St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1912-12-14
RENE CANTON
7. APPLIES FOR
A PARDON
Farrar Writes a Pathetic
Letter for His Pardon.
Widow of Victim Does Not
Sign Plea for Release.
Pardon Hangs Upon 1nten-
ton to Commit Crime
Board Commutes Sentence;
Governor to Act.

! New Orleans, Dec. 10.-That Rene
Canton's hopes of life hangs on the
thin thread of technicalities, and not
on the mercy visited upon hira by
the bereaved father and family OF
Edgar Howard Farrar, Jr.. was the
declaration made by Judge Creteln
Yesterday when he sat as a memDe:
of the Pardon Board to hear the aP-
plication for communication OF the
sentence of death to life imprlson-
ment. If, when he was attacked by
Farrar, he believed that he was being
arrested for crime, and shot cut
malice for the law and his accused
it was murder, but if he struck back
in self-defense it was manslaughte
and the sentence should be commut
ed, stated Judge Chretein.
| II Murder, Hang Him.
eff there is murder in this case, J
want this man hanged, declared
Judge Chretein. '1f there ls not
murder, l want the sentence COM
muted." And from the general
opinion as intimated by Lieutenant
Governor Barret and Attorney Gen
eral Pleasant, the other members OF
the Pardon Board, it was their gen
eral concurrence that the case should
be tried on it's principles and not
biased prejudice for sor against the
accused.
The case was called about O'Clock
in the evening, and was delayed De
cause Colonel Pleasant declares ina
Mr.. Farrar, father of the slain boy
desired to be present at the hearing
The case went over for several minu
tes. during which Mr.. Farrar was
communicated with and stated that
he did not wish to hear the cas-
reviewed. The ease was again callet
and Judge Gautier, attorney for de
fense, presented an application OF ap
proximately 500 names, in which the
Farrar family or the Spearing fam.
ily-that of Farrar's widow-was nc
represented.
Judge Gautier stated that he under
stood that Mrs. e. H. Farrar, Jr., wa
in sympathy with the commutatio,
i,of the sentence, but that she ha
gbeen advised not to place her sigma
ture on the application, due to Il
fact that her family did not desire
the notoriety, nor were they in favo
of the communication of the sentence
However, two letters were placed be
fore the board from the senior Far
rar. One was q copy of the lette'
sent to the governor, asking that
q reprieve be granted the murderer
until the Pardon Board could rasf
on the matter The othe. was A let
L THn,
The letter to the board says:
Letter From e. H. Farra;.
81 sent you inclosed copy of let
ter addressed by me in my own be
half and in behalf Of the members O.
my family to his excellency, Lnthe
r. Hail. governor Of the state, asltinr
him to reprieve Rene Canton. who's
exec'Nonion was fixed for Dec. s, ant
TO send his case before your homo
able body for consideration as +
whether his sentence should be corr
muted to Imprisonment for life. Tho
governor granted this request for tn
reasons stated in my letter, and tn
matter is now before you.
'From purely theoretical stand
point Of view the wishes OF the famil.
against whom a crime has been com
mitted should play no part in determ
lining whether the criminal should bs
punished at all or to the extent Of
his punishment, because the INTEREST,"
of society are alone involved in such
a question, and not the feelings G
sentiments of individuals But yol'
are called upon to advise the govern,
or as to the quality of mercy that he
G q III in, hn ~ IL
high Office. and the dread sentence
out until it is found that the ccse
is one which excludes the exercise
Of that divine faculty
s.1t is here that room is found fov
consulting the feelings and wishes Of
those most injured, by crime. and
il. they ask for mercy, it appears tc
me that mercy should be granted
unless such REQUEST is mere sickl.
sentim entalism and in opposition te
the best interests of society. The
.xSOunds stated in this letter to the
governor asking the reprieve show
the grounds on which the family @
my murdered son ask you to recon
mend the communication of the n1ur-
derer's sentence to imprisonment for
life"
In the letter to the governor Mr.,
Farrar included the pathos OF 3
fathers love. which had hlossomad
into, the great forgiveness that woul'
flood the 1owly dwelling of the mur
derer's father and wife with supreme
happiness happiness which would
be impossible to the imposing seat Of
aristocracy, in which the law of IAN