The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-12-24
Says He Feels Like Squeeze
Sponge After Going Over
230 Applications
YOUNG MEN ESCAPE
THE DEATH CHAu
Express Driver Who Had Bee
Given Excessive Sentences
for Stealing 81 Is
Granted Pardon

1NIs4S Ao~s, M ~, Lee. zo.~9
ernor Wilson devoted all Of hIs t31I
today to consideration Of 2ao A.
cations of inmates of the New 31
sey prisons for clemency. The o.
ernor sat with the court Of paxdo1
from 10 o'clock in the morning III
nearly o'clock In the afternoon. ~
at the end OF that period said he e
like a squeezed sponge"
After the most careful irvest1E
ton and consideration, clemency r.
granted In I16 Of the cases Arr
these were two young murd4E
Harry Dufdeld, twenty years, and
Coursey. twenty one, OF Camden. e.
were under sentence OF death tor
hold UP and shooting Of Carl Keiln
on the public street. It was r91
sented to the court of pardons that
boys had just witnessed a make
lieve hold up in moving picture n&
and that this Influenced them to ce
unit the crime Duffieid's sont4
was COMMITTED to fifteen yeas
Coursey's to thirty years.
Another interesting case was
of John Waldron, an express drives
Jersey City, who had served
months OF a two years sentenc4
the theft Of 50. Secretary Turn
had learned Of this case, and
brought 1t to the attention OF the o9
Of pardons. John A. Blair. jud9&
the court OF common pleas. Of 1x
son county. who sentenced the
was communicated with. He r61
that there must have been some
@afr 4AGMD1
to impose such q penalty. The A
was promptly pardoned. The appat3
ton bore only two names, those AZ
Tumuity and his sten08rapheEs M
Johnson. N
Murderer II Paroied. .B Sss
Leander J. Smith. OF Atlantic g.
murderer, who had his death ednt4
COMMITTED to life imprisonment
March, 1903. was paroled Tbs T.
phcation OF Charles Ford, OF CAm1
murderer, under death sentences
not granted. Acting Governor -
had stayed execution in this cas- l.!
Til January 9Th, in the absences
Bermuda, of Governor Wilson, III
der to give him the benefit q
attention OF the board OF pardona. w.
had killed his common law wis
cause she had left him for Ano&g
man, and he afterwards attempted
eide. The court today could 1oo
reason for granting Ford clemencY.
An unusual case was that Of VIII
Feist. of Newark, a young drug g.
whose mistake in hlling preacr1p
resulted In the death Of worna
prescription called for nine grAa1
morphine divided into SIX pius
grain and a half each. Feist puc
grains in each OF the pills, ma
first resulted In the death Of thAS1
tent. He was sent to the HI
reforxnatory. and was today paE
Has Little Enthusiasm.
Governor Wilson went at tn q
Of considering the cases Win
little enthusiasm. Before No ~
the office. which had bssn turne0
a courtroom he said:
This will be an unhappy
work, because 1t pulls at tne
strings"
After the court had adjcuyn1
the afternoon. he looked carey3q
This has been one OF the 0a91
takes 1t out OF me-" hs sntd
don't know whether you afo ~
right or wrong. and you oa1ne
into all the circumstances u9
G8B98. W. CoAl34AA1A O0 SAsY
number OF cases. You sees -
n,ittee Of the court goes down
prisons q few weeks in a6VoM
the meeting OF the court, eeao
applicant and hears his stoyy
and checks 1t up with the x1l
Then. when the court wishsq t1
any questions. there Is the data
fer to. But. OF course, II you 4N
know tho circumstances. you &
ask Intelligent Questions InAe
my position" 8ssS
which He FavcEA
Tho governor was asked 4 ~
vcred the New Jersey system AZ
| ing the power Of granting c3eM
| In a board Of pArdons ~ A41an
New York system, which 11NA0
governor absolute power. aa
| trated by Governor Dix's paxMm
Albert T. Patrick. IN
yes" he said. II would 1
have the full board of pafdN
have the responsibility rpgk n1&
| the governor. I adm1ro tM&
very much. II II opeu naln
certain to do the right thing M
sists OF the governor, chAneo1l<
six judges Of the court of
pleas
The governor said the cowS
ala not hear any applicant a.
but that in tho capital caoo1
| neys were heard. These ooD11
took UP tho greater part ~ tIe
| ing session. MN
The governor had no taxne
| or even to think politics, todm1k
| he had finished with the ooux<
/ dkas he was hurried to Px1A4
retired early.