The Washington herald., 1913-03-16
DANIELS DENIES
WOMAN'S PLEA
Secretary Of the Navy Against
Mrs. Blundy's Appeal for
Husbands Release.
SENTENCE IS MODIFIED
Prison Term Is Cut Nearly 4 Year
While Wife Draws
PAY.

The appeal of Mrs. William w.
Blundy. of Mount Vernon. N. Y, for
the release of her husband now serving
out sentence of a year and three
quarters for fraudulent enlistment into
tho navy. was denied yesterday after
noon by Secretary of the Navy Daniels
In his statement Secretary Daniels
stated that extraordinary clemency'
had already been exercised in the case
and that further clemency was not JUS
titled by the facts and the good of the
service.
Out Of pity for the destitute coadition
OF the woman, an order has been is
sued by which she will get her husband 8
pay and because of his good behavior
in prison at Portsmouth. n. H., navy
yard, Blundy's sentence has been re-
duced from two and a half years to one
and three-quarters. The wife will get
all of her husbands pay except a small
part for certain prison expenses.
Mrs. Blundy came to Washington last
week in an attempt to see President
Wilson or Secretary Daniels relative to
the release of her husband. She brought
with her her children. a boy and a girl.
aged four years and seventeen months
respectively. Rehearsed in the part he
was to play. the boy went to the White
House and there tried to get to the
President while the mother and baby
waited on the steps of the Navy De-
partment. The ruse failed and the
woman was finally persuaded to take
train for her home and leave the case
in the hands of the Secretary of the
Navy.
Secretary Daniels statement was as
follows:
Il have given very careful and serious
consideration to the request made by
Mrs. Blundy, who appeared at the Navy
Department this week and requested the
pardon of her husband. The case ap-
pealed strongly to my sympathy and
assured her that everything that could
possibly be done for the good of herself
and children would be done and that the
Navy Department would do everything
possible to relieve their condition. Ex
traordinary clemency has been exercised
in this case and an order has been is
sued by which she will get the pay
which would have come to her husband
il he had not been convicted. Her re-
quest for the pardon of her husband
cannot be granted. as much as | would
like to have extended clemency IL it
had been justified by the facts and the
good Of the service.
The facts in this case are that William
W. Blundy enlisted in the navy June I.
1907. and served until May 8 1900. when
a deserter-at-large. he-hy concealing the
fact that he was a deserter-fraudulent-
ly re-enlisted in the navy under the
name William Mccoy, but by means
OF the finger print system was identified
six days after his fraudulent enlist
ment as identical with the deserter
Blundy When tried by courtmartial
Biundy pleaded guilty to desertiOn and
fraudulent enlistment in the navy. He
was sentenced to confinement for
period of two and one-half years (which
by good conduct in prison will be re-
duced TO one and two-third years., with
forfeiture of pay. and then to be dis
honoraby discharged from the naval
service. Subsequently. February s. 1915,
the department remitted so much of the
sentence as involved forfeiture of pay
on condition that Blundy send the full
pay of his rating. less certain deductions
for prison expenses ,about s. per month";.
to his wife for her support. The COM
mandant of the navy yard, Portsmouth,
\. H.. was directed to make the neces-
sary arrangements to have the allotment
sent to Mrs. Blundy at her home in
Mount Vernon. n. y