The Rathdrum tribune. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1903-1963, 1911-09-22
THE BOARD Of PARDONS
Mistakes Pointed Out By
Judge Edgar c. Steele.
PARDON POWER is ABUSED
And Work Of Courts Too Often
Are Annulled.

In bis power to punish the men who
lynchsd Peter Mallick the Indian
wife beater, Judge Edgar q Steele OF
GrangevIlle takes occasion to call ut.
tention to the remissness OF the state
pardon boari. lie says In par:
"Permlt ME to suggest. however,
that 1t appears from the action of the
board Of pardons Of this state that
this board, of which you are a MEM.
Der at present, fails to give proper
credit 10 the. Intelligence OF the
citizenship and that the board ap-
pears to believe that the jurles Of
this county and the trial court do
not understand the conditions exist.
Ing, The board Of pardons has Sc,
aside the verdict Ut every jury and
the sentences OF the court, Ia every
case Of any Importance that has been
tried In this county for the past ~
years. l call attention to the follow.
ing cases In which action has been
taken by the board only as a partial
list:
Rudolph Wetter, who was found
guilty Of killing two men and who
the evidence shows crippled a young
boy SO that he is going through life
with one lex shorter than the other.
Wetter was sentenced twice TO be
hung by this court. The board Of
pard0ns c0mmutcd his !, sentence to
life imprisonment and the people are
confidently expecting be will soon be
released.
This board, 10 the case OF William
|. Rook, sent for 10 years for horse
stealing, paroled him after a short
term.
HAIRY Schissler, who was SEN
fenced for killing Williams at Sites,
was released by the board OF pardoDs
upon parole after serving about one
year.
"Bud Holt was sent for. 12 years
for stealing cattle by the wholesale
and was pardoned by the board after
serving about one. half Of his sen ntence.
'Richard Crea, for the killing OF
Tom McCloud in a saloon In Grange.
vile, was pardoned by the board after
serving very short sentence.
"Max Geidl. for horse stealing, was
soon released by the board.
"Andrew Gilbert, who was sem
fenced for life for the murder oi
Smith near Harpster, was permitted
to escape from the penitentiary, and
II Is understood no earnest effort was
ever made to recapture him.
''Bert Rhodes, who was sent fol
highway robbery and the shooting
and attempted murder of the post
master at Denver, was paro'ed by thu
board prior to the expiration Of hI'
sentence.
"Within the past two or three
months this board has committed tn
sentence OF Joe Sorrow, sentenced 70
life for the killing Of Marshal viii
liams in GranRevillc. to a sentence o
is years, and the people confldentl
expect his release at much earle
date.
"The cases to which have calle,
your attention are only In Idah
county and the other four. counties 0
this district have Jared similarly Il
proportion.
"PaYne Slye, who murdered Maj
shall Hayes At Troy. Latah county
and was sentenced to life, is now a
liberty. 50
| "John Knutson, who set fire !
buildings In Troy to recover insuranc
money, was found guilty Of arson an
sentenced To six years and was pa
rolled by the board.
/ 81 have had scores of citizens sa
to me. What Is the use Of speudin
our money in sending men to Boise
/ They will only stay there !. shol
time !.
.During the past ~ years ] ha,
spent Of the money Of Idaho count
| nuor eS0 00l In The nrnsocniif,n 4