The sun. (Jacksonville, Fla.) 1905-1908, 1906-08-11

Perhaps the most onerous certainly the most
painful duty devolving upon the State officials, is
the work Of considering application for pardons,
and either granting or denying appeals for mecy
Under the existing laws the Governor, the
Comptroller, the Attorney General, the Commits
sioner OF Agriculture and the Secretary of State
constitute the State Board of Pardons. Formerly
two justices Of the Supreme Court, the Governor,
Attorney General and Secretary of State made up
the personnel Of the Board of Pardons.
Until recently the board adjusted its time of
meeting to the convenience Of persons represent
ing petitioners for pardons, but several months
ago It adopted rule setting the first Thursday In
each month rs regular day for the meeting Ct
the Board.
The Board of Pardons was primarily created as
a final court of appeals where evidence discovered
after the courts had passed upon case or some
similar contingency arose might be considered
1t Is vested with discretionary power to interfere
with the execution OF the DEGREES of the courts
That 1t Is now resorted to as the highest court
Of appeal far more frequently than was contem
plated when 1t was created cannot be disputed
There are approximately 1900 State, and about
the same number of county convicts in the State,
and every one Of them has the right to make an
application for pardon. large proportion OF
them avail themselves OF this right. There are
hundreds of applications now on file in the Cover
nor's Office waiting consideration.
In many Of them voluminous mass of evidence
Is submitted with the applications. In the Cooper
case, the most famous case that the board has
ever considered 1t would take week to read the
records and evidence on file The careful consid-
Grafton of these documents by the members of
the board and the personal Investigations they
make In some cases to enable them to con-
scientiousy discharge their duties, adds greatly to
their work.
The State Board of Pardons may truly be said
to be between the devil and the deep sea. It IL
severely criticised for the pardons 1t grants ana
the sentences 1t commutes It Is also severely
criticised for those 1t denies. So between the
Scylla and Charybdis of public opinion, faithfully
doing the best they can, by the lights they have.
the board pursues the unpleasant path of duty 1t
must walk.
AT the regular meeting Of the board held August
End aud 3rd twenty three cases were considered.
Eight petitions were denied; three were passed
for further consideration; in two cases CT life i'm
prisonment, involving three persons the death
sentences were committed to life imprisonment
and ten were granted conditional pardons. AS
there were several of general interest before
the board 1t will be interesting to mention them
with the reasons given by the board for interior.
ing with the judgments of the courts
The cases where clemency was granted and tho
reasons given are as follows:
Jackson and Ellen Broa5es, who were convicted
In the Criminal Court OF Record In Duval County,
in 1902, OF a misdemeanor, and sentenced respec-
lively to six months and thirty day terms IN the
county jail were granted full pardons because 1t
appeared that Ellen Broades had practically serv-
ed her thirty day sentence and Jackson Broade3
had become insane and Is now confined In O SAM
tarium outside of the State.
Alex Henderson, convicted in the Duval County
Criminal Court of Record in 1900, Of the crime Of
second larceny, and sentenced to ten years in the
pententiary. It appeared that he had already
served more than six years OF his sentence and
had been of good behavior. and the amount OF the
property stolen being only $3.50, he was granted
a conditional pardon.
A. H. Anderson, convicted in the Duva County
Criminal Court of Record In June, 1901, OF the
crime of assault with intent to commit murder
and sentenced to eight years in the penitentiary
1t appeared that he had served, including proper
credits for good behavior, more than six years OF
his sentence he was granted a conditional pardon
Travis Graham, who was convicted In Putnam
County in 1905 Of grand larceny and sentenced to
three years In the pcnitentiary. Graham had con.
tessed his crime and made full restitution before
the trial and had been Of good behavior during the
period of his imprisonment Ind by the petition Of
numerous citizens of Florida and Alabama, there
was every reason to believe that q full reforma-
ton had been secured, he was conditionally par
doned.
The petition of Jesse Cain, convicted In Column