The Washington herald., 1912-01-03
TAFT SETS FREE
TWO ''LIFERs" ON
MURDER CHARGE
"Alias Jimmy Valentino"
Plays Stellar Role.
MUTISY STORY THRILLS

President Taft yesterday pardoned Ar.
thur Adams and Robert Sawyer, British
subjects, now Federal prisoners at At
lSnta, Ga. where they are serving term
OF life imprisonment following their con-
viction in the United States Circuit Court
at Wilmington, N. c.. on a charge oi
murder on the high seas. In granting
them an immediate Communication OF sen
tenee the President expressed The opln-
ion that Adams and Sawyer were not
guilty OF active completely In the crime
with which they were charged. although
he said that they were not without fault.
Their Imprisonment he said had not been
an injustice. but in view of the circum-
stances he felt that they should be freed.
Human Interest story.
The story OF their fight for freedom Is
one of the most thrilling human interest
stories which has ever come TO the at
tention OF the Department of Justice.
Adams and Sawyer twice appealed to
the President for executive clemency.
They protested that they were innocent
and when they were under a sentence Of
death. President Roosevelt commuted
their sentences TO life Imprisonment.
They owe their success in large part to
Harry b. Warm. an English actor, the
star Of ALIAS Jimmy Valentine" who
employed counsel to aid in the prepara-
ton OF their pardon application. and to
James A. Finch. attorney in charge of
pardons OF the Department of Justice.
The crime for which Adams and Saw
yer were convicted grew cut OF a mu-
tiny on the lumber schooner Harry 4.
Berwind. OF Cape Hatteras. N. c.. about
six years ago. The crew were in mu-
tinous frame OF mind because of poor
and insufficient food. and there is a
Scott. had threatened TO kill the captain.
Five Are Killed.
Finally. Scott shot the captain, the
mate. the engineer. the cook, and a
sailor. Adams and Sawyer claimed that
they had nothing TO do with the murders,
but that Scott intended to kill them also.
Finally. Adams and Sawyer overpowered
Scott, and after tying him, hailed a pass
ing steamer and were taken into Will
mington. N. C.. where they turned Scott
over to the Federal authorities They
were friendless and almost penniless.
They were convicted and sentenced to be
hanged. On the scaftold Scott confessed
that he alone was guilty. and exonerated
Adams and Sawyer OF all completely
Upon the OASIS OF this confession, friends
of the two prisoners appealed TO the De-
partment of Justice for a Communication
OF their sentence.
The late Henry NJ. Hoyt. former SolIcI-
tor General, and Peyton Gordon, then
pardon attorney. were unable to recon
Gle the statements OF Adams and Saw
yer with the dying confession of Scott.
and recommended that President Roose-
welt commute their death sentences to
life imprisonment. The principal dis
crepancy had to do with the time when
the shots were fired that killed the VIC
Tins.
Enter Jimmy Valentine"
Early in 1919 Adams and Sawyer wrote
a letter 20 Mr.. Warner asking his as
sistance in their efforts to prove their
innocence. Mr.. Warner took an interest
in them because OF the fact that they
were British subjects. and also because
ne has always had an interest in prison
aid work He employed a lawyer to In
vestigate the case. Mr. Finch, the par
don attorney Of the department, who
also believed that the men were inno-
cent, succeeded In proving that the con-
fession OF Scott and the statements of
Adams and Sawyer as TO what occurred
on the vessel were not contradictory.
MFR. Finch recommended that they be
freed. Attorney General wickersham
upheld Mr.. Flnch's arguments.