Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-06-16
Haynes Pardon J Matter viii be
Heard at July Meeting.
MIX and Cream Dealers Must
Register After July l..
STATE HOUSE CALENDAR.
Next Meeting Of Governor and Council
Friday, July 9, at 10 A. M.

life sentence in the State prison at
Thomaston for the murder of James l..
Robbins, policeman at Rockland, in
1879, was received at the executive de-
Dartment Tuesday and hearing will
he held by the Governor and Council at
the next regular meeting, which will
be on July 8. Walter Il. Clarke of
Portland is the counsel for the petit
toner.
Haynes plea for pardon is as fol-
lows:
Il hereby most respectfully apply to
your honorable body for executive Gle
mency, hoping to justify my applica-
ton by the following showing of facts:
"First-My youthfulness when T
committed the crime for which l am
now incarcerated. being only twenty
three years of age at the time.
"second-That my crime was morally
no greater than man-slaughter and
that it has been fully expiated.
"Third--That / am a reformed man.
"Fourth-That l would make a good
citizen.
Fifth-That I am capable OF earning
good living.
"Sixth-That relatives from D distant
State stand ready to lend me a helping
/ hand.
"Seventh-That 1 would not again be-
come a public charge.
III "Eighth-That pardon can now be
/ granted me without doing violence to
any principal of law, justice, equity or
Il sound public policy.
Hoping to substantiate the forego-
ing claims l hereby pray that your
honorable body grant me the pardon
desired
With highest respect, I am,
your Obedient Servant,
(Signed
IS. d. HAYNES"
Accompanying the petition for the
pardon of Haynes was a letter from
] Rev. Robert Goldman of Portland, bish-
op of the Episcopal diocese of Maine,
advocating the pardon.
Bishop Codmans letter is as follows:
1.-THE case of Mr. Samuel Haynes has
! appealed to me in Il special way be-
cause it illustrates SO perfectly the diff
|; ferences between the old and the new
methods of dealing with criminals.
Unfortunately the Maine law still
clings 20 the old method. 1t ought to
be changed and conformed to modern
enlightenment But in the meantime
we may look to the Governor and
Council to use the modern methods in
granting pardons. Under the old meth
cd criminal was supposed to get what
he deserved, and many think on that
line today. They dwell upon the offense
upon the character as it was. and
hf.
thought of penitence or reformation.
Under the modern method the end
sought is the reformation Of the Grim
inal. The one consideration in grant
ing pardon is the evidence of real re-
formation. This is clearly the right
and the Christian method. The exam
pie Of punished criminal has some eff
|. feet. Of course. but the example of a
'pardoned penitent, reformed and in his
right mind, this is far more effective.
Il have examined the evidence of
reformation i'm Mr.. Haynes case and
feel confident that you have under con-
sideraton Il reformed man. ready and
able to bc\a w-abiding citizen.
Again, in looking over Mr.. Haynes
career see that as a boy he was con-
demned to some years Imprisonment
to keep company with criminals. This
Judgment, in the light of modern inves-
legations. contributed very largely to
early character. For this the Maine
law is resp ,nsible 1t was not wholly
the boys fault
II feel deeply interested in Mr.
Haynes and hope YOU will grant his
pardon ont of consideration for what
he is today, in spite of his surround
ings'
The following letter was received at
The executive department today from
United States Senator William P. Frye
advocating a pardon for Haynes.
Technically the jury may have been
Justified in finding Haynes guilty of
murder, Morally it was nothing more
than mansaughter There could not
possibly have been any malice prepence
which made in this case murder. He
was attempting to escape from legal
authority and only to aid in that, and
without any deliberate purpose to KILL
ne hurled at the official the instrument
mat resulted in death. There was no
previous celebrating and contriving to
NH. In my Judgment 80 years of inn
prsonment has been punishment far
beyond the crime committed even
'hough that resulted in death"
several hundred of the prominent
men IN the State have signed the petit
uon for Haynes pardon, which is as
follows
we, the undersigned, respectfully
urge you to grant a pardon to Samuel
Haynes. now a life prisoner at
AhomaSton, for the following reasons:
FIRST Ample and satisfactory proof
mat Mr. HAYNES is now thoroughly
.eiormed and worthy man has been
furnished to us and we are confident
u'st II liberated. he will make good
"'c exemplary citizen.
Seeond-We believe that thirty
YEARS confinement in States prison
.oi CRIME committed when Haynes
I was only % years of age is more than
ample punishment and that further in
generation would be excessive and
souid not possibly accomplish any
good result.
Ahird-We have the greatest re-
speet and the deepest sympathy for his
.elatives, who. as we understand. are