New-York tribune., 1912-02-18

blnO can tell 4 story that VIII prove IIIN Viz
Of the criticism; for Luigi learned the leSSo
well, spelling it out on the trcadmlll OF prlSo
routine and prison labor. In 1908 ne wa
given six wears in the New Jersey otaU
prison for having in his possession and pass
ing counterfeit fvc-dollar certificates.
year later ne applied for pardon, and 1t wa
granted. because the attorney who prose
cutcd him learned from evidence brcu8h
forward after the conviction that LulSi ma.
been the victim Of a case OF mistaken ldchIi
tv. He had served more than twelve month
for an offcnsc committed by anothcr man
Mr.. Taft clipped five months from TWO
year term of imprisonment because ol II
direction a hving piece of steel had taken
Alfred A. Hartcgan had been sent up 10
two wears for forging a check IN Alaska
When he was at work on a concrete wall II
the prison on Puget Sound, piece OF Stcc
from drill lodged in his eye, destroying
that eye and injuring the sight Of the other
Hartcpan was pardoncd on the theory tha
his injury entitled him to five months com
mutation.
Now and then it happens that dlStnc
attorney will come forward with the plea 10
clcmcncv for a convict on the ground ina
the prisoner made important disclosures al
fccting other cases and at the same time diC
not trv to conceal his own guilt. When thl
is done. a pardon is frequently obtained.
MANY cases arise affecting national banks
Under the statute, the minimum coniInc
mcnt for taking money from national hanF
IS five years, and frequently 1t Is rccogniZcl
bvall concerned that such a term Is too Ions
when the offcnsc can in any way be con
doncd Thomas ". Harvey was given sever
years for making false entries in the book
Of a bank at Allegheny, Pennsylvania. NhcI
ne applied for cIcmcncy, it was proved ina
hr made the false entries by direction OF tn,
cashier without any knowledge on his par
that the transactions were wrong or INTENDED
10 deceive: that. al the time Of his wrong
doing ne had one thousand dollars OF IN
own money on deposit in the bank; anC
that ne was Of great aid 10 the Govcrnmcn
in Strengthening out the affairs Of the bank
His application for pardon was lndorSed by
a large number Of dcpositors OF the bank
Taft commu'cd his sentence 10 three, IN
stead Of seven. years.
The chief executive has listened Oitcnc
tn n'h,. rrv Of the cpoycrty-striCkcn than 10 tn,
voice Of the wcli-to-do. His pardon rccorJ
contains IIlstllN llNNtlll''' w ''''
10 go To the relief Of either those whose de
fcns. suffered as Il result Of their poverty o
rhos. whose families were unable TO live
without the help Of the convicted men
Robrr, Lee. for instance was fined a thou
sand dollars and given SIX months IN Jan io
illici, di,,illing. Upon the showing that M
family was entirely dependent upon HIM io
suppor, and that me- Was too poor 10 pay th'
fine. be- was released after serving the ~
months.
David Bying,ou Choctaw Indian, va
sent I'D for life for murder that II was aIIcgc,
me- had committed in Indian Territory II
1897. On February -. 1910, Mr.. TAFT com
wutcl the sentence "iD expire Immediately
on the showing Of these facts: Bylngton wa
only fifteen wears Old at the time the murder
was done. me protested his innocence; the
rour, proceedings were importcctIy under
stood by him; and, owing 20 his ignorance
and poverty. me- was unable To put IN
proper defense, and he had contracted
severe ease of tuberculosis when imprisoned
MANY parlons are granted simply to
l'1 the purpose OF restoring D'EI rights
This action is taken after the sentence ha
been served and sufficient interval has
elapsed To show that the petitioner has Ic.
.an upright and useful lie since his nylrccra
ton. OF the parions granted 10 offenders
who have not served their full terms, there
are two classes, conditional and uncondl