The State is almost a unit in de-
nunciation of the miscarriage of JUS
tice by which ]. L. Casper. rich dis
tiller of Winston-S Salem, who had been
convicted of defrauding the govern
ment. was allowed to pay $4,000 and
escape punishment. There is not room
to believe that any such sum would
have been paid if Casper had not
been guilty as alleged. In the final
adjudication of the case, Judge Boyd
is reported to have sad that "he did
not believe in this way of letting vio-
lators of law off by the simple pay
ment 'of money, as general propo-
sition, for that meant that poor men
would be imprisoned and rich men
could go free of such punishment,
but in this case the Revenue Bureau
had worked the case up and had had
charge of it, and a Federal statute
gave the bureau the right of mOneyed
settlements of such matters. and he
was not going to stand out against the
department now, acceding their right
under the statute to compromise and
settle cases of the kind where revenue
was the chief end involved. He then
sentenced Casper in one case to six
months imprisonment, this sentence
not to be carried out upon payment
of fine of $1.41S.25 and the costs
whiGn amount to $1,000, and the libel
bond amounting to $4,000. The whole
amount is $4,000. which is the largest
sum ever amerced against a defend
ant in this State"
Before he was elected Governor
Mr. Glenn was attorney for Casper in
this and other cases. OF course upon
his election he withdrew from the
case, but on Saturday of last week
went to Washington city to see Com
missioner Yerkes to intercede for Cas-
per, with the result as above stated.
There has been adverse criticism of
the Governor for his action in this
matter, and he was interviewed by
News and Observer reporter. The ex-
PLANTATION of the Governor was then
printed in the News and Observer Of
April 18th:
''In speaking of the matter. the
Governor said that he had not gone TO
Washington in any sense as an attor-
ney for Casper, but as a favor to his
former law partner, Hon. Clement
Manly, who had 'phoned to him to go
to see Mr. Yerkes as he was entirely
familiar with the case and could fully
explain the situation to the commits
sioner. The Governor of course re-
ceives no fee and does not consider
that he acted as an attorney, but mere
ly as friend and in the way of show
ing a courtesy to his former partner
and out of kindly feeling for man
in trouble who was his client. The
fact that he was going to the Apo
mattox celebration rendered it SDeci-
ally convenient for the Governor to
make the trip.
while stating that he had not and
did not intend to act as attorney while
occupying the office, Governor Glenn
stated that he knew of nothing that
would prevent him doing so if ne
should think it appropriate.
1.-THE charge against Casper to
which he plead guilty was removing.
that is shipping more whiskey than
he had paid the government for in
stamps and more than was shown to
have been sent out on the books of
the company"
The Governors action in this mats
ter was open and above board, but
while fully respecting his frankness
and sincerity, we are constrained TO
say that he made a very serious mis-
take in going to Washington in the
interest of this wholesale law-breaker.
He is the Governor of North Caro-
lima, and cannot separate his individ-
ual position from his executive office
To go into the office of Yerkes and
intercede for former client. at the
request of his former law partner
was to carry with him the weight of
the office of Chief Executive of North
Carolina. We are sure that the Gov
ernor did not reflect upon the inn
propriety of his action. He was APP