Milford chronicle., 1910-12-09
STATE OPPOSES THE
PARDON OF JOHN BARR

Deputy Attorney General Har-
rington, in the absence of Attorney
General Gray, sprang a sensation
before the Board OF Pardons, in ses-
sion at Dover on Thursday, Decem
Der Ist, when the application Of
John Barr came before the board for
consideration. Mr.. Harrington
raised the point and made the dec
laration that the board cannot re-
store the citizenship of man con
victed on a charge of attempted
bribery. In raising the point Mr
Harrington said the board has no
right to restore the defendants citi-
zenship or franchise within ten years
for any general or special election,
meeting or convention. The con-
stitutional provision, he said, is a
result Of a conviction and not part
of the record and sentence and can
not be rejected or incorporated in
the sentence by the court and can
not be changed except by two ses-
sions Of the Legislature.
At the opening of the session all
the board members were present,
and Charles L. Moore, attorney for
Mr.. Barr, presented twelve reasons
for Barr, who was convicted Of
charge of attempting to buy vote
in Georgetown, and was sentenced
to pay fine of$ 5000 and costs, and
was committed until the fine and
costs were paid.
During a part of the hearing on
the application Governor Pennewill
sat in an adjoining room. Senator
Louis A. Drexler of Bethany Beach,
a Republican leader, was also pres
ent as a spectator, Colonel Theodore
A. Townsend, State Auditor, sat
as a member of the board for the
first time. After citing his twelve |
which have been published,
and presenting 800 letters from Sus-
sex County citizens praying for
full pardon, Mr.. Moore, pleaded at
length for his client. He brought |
out these three additional facts
That the whole cost to Mr.. Barr has /
been $8I7. so, which greatly reduces /
his financial condition that he is a |
man with a family of seven and |
that the loss of power, prestige and |
and standing in the community by |
this conviction has been used against
him in his business since he was
convicted.
That William J. Wilson, one Of
the prosecuting witnesses, counsel
believed, had borne false testimony
from the fact that the State had
summoned him twice. but had not
called him until the October term,
giving counsel the impression that
the witness first swOre he knew
nothing and later swore he did know
The State objected to Mr.. Moore
filing the 800 letters praying for a
fu IL pardon on the ground that they
we're only documentary evidence
and should have been filed ten days
before. On motion of Chancellor
Curtis the board accepted the letters.
Robert G. Houston, of George
town, and Frank Richards, of Mil
ford, prominent anti-bribery work
,rs in Sussex. both wrote letters, as
also did ex-Sheriff Alfred d Rob.
nson, Dr.. Hiram r. Burton, James
+. Lank, a bank cashier.
Arguing through most of after
loon and submitting petition sign
ID by every juror who tried the case, Ii
awyers Eugene Hardesty and Viii
,ur Adams made a vigorous appeal q
,efore the Board of Pardons to save
he life Of George Colombo, sen
enced to be hanged at the New F
,astle County Workhouse for as f
a little girl The board +
efused to commute the sentence.
nd Colombo will hanged on Jan
airy 3th. y