Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-02-18

SUNDAY MAGAZINE F
bino can tell story that will prove the error
of the criticism; for Luigi learned the lesson
well, spelling it out on the treadmill of prison
| routine and prison labor. In 1908 he was
given six years in the New Jersey State
prison for having in his possession and pass
ing counterfeit fve-dollar certificates A
year later he applied for pardon, and it was
granted, because the attorney who prose-
cuted him learned from evidence brought
forward after the conviction that Luigi had
been the victim of case of mistaken identi
ty. He had served more than twelve months
for an ofense committed by another man.
Mr. Taft clipped five months from two
year term of imprisonment because OF the
direction a flying piece of steel had taken.
Alfred A. Hartegan had been sent up for
two years for forging a check in Alaska.
When he was at work on a concrete wall in
the prison on Puget Sound, piece of steel
from a drill lodged in his eye, destroying
that eye and injuring the sight OF the other.
Hartegan was pardoned on the theory that
his injury entitled him to five months COM
mutation.
Now and then it happens that district
attorney will come forward with the plea for
clemency for a convict on the ground that
the prisoner made important disclosures at
fecting other cases and at the same time did
not try to conceal his own guilt. When this
is done, pardon is frequently obtained.
Many cases arise affecting national banks.
Under the statute, the minimum confine-
ment for taking money from a national bank
is five years. and frequently it is recognized
bv all concerned that such term is too long
when the offense can in any way be con-
doned Thomas w. Harvey was given seven
years for making false entries in the books
of bank at Allegheny Pennsylvania. When
he applied for clemency, it was proved that
he made the false entries by direction of the
cashier without any knowledge on his part
that the transactions were wrong or intended
to deceive; that, at the time of his wrong
doing, he had one thousand dollars of his
own money on deposit in the bank; and
that he was of great aid to the Government
in Strengthening out the affairs of the bank.
His application for pardon was Endorsed by
large number of depositors of the bank.
Taft committed his sentence to three, in
stead of seven, years.
The chief executive has listened oftener
to the crv of the poverty stricken than to the
voice of the well-to-do. His pardon record
contains many instances of his willingness
to 20 to the relief of either those whose de-
Tense suffered as result of their poverty or
those whose fam1l1eS were unable 10 i've
without the help of the convicted men.
Robert Lee, for instance, was fined thou
sand dollars and given six months in jail for
illicit distilling. Upon the showing that his
family was entirely dependent upon him for
support and that he was too poor to pay the
fine, he was released after serving the six
months.
David Byington, a Choctaw Indian, was
sent up for life for murder that it was alleged
he had committed in Indian Territory in
1897. On February Is, 1910, Mr.. Taft COM
muted the sentence ito expire Immediately"
on the showing of these facts: Byington was
only fifteen years old at the time the murder
was done; he protested his innocence; the
court proceedings were imperfectly under
stood by him; and, owing to his ignorance
and poverty, he was unable to put in a
proper defense; and he had contracted
severe case of tuberculosis when imprisoned
MANY pardons are granted simply for
A'A the purpose of restoring civil rights
This action is taken after the sentence has
been served and a sufficient interval has
elapsed to show that the petitioner has led
an upright and useful life since his incarcera-
ton. Of the pardons granted to offenders
who have not served their full terms, there
are two classes, conditional and uncondi-
tional.