The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-12-05
COURT OFFICERS
NOT CONSULTED|N
HANCOCK PARDON
Governor Declines to
Discuss Release Of
Cocaine Dealer.
FRIENDS EXPLAIN
REASON FOR PLEA
Ask for Mercy in Petition Be-
cause of Police Methods and
Social Prominence of Pris-
oner's Family-Names of
Citizens Who Interceded.
What They Said.

That Charles I. Hancock. ti!c New
por. News 'cocaine king" was az
rested by means Of Il prearrangcd
trap laid BY the Rochmond police and
that the iamily Of Hancock's wife is
socially prominent, are the only two
reasons advanced for executive Glenn
ency in the letters from Newport News
citizens which accompanied the pcti-
Non OF attorneys for the pardon. Gov
cTnor Mann issued no statement ycY-
tcrday a. 10 his reasons for grant
ing tho pardon. referring reporters to
the papers on file in the Office OF the
secretary %. the Commonwealth Tho
pardon was signed by the Governor
early "Wednesday afternoon. as printed
III Tho Times Dispatch yesterday, but
was not announced 1t the C;overnor's
Office. in fact was not known In Rich
mond until Haucock and his wife
reached Newport News. when tho fact
OF his release was tclcgraphed here.
DouSht Cocaine In Memphis,
In the petition of Attorneys H. ".
smith Jr.. and K. Vi. Lett for the
pardon, Hancock admits having pur-
chased cocaine from u Memphis nrin,
paid cash for IT, and Imported it to
Virginia for the purpose of inakinl,
money on its sale. There is no gem
eral petition for clemency. nor is there
anything Ia the papers 10 indicate that
the trial Judge the Commemorative
Attorney or. Ill fact, any local o.Ecia!
was consulted by the Governor. All
OF the letters are from Newport News
citizens, who state that they wer.
greatly shocked at Hancock's arrest.
that hc had previously had "A good
reputation, and that his mothcr-in-
law vas well-known socially
Judge j. I. Barhain, OF the Corpora
ton Court OF Newport News, in his
letter adds that Hancock. had been liv-
mad previously lived In Norfolk, but
mat so far as he knows he had never
before been charged with any crime.
Court Officials Not Consulted.
Tie pardon OF Hancock before lie
had domned prison stripes. or even
served day In the pcnltentiary. came
as complete surprise 70 the officers
or thc Hastings Court and to the Rich
mond Police Department. Judge u. e.
Kichardson, Commemorative Attorney
Fo!kcs and Chief OF Police Werner.
while avoiding any criticism OF the
Governors act, were emphatic in the
statement that they had not asked fo..
clcmency for Hancock, and had no in =
ufnauon OF any intention OF pardon
ing him until the cocaine dealer was
at liberty in his homo town They
seemed greatly surprised that the cr-
forts OF the police To put out Of busi
ness a confessed wholesale importer OF
coc''lIc SHould nave been nullined.
Say Police Laid Trap.
Friends of the Governor advanced
the theory that he had been greatly
impressed with that part OF the pctj-
tl"n which related TO tho police tran
Attorneys for Hancock claim that til,
p"ilcc made elaborate preparations TO
catch real cocaine king" :: whole
sale and regular Importer OF the drug.
and that Hancock, who In a time OF
money str.ngency had weakly yielded
To temptation and bought one shin
ment, had fallen into the trap and
been seized upon as the great king
,oi the cocaine trade. The police state.
that as a matter or fact few criminals:
are caught save by somn si!ch rms.
as WAS adopted.
The whole story OF tho trap" ac-
cordinS TO the police, was just this:
information came to the police that
cocaine in large quantities was being
imported into Virginia and turned Over.
10 negro peddicrs. who sold il at cuor.
nous proht-in fact many OF the ped J.
dlers nave been arrested and arc now
IN the penitentiary. The information
pointed TO the former Newport News
druggist. as the importer of the drug.
Detectives called Hancock on the Ions;
distance telephone, ana offered to buy
cocaine. Hancock fell into the trap,
camo to Richmond and delivered fifty-
ounces. His arrest followed After the
usua! Police Court continuancos, he
waived examination was indicted, and
by advice of counsel. pleaded guilty in
the Iiustings Court ana on account III
mis- pisa Was given the minimum sen
tenco OF one year III the pentcntiary.
The pardon came before he had been
removed from the City Jail to the
state prison.
Whit Petition Recitcs.
The forlna! petition for pardon re-
cites that Hancock is thirty three
years of age. that he was born in Fred
cricksburg, that he is a druggist by
profession, and had failed in busine SIS
III Norfolk; that llo was married eight
years ago to Il Mrs. IInrndon, formerly
Miss Bessie Taylor. The petition then
states that Hancock. under the press
urc of hard circumstances, yielded to
temptation and purchased for cash in
Memphis fifty ounces OF cocaine. which
ho was attempting 10 dispose of when
arrested. The petition denies that he
was Mt any timo tho cocaine king"
described by tho police. and asserts
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