Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-04-30
PARDON IS PROBABLE
President Roosevelt Acts Quick
Iy on January's Case.
IN FAVOR OF CLEMENCI
Asks for the Opinion Of the Depart
ment of Justice.
MANY PETITIONS RECEIVED
est-Known People In Missouri Re-
guest Pardon Of a Man Who Has
Lived Down Former Disgrace.
dANY PETITIONS RECEIVED

The man who lives down a record OF
prison stripes by honesty honorable life.
industry and success in business Is en-
titled to the good opinion Of the world,
and to be freed of the stigma by COM
mutation of sentence or pardon. was the
quick decision Of President Roosevelt to-
day in replete with thrilling incl
dents. 1t was the case of John William
January, alias Anderson, who has been re-
ferred to in the press as an American
Jean Vatican. and 1t Is probable that he
will be released from prison within day
or two.
Senator Warner of Missouri called upon
the President today with huge bundle
of petitions and letters from the best
known citizens Of Kansas City. bankers,
merchants, lawyers and ministers, asking
that the chief executive grant a pardon
at once to Williams. The papers presented
by the Missouri senator contained $500
names. and the President was informed
that the people have taken such a great
interest in the case that there Is a petition
now being circulated in Kansas City con-
tanning $1,000 names.
The President Acts Promptly.
Without hesitation. the President wrote
the following note upon one of the sheets of
the petition:
Department of Justice:
In view of the statements of the judges,
bank presidents, and so forth. who know
him, think Andersons nine years life as
an honest citizen. hard-Working and Of good
reputation, warrants us in committing his
| sentence at once in pardoning him out
right. Which do you think ought to be
done? Are there sufficient reasons for not
| doing either?"
Senator Warner hurried to the Depart
| ment of Justice with the note of the Pres
| ident and the papers and 1t Is expected that
| the case will be taken up Immediately by
| the Attorney General, who will forward to
| the President for his signature formal
recommendation for pardon
| John William January, when about TWEEN
| ty-one years DID, broke into the post office
| at Hennessey, Okla, and obtained small
| was captured tried al Guthrie and SEN
| fenced to five years in Fort Leavenworth
| prison. He model prisoner and
| earned the Communication for good conduct
| that goes to those who obey the prison
| rules. One day he found guard asleep at
| his post and yielded to the temptation to
| take quick leave. He got away. leaving
| eight months of sentence to be completed
From that day he lived an honest life. He
| first got work a railroad saved some
| money and went to Kansas City. There he
| got job on a street railroad. He made
| good name among his fellow workmen and
| with his employers. He refused to spend
| his money in dissipation. Nobody suspected
| that the man who gave his name as Chas.
| Anderson had ever Deen III PRISON VI WdS
| trying to hide criminal history.
Anderson refused to drink or take part
| in revels He refused to join in the red
hot political fights IN that city or to vote
| in any of the elections. The fact that he
| would not go into politics aroused curl
| osty, but caused suspicion. He knew
that he had been convict and that he
| had lost his right to vote. He didn't pro-
| pose to violate any law in this respect.
Saving his money for some time, Ander-
| son got enough to open small restaurant
| near the car barns of the street railroad
| on which he had been employed. His
patronage was largely from among his
former fellow workmen. His popularity
| increased and not a word to his discredlt
was spoken By anybody. He made money,
| fell in love with a good woman and asked
| her to marry him. He thought that his
| past had been forgotten After he had
| made enough money to buy a larger and
better business he sold out the one he had
built UP and was looking around for a new
| opening when convict who had known
him in prison met him on the street and
insisted on going with him to his home
and ATTEMPTED to put himself on terms OF
equality.