Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-06-30
BURTON WANTS No
EXECUTIVE PARDON
His Attorneys Issue Statement
Denying RumorS He Desires
To Secure One.
WILL FIGHT CASE TO THE LAST
Now Before L. :. Supreme Court for
Rehearing Which They Expect
To Get.

Topeka. June 3o-Bailie r. Wag-
gener. one Of the attorneys for cx-
United States Senator Joseph r Bur
ton was In Topeka TODAY and gave
out signed statement denying. on
behalf Of Senator Burton any desire
TO secure an executive pardon In case
Of his final conviction by the United
States supreme court The statement
in full Is as follows.
Recently there has appeared In
the public press az Washington dis
patch saying '3n effort viii be made
10 obtain q pardon for Senator Bur
ton and saying further that some Of
his eX-COlleagues have quietly dis
cussed the ddylability Of asking Presi-
dent Roosevelt 10 set aside the SEM
tence; also members Of the Kansas
delegation have received letters from
influential politicians and others IN
Kansas asking them TO use their IN
fuence to have the sentence set aside
And stu further the dispatch SAYS,
II has been suggested that possibly
an understanding with the president
may be reached by which Burton will
withdraw his motion Tor a rehearing
now pending before the supreme court,
as that part Of the sentence, relating
20 imprisonment will be set aside The
purp0rt OF the entire dispatch is that
Burton and his attorneys have practice
ally abandoned his case or are ready
10 abandon TO- II any assurance can
De- had that a pardon can be obtained.
This movement may have originated
with the eX-senatoTs friends. and II
may be- In good faith. but It certainly
Is not in his Interests, nor does II treat
the supreme court with proper re-
speCt. This case IS still pending before
that august tribunal on an application
for a rehearing and without discussing
either the law or the facts IN the case.
n Is not out ~ the way 10 call atten-
ton 20 the divided court and that
many new and undetermined questions
are raised I'm the case Having great
faith I'm the justice OF our cause. we
say we hope and expect 10 win the
case Talk OF q pardon Is premature.
n not disrespectful 10 the court. while
tho case Is pending IN any OF Its stages,
But since this alleged effort for a
pardon has been given such vide pub
icity and 9e fear has not .inated
from his friends. we say a. his at
torneys. his frends and ctjzens OF
this great state that II tle case Is
finally decided against him, our adj
vice would be that he would wrong
himself and the state that has hon
ored him. Il he should apply for par
don.
And we are authorized 10 say for
him that neither now nor at any time
will he ask for pardon. And speaking
for him, We ask all friends 10 be guid-
ed by his wishes as above expressed.
Ex-senator Burton and his attorneys.
from the commencement Of the case
have remained silent respecting the
many false and malicious publications
which have appeared against him.
This would have been treated I'm the
same manner but Tor the fact that
Il may have been made In good faith
and out OF a spirit Of mistaken friend
ship.
This Is a case FOR the courts. 10 he
finally adjudicated by the courts and
our client vii rest his case there and
will obey their mandate. whatever Il
may be. And while he viii contend 10
the last for his honor and his good
name. asserting his innocence always
~ the final decree IS against him, be
will not turn 10 the executive for par
don for a crime he never committed.
(Signed)
"B p. wAGGENER."
'W. p. HACKNEY