The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1910-05-31
Wholesale PardOns for Crimi In ais

Shortly after Governor Mitchell had
removed Sheriff Broward for failure to
do his duty and had appointed r. Flem-
ing Bowden as sheriff of Duval county,
the latter had an~encounter with a ne
gro and was compelled in the discharge
of his duty to kill him.
Soon after this, in 1896, the regular
democratic convention of Duval county
nominated Mr.. Bowden for sheriff, and
an independent convention nominated
Mr.. Broward for the same office
1t was bitter campaign. but it was
inevitable that Mr. Bowden would win
unless the negro vote could be qualified
and the negroes infiamed against Mr..
Bowden for killing one of their race.
Mr.. Broward found il easy to do this.
The negro churches and societies were
induced to pass resolutions denouncing
Br. Bowden and endorsing Mr.. Brow
ard; their ministers preached in Brow
ards behalf; Broward mingled among
them and harangued them; he spoke
from the same platform with them, and
was hail-fellow- well-met with their
leaders. His trusted lieutenants were
negroes named John Wallace and j.
Douglass Wetmore.
Broward was elected. When he be-
came sheriff he paid part of his political
debts by appointing negro jurors. 1t
sounds incredible, but you can turn to
the case of Montgomery against the
state. page 101. 55th Florida report, and
find the proof.
The trusted lieutenant. J. Douglass
Wetmore, moved to New York a few
years ago and became prominent in the
defense of the Brownsville negro troops
who shot up the town. He organized a
negro league of the United States in an
effort to have those troops restored to
the army. collected money to aid in his
work, and being equipped with ample
means, furnished Senator Foraker with
vast quantities of data which was pre-
sented TO the military committee OF the
Senate.
Senator Taliaferro was an active
member of that committee and fought
against the Foraker resolution which
had for its purpose the restoration of
| the negro troops to the army. The res
| olution was defeated and the Browns
Vile miscreants have never been re-
stored
But let Is go back to Governor Brow
ard. and right here it is not aniss to
| say that his wholesale pardoning of ne
gro criminals seemed TO evidence a
lasting gratitude for the votes of the
negroes in his hour of dire political
stress. 1t IS said that he pardoned
more negroes than all the other dem
ocratic governors Of Florida who pre-
ceded him, and record of this sort.
setting aside as it did the yerdicts Of
ljurieS and courts, must have behind it
some great motive, or IL not motive,
weakness.
We have seen a list Of the convicts
pardoned by Gov. Broward and we
speak advisedly when we say pardoned
by Governor Broward, because no mat
ter if all the other members OF the
board Of pardons favor the granting Of
! a pardon to a convict, il cannot be
granted unless the governor be one OF
the ones favoring il, and the list en-
braces fifty-eight names OF pardoned
convicts during the years 1905 and 1906.
the number embracing:
- for murder.
for assault to murder.
for receiving stolen goods.
for manslaughter
for breaking and entering.
1 for arson.
for larceny and second larceny.
! for false prtense.
for rape.
| for assault.
I for larceny of domestic animals.
! for obstructing railroad track.