The Washington herald., 1909-08-08
PARDON REQUESTED
FOR AGED PRISONER
Harrison Wagner Has Mania
for Filing Suits.
DOCKETED OWN JUDGMENTS
Obtained Counterfeit Seals of Mary
land, Secretary OF State, Justices
of the Pence, and Other Officinls,
aud with These Terminated Suits
TO Please His Fancy.

President Taft has been asked to pardon
Harrison Wagner. the aged litigant. Of
Frederick County. Md. who was con-
victed here of perjury In May, 1907. ad-
judged Of unsound mind in July follow
ing. and committed to the Government
Hospital for the Insane.
Wagner was released in october. from
the asylum upon the promise of his BROTH
er. a physician. to take him to Ohio,
where the latter resided. and take care
of him. Wagner at the time Of his re-
lease promised ne would not return to
Maryland. and renew his senseless. but
trouble-making litigation.
The petition for wagner's full pardon
was presented 70 President Taft on
Thursday. and referred by the Presl-
dent TO the Department Of Justice for
a report II was filed by Attorney Rich
ard r. Evans, who has known Wagner
for a number Of years The petition
recites that Wagner was convicted here
for having falsely sworn that a GER
tain final judgment by him obtained on
February Q. 1909. in the Circuit Court for
Dickerson County, Va, against John q.
Reislnger. of Rockville, for tho sum Of
S9.142 was unsausded. and unrecovered
and was in full force and effect when. as
a matter Of fact. the Judgment had been
set aside and cancelled.
Served I'm the Civil War.
According to the petition. Wagner is
now sixty-elght years old. served In the
civil war. and is a member Of James ST.
Johns Post. of Cardinston. Ohio. The
petition Is in part as follows;
The petitioner further shows that he
has been personally well acquainted with
said Harrison Wagner FOR about fifteen
years last past. having been frequently
consulted by him during said period with
reference 90 numerous claims and suits
against divers persons, none OF which
petitioner undertook or advised the prose-
cution Of. or prepared papers or accepted
any fee therein. because Of the clearly
apparent irrational bent, OF mind OF said
Harrison Wagner on the subject OF law
suits and judgments: although he was
and IS In other respects reasonable and
sane
And petitioner always advised said
Harrison Wagner against proceeding with
such litigation. and he appeared willing
and satisfied 90 be governed by such ad-
vice and to act accordingly But it ap-
pears that other persons catered 10 his
said monomania for litigation, and ad-
vised procedure and prepared papers and
pleadings and dOCketed suits for him,
and accepted his money for fees without
reason OF conscience. in consequence OF
which improper advice and action upon
the part OF others. the said Harrison
Wagner now stands convicted OF a crime.
although mentally incapable Of its In
tentlOn.
And petitioner is Informed and be-
lieves. and has himself seen the docket
entries. that a Justice Of the peace in an
adjoining state entertained. and docketed.
and rendered judgment TO the limit OF his
Jurisdiction, and received fees from said
Harrison Wagner In some zoo Of such
imagined cases"
The petition concludes as follows:
The said Harrison Wagner is a gen
tleman Of affable manners and Of
kindly. harmless disposition His re-
sentiment for fancied or real sights and
wrongs manifests itself in appeals to
courts OF law, and not TO physical force,
and there is no danger 70 the community
or TO himself In his being at large and
not confined In an asylum. The sus-
pended sentence OF the Criminal Court
hanging over him is a continuous menace.
which. unless removed, will weigh upon
him as perpetual horror and grief"
Began LitiEatiOns I'm 1877.
Wagner began his litagios career back
in 1877, his first suit being against the
Adams Express Company. For years he
filed suits against the citizens OF Fred
erick County and other parts OF Mary
land, for which there was not the slight
ost basis. and put many to a consider
able expense in defending them.
After the suit was entered. with the aid
OF a counterfeit seal OF tho secretary Of
state OF Maryland and counterfeit seals
OF justices of the peace and other Judi
cial officers. Wagner would fix up ''iudg-
ments" and attempt 20 place them on
file for collection in other Jurisdictions
He never realized cent from his "judg-
ments." but caused considerable expense
and irritation to those against whom he
held them.
At one time Wagner filed fake judg-
ments in the Circuit Court at Baltimore
aGgregating several hundred thousands of
dollars, and they We're thrown out OF
court.