Rocky Ford enterprise., 1909-01-01

recipient Of the New Years pardon?
Governor Buehtel was accompanied by
Earl M. Cranston. who has been the at
torney for J. E. Godding in the bank trial.
They arrived on the $40 a. m. train
Tuesday and left again on the l:l5 p. m.
4 portion OF this time the two gentlemen
were in interview with Receiver Hall. and
the balance of the time was spent by the
Governor in visiting the Godding home
and the home of the aged parents of
Godding. In the latter calls the visit was
more in the nature of friendly and pas
toral minstrat on than in the official
capacity Of Governor. and Or. Buehtel
brough. to both the families visited the
consultations of religion.
As to the question Of an official pardon
for the convicted banker. the Governor
very properly kept his own counsel while
hsrs. That he sympathizes with the
Goddings in their ealamtous situation is
not disguised. 1t was very evident from
the tenor Of his interview with the Re-
esiyer that he is disposed to take very
rosy view Of the condition in which the
bank failure has put our people. The
Governor Is quite evidently encouraging
himself in the belief that the assets OF
the bank are far better than they look to
anybody living here on the spot He
cites some other speculative bubbles that
burst in like manner but were success
fully inflated again after term OF years.
90 that the creditors 60. most OF their
money. But the Governor did not call
upon any one else than the Receiver in
interview during his short stay in town,
and that he got anything on the ether
side that he did not already know from
the court evidence and the deposltors'
committee. is not apparent His brief
visit and the use made OF his time did not
Indicate that he was looking for further
information along that line. II is safe to
say, however. that the pardon. which did
not materialIze as Christmas gift, will
not get round in time to be New Year
present either. Banker Godding will al
last remain resident Of Canon City for
some days yet
Following is the address OF Paul M.
North, chairman Of the bank depostors
committee. to Governor Buchtel on De-
eember %:
"Goycrnor:-Wc have come here
today representing both the thou-
sand and more dCposjtOr~ 81 the late
State Bank OF Rocky Ford and the
citizens OF Otcro county as well. we
arc here because we have felt that We
had reason to believe that you might
be considering the question OF par
doning John l.. Goddiug, late prcsi-
dent OF the State Bank of Rocky Ford
and who was tried and found guilty
Of the charge of receiving deposit
when the bank was insolvcnt aud
when he knew it was insolvcnt. Al
ter being found guilty lie was SEN
fenced to a term OF not to exceed
ten years in tho state penitentiary
and was taken there week ago last
Saturday to begin his sentence. We
are not here as strangers to MIR.
,,odding. Some OF those here have
known him intimately for twenty
years or more. Known him in busi-
ness, in fraternal orders, in clubs. in
church and socially. !, myself. be-
came first acquainted with him when
was Il IhSie Doy Si yeais aso' =,
The acquain.anceship among his
friends after he established the State
Bank of Rocky Ford more than 81
years ago seemed advantageous to
both. Mr.. Godding became a power
in the community. His bank was the
largest east of Pueblo in the entire
Arkansas Valley. He grew to be not
only of great influence in the COM
munity but strong factor in the life
of the county and Of that section OF
the state. a man whom all uniyer;
much and in whom there reposcd
great confidence by all alike. He
had some faults but his friends were
legion.
On January 2. 1905, the State Bank
OF Rocky Ford failed and its doors
were closed. To say that the people
were shocked was putting it mildly.
1t was the greatest individual loss the
county had ever known. More than