The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-04-24
GIVES REASON FOR
GRANTING PARDON
Governor Makes Public His
Endorsement in O'Boylc's
Case.
GOES TO FREDERICKSBURG
Will Speak at Masonic Bazaar
and Return Here To-day.
Capitol Notes.

Governor Swanson left loF rreu-
ericksburg yesterday at noon to make
a speech at a Masonic bazaar, and VIII
return here to-day.
Before leaving for his train the Gov
ernor was pressed again by a Times
Dispatch man for an interview con-
corning the criticisms Of his action In
granting a. conditional pardon to Will
liam O'Boyle. OF Newport News. who
was serving a life sentence for muir
der. AS he had done at the mansion
"Wednesday night, the Governor de-
clined to be interviewed On the sub
ject. but he instructed hts secretary to
release the official Endorsement made
upon the jacket OF the pardon at the
time the man was permitted to go free.
II do not care to discuss the meter
reiterated the Governor, land Will not
do SO under any circumstances. Here
are the reasons for my action, recorded
on the papers at the time acted, and
you may print them If you like They
have to say And he handed the
paper over to the reporter.
Reasons Appear Strong.
The Endorsement taken from the
papers. which was made when the
pardon was issued last week reads In
full as follows:
der in the first degree. The record
discloscs thnt Judge Barhnm, who tried
the case. and Governor Montague, who
committed the sentence to life imprls-
opmcnt, and who was MISC Attorney
General mt the time of the murder,
after thorough examination OF the
else, became satisfied TINT 1t was MUIR
der In the second degree. The maxi
mum sentence for murder In the second
It, n~~
ham, who wrote me on April II, zoos,
stated that he would recommend that
the prisoner be pnrdoncd after lie has
served ten years, which should include
the time he was In jnil.. The prisoner
has been In the Jail aud pcnltcnttnry'
about nine years.. which Is half of the
nuxlmum sentence of eighteen years.
The policy of the State Is. where n
prisoner conducts himself well, to OK
tend parole or conditional pardon
upon the completion of half of the term.
If the prisoner is entitled to n pardon,
and the time In which lie has served
In jail should be counted In estimating
half of the term OF the maximum for
murder in the kecond degree. l can see
no excuse for waiting ono year longer,
ms suggested. The conduct of the pris-
oner hus been exceptionally good, and
from NIL information that ! hEvc been
able to get lie Is thoroughly reformed,
and. If pardoncd. NvOuld lead better
and more worthy life. He was good
md exceptionally fine young man until
a short time before this murder. Under
these clrcumstnnces, and with thckc
facts before me, I have determined to
extend to this prisoner II conditional
pardon. If Mt amy time he should vIO-
late any Of the laws of the Common
wealth of Virginia and show himself
unworthy, lie can be arrested and re-
incn rcerated in prison. believe 1t
right to give this prisoner another
chance in lifc.'
Delegates Named.
The Governor has named the fol-
lowing delegates to the National
Drainage Congress. which meets at the
New Willard Hotel, in Washington, y.
c.. on May 18th:
Delegates at large-Professor l.. S.
Randolph, University of Virginia: z.
C. Warwick, Jr.. Norfolk; p. st. Julian,
Wilson, Richmond.
First Distrct-R. X. Curtis, Hamp-
ton.
Second District - Bascom Sykes,
Portsmouth.
Fourth District-Carter Bishop. Pc
tersburg;
Fifth District-Frank Talbot. Dan
vile.
Sixth District-w. B.. Bates. Roanoke.
Seventh District-C. D. Carter, Char
lottesville.
Eighth District-E. c. Dunn, Alex
andria.
Ninth District-Martin Williams,
Pear!sburg.
Tenth DistrIct-J. B. Moore. staun-
ton.