Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-02-23
Petitions Were Plenty, But Few
Of Them Were Favored.
Board Of Railroad Commissioners Hold
Hearing at Fairfield Today.
STATE HOUSE CALENDAR,
Next Meeting Of Governor and Council
Feb. %, at 10 A. M.

portions as refer to the pardons which
have been granted to prisoners at the
State prison at ThOmaston and i'm the
jails of the different counties OF the
| State. it is found that although several
| petitions for pardon were presented to
the Governor and Council during the
year 1903. but very few of those prison.
ers in whose interest AN appeal was
| made were granted a pardon or had
their sentence committed
The only free and full pardon granted
for murder during the year was that of
Mrs. Ellen Dolly of Windham, the date
of the pardon being Aug. TO- Mrs.
Dolly was sentenced at the May term
of the superior court for Cumberland
county. at Portland, in 1896. to hard
labor for the term of her natural life at
the State prison at ThOmaston. the
crime for which she was convicted be-
ing the murder of the Legitimate child
of her daughter, i'll 1895
Another pardon case of a prisoner at
the ThOmaston prison was that of La
forest Knowles of Pennington, who
was sentenced at the September term
of the supreme judicial court for
Franklin county in 1903. to three years
at hard labor in the prison. for break
ing and entering. The matter came be-
fore the Governor and Council at the
meeting of Aug. ., and While Knowles
was not granted a pardon his sentence
was committed to two years.
OF the Jail pardon cases which were
visited by executive clemency there
were three. the sentence being COM
fa1 ~,
granted in the other two.
The case in which a pardon was
granted was that of John A. Nash of
Lewiston. who had been sentenced at
the September term of the supreme jul
dicial court for Androscoggin county
at Auburn. in 1904. to two years in
Auburn Jail, for feloniously making an
assault.
Herbert f. Griffin of Lincoln, who
had been sentenced at the February
term of the superior court for Penob-
scot county at Bangor in 1905, to six
months in Bangor Jail, for carelessly
and negligently shooting and killing a
human being, had his sentence COM
| muted to five months at the June meet
ing of the Governor and Council
Ralph j. Russell Of Skowhegan, who
was sentenced at the October term of
the superior court for Androscoggin
| county in 1904. to one year in Auburn
JAIL for breaking and entering, was
granted a pardon at the May meeting.
One of the interesting pardon cases.
and which was also the last in which q
pardon was granted by Ex-Governor
Hill, was that of Calvin Graves of
Hancock. Graves was sentenced at the
April term of the supreme judicial
court for Washington county in 1887, to
cOifin tmCnt and hard labor for the
term of his natural life, at the State
| prison at ThOmastOn, for the killing of
Game Wardens Niles and Hill. At the
December meeting of the Governor and
Council in 1904 a hearing was held on
a petition asking for the pardon of the
| prisoner. and while the pardon was not
granted, the term Of the mans i'm
priSonmcnt was shortened and the sen
tencc was committed to Is years from
The date on which the sentence was i'm
posed. One of the witnesses at the
hearing. and who spoke in favor of the
pardon. was the late Hilman Smith
for many years warden at the State
prison. Graves has but short time to
serve. and will be released from the
prison within a few weeks.
The board of railroad commissioners
will be at Fairfield today. where a
hearing will be held at the Hotel
Gerald this morning, on the petition of
the Fairfield and Shawmut Railway
asking for the approval by the board Of
its articles of association. Clerk Geo.
Giddings of the commissioners Office at
the Capitol, will go to Fairfield this
morning. to attend the hearing.
Game Warden Walter 7. Neal. one of
the right hand men of the commission
ers of inland fisheries and game. was
at the Capitol Thursday. on matters
connected with the department.
The many friends of Adjutant Cen
cral A. +. Farnham. who is passing
the winter at Los Angeles Cal. will
be pleased to learn that in Il letter
which was received from him at the
department a few days ago, he stated
that he was feeling nicely. 1t is not
expected that he will return East for
some time.
MessrS. Cyrus n. Blanchard of Will
ton and Thurston S. Burns Of West
brook, members of tire Governors
Council, arrived at the CaDitol Thurs
day morning, coming to attend the
February meeting which will occur this
forenoon.
Major Chas. j. House. clerk at the
bureau of industrial and labor statis-
tics. was at Portland Thursday. for the
nurpose of attending the annual meet
;n,- of the Maine Society of the Sons
of the American Revolution. and also
On business connected with the de-
partment.
Among the travelling libraries which
have been sent out from the state il
h,..,.v during the week were one each
70 Snringvale and Bridgewater. and
two to Parkman.
Hon n. P. Gardner OF Patten. men,
hor of the last Senate. was among the
ont flown people at the Capitol,
Thursday.
| n,o following corporations have filed