Norwich bulletin., 1913-07-22
Death Arrived
 Before Pardon
CARDENIO F. KING DIES IN
 PRISON HOSPITAL.
A BOSTON FINANCIER
Serving Sentence for Obtaining Money Under False Pre&ences-Was to Have Been Pardoned Today.

Bridgewater, Mass, July 21.--A
 spectacular career was ended under
 pathetic circumstances today when
 Cardenio F. King, once widely known
 as tnancier and newspaper publish
 CT of Boston. died, a convict at the
 state farm here in the very hour that
 his friends aware of the approach of
 death. were making desperate efforts
 to obtain q pardon for him.
 Seven Councillors for CIemency Only legal technicality stood in the way of making his last hours those of free man. Word that his eondi- ton was hopeless was sent tG Gov
 ernor F'oss at Boston this morning and soon afterwards Mrs. King and i their four sons. who had been called 1 to the bedside of the dying man, re- cetVed the welcome message that the executive would intervene. A few hours later a telephone call from the state house reported that the governor had canvassed the members of his council by telephone and that seV en of the eight had consented to inmed- late clemency.
 Council Was to Meet Today King, who knew of the efforts in his behalf. frightened perceptikly at 1 the news. He was not told Of the word that followed quickly Attorney General Swift, having been consulted by the governor, gave the opinion that a pardon could not be legally granted by telephone. But still later, a tele- gram brought the assurance that a pardon would be given at ten o'clock tomorrow morning, at which hour the council had been ordered to convene Doctor Emerson. medical head cf the state farm, hurried with the news 10 the hospital. When he returne7 10 his offices a few minutes later. he an nounced that King was dead.
 Obtained Money Under False Pretenses King. who has never lacked for faithful friends was convicted of ob- taining $22,000 under false pretences from persons who had entrusted him with funds for investment and was sentenced to a term of from ten to fourteen years. In January. 1q09 he 1 began to serve his sentence in the state prison at Charlestown. Tn Sen- tember, 1911, he became seriously il and was removed to the state farm here. An intestinal trouble from which he had suffered for years still
 pursued him and last night his condi-. tion suddenly became critical.
 His Newspaper Venture. A native of North Carolina, King be- gan his financial operations in Bos- ton in 1904. Through extensive and unique advertising he attracted many investors to his office and also did a big business by mail Later he opened l he began publication of the Boston 1 Daily Tribune. The New York of ! fees proved unprohtab1e and the paper 1 was discontinued after 1t had been published for several months at an
 expense estimated at half a milliQn dollars.
 EIuded Police for Several Months. 1 Early In 1908 Kings customers be- ! gan to complain that stocks for which they had sent him money had not been delivered. A little later 1t was an- nounced that he had placed all his 1 property and affairs in the hands of 1 two trustees. A meeting of creditors ] followed, the broker was declared a 1 bankrupt and an investigation by tie trustee in bankruptcy showed liabill- ties of nearly $300,000 and assets less 1 than s14,000
 1 A warrant for Kings arrest was is-
 sued, but the fnancier had disappear 1 ed He was traced to New York Lon 1 don, Paris and finally to Colombo, l Ceylon. He returned to Boston and
 surrendered himself June F. 1908. Blamed Lawson for His Ruir.
 His trial began December II and l on December 29 he was convicted on 1 27 of 31 counts charging larcen. and l enbezzlement. The sentence Of the court followed q dramatic recital in which King reviewed his life. his l flight from Boston and his travels in 1 EuYope and Asia. He declared that he was innocent of any wrong intent 1 in any of hls wrong acts and he closed
 Boston flnancier, of secretly fighting | him and bringing him to financial ! ruin Later he made repeated attempts | to obtain 8 pardon