The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-05-20
HARDY ESCAPE Is
ELECTRIC Deaf 4.
Governor COMMITTEES Sentence to
Life Imprisonment in
State Pcnitentiary.
EXECUTIVE is CRITICIZED
Attorney Writers Regards Action,
as Usurpation Of Au-
ttority.

Governor Mann yesterday committed
tho sentence OF samuel Hardy, the con-
vlcted murderer Of Tiberius Gracious
Jones. of suffolk. from death in the
I.eectric chair to Imprisonment for life
in the State Pcnitentiary. Hardy was
to have been electrocuted to-day.
Not in years has there been such a
clemency as was exhibited in This case.
] Petitions containing the signature OF
hundreds of citizens have been shower
| ed upon the Governor. while delcsa-
| ton after delegation has appeared be-
| fore him to discuss the matter
The appeal was made after Hardy's
attorneys had exhausted every elort
in the courts. a writ of error was
granted by the Supreme Court and the
case was argued before it. The re-
suit was decision affirming, the SEN
tence of the Nanscmond Circuit Court.
Hardy was at once taken from the
cell in the department at the peniten
tiary set aside for those under senten, c
of death, and will be put 10 work. ~
the prison.
Plenscs Majority.
In Suffolk and Norfolk varying
opinions were oppressed VI the doN :
ernors action. Sentiment was, OF
course divided, and the expressions
were based upon the feelings of the
citizens uttering them. Judging from
the petitions. 1T would appear that q
majority desired to see the sentence
commuted.
The Governor issued lengthy state
ment regarding the case. in which he
says that he has given to it the very
best consideration OF which he is
capable. Those close to him know that
there is no doubt of this. since he
has put many hours of arduous work
and research into reading and studying
the papers presented, including the
| record of the trial.
a pardon. says the Governor. was
| asked for by only few of the peo-
pie heard from. communication being
| requested by nearly all. Under the
law controlling this case" he says. "a
verdict OF murder in the first degree
must be punished with death and
neither court nor the jury could change
It. AS the Governor of Virginia l can
change it, and my investigation of this
case has produced the conclusion in
my mind that | ought to do so"
May Know of Murder.
Governor Mann seems to Indicate,
| !lpNeNtl, liIdL ~ pditpii ittLu D'~Nii
requested he would not have granted
, It, for the following language is taken
to hint that the executive thinks Hardy
had some knowledge of the crime: He
: testified before the coroner's inquest,
but did not testify before the court;
| the evidence against him. while not
conclusive. required explanation which
ought to have been given. Under the
law his failure to testify could not at
the trial be used against him.. but.
bound by no rule except that which
| Justice requires, I have the right to
consider it, and his failure to testify
/ has great weight with me"
| The Governor reviews the evidence
| of parties by whom it was attempted
to prove an alibi. commenting that 1t
is evident the jury did not believe
| them.
| The evidence of "A young girl, taken
| since the trial and examined in person
| by the Governor, tends to strengthen
/, the doubt in the Governors mind that
| Hardy could have been on the spot at
| the time of the killing of Jones. With
! this evidence before him, he says he
| was unwilling for Samuel Hardy to
be electrocuted.