The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1911-11-16
GOVERNOR CRITICISES TAFT
HAWLEY or IDAHO OBJECTS
To BANK THIEF'S PARDON.
Declares That Freeing Convicted Book
keeper Before He Had Begun His
Term Creates Contempt for Law
Iiiamcs wickcrsham and Deputies.

Boise. Idaho. Nov. 15.-Gov. James II
Hawley to-day gave out a signed state
ment addressed to the people Of Idaho
in which he condemns the action of Presi-
dent Taft in granting pardon yesterday
to Clarence W. Robnett, former book
keeper in the Lewiston Ma tional Bank
of Lewiston, Idaho. He was convicted
of embezzling funds of the bank and was
sentenced in the Federal court at Idaho
Springs to ten years Imprisonment. He
never entered upon the service Of his
sentence.
Il feel, says the Governor. that the
pardon of Robnett is fitting sequel to
the proceedings in the United States
court during the last four years while
the special assistants to the United States
Attorney-General have been usurping the
functions of the United States Attorney
and his assistants and have been running
the cases III which the United States has
been interested with high hand regard
less of justice or decency.
Il am not surprised at this pardon. but
no act ever done in connection with the
courts Of Idaho has so brought justice
into dlsrepute and weakened the courts
! IN the estimation Of our people.
For more than four years in every
| important case in which the United States
was interested the regular prosecuting
| officers have been retired and these special
assistants to the Attorney General have
| been given full control.
Without the slightest interest in our
/ State, caring nothing for our people.
simply desirous Of establishing a reputa-
! ton in the Department of Justice, these
/ special prosecutors have done more 70
! injure Idaho and retard it's development
/ since the fall Of 1907 than all other causes
| combined
The injustice Of this action Of Presi-
dent Taft, inspired without doubt by the
special prosecutors. will long rankle in
the minds of our citizens and will inspire
them with wholesome contempt for such
! disgra ceful methods.
at is probably unfair to severely blame
Presidout Taft directly for this unspoak-
| able action. as he undoubtedly acted at
the request Of Attorney General Wicker
sham. who evidently had been in collu-
sion with mis- associates in charge of this
| prosecution"
| WASHTNCToN, Nov. l5.--Attorney- Gen
eral Wickersham was not very much dis
| turbed hv the statement issued by Gov.
James II Hawlev of Idaho criticising
| the President and the Department OF
! Justice on account of the action of the
| President in granting a pardon yestarda V
| to Clarence W. RObnett, bookkeeper in
| the Lewiston National Bank Of Lewiston.
| Idaho. Robnett was convicted Of em-
| bezzlinC the funds Of the bank and on
| trial in the Federal court was sentenced
10 ton years imprisonment, but he has not
| served any of his sentence. The Govern n
denounced the pardon as likely to bring
justice into disrepute and weaken the
| courts in the estimation Of our people,
The Attornev-Gcn"Ial explained tod v
| that the pardon was arranged hy telegram.
between Washington and Idaho dav
! before yesterday and that it was sEnei /
10y the President Yesterday. In all such
cases. lie said. II was necessary 10 rely
| on some one implicated in the airtir 70
furnish the testimony necessary I, 9 C,L-
viCt tn" others. The Government WAS u u
anxious to enter into such negotiations.
but it thought il better to mako terms
with one of the participants in the '"im"
and convict the Others than 70 allow a !
10 escape for want of evidence on wEicn
! to convict
This Is the whole story, il was explained
Of the Robnett case. II was also stated
! that tho evidence tended to show that
| RohHett was tho tool of other mon in the
affair. that he did not benefit financially
! by his crime and that the greater respon-
slhllty for the crime lay with others.