Bisbee daily review., 1913-05-13
HUNT DEFENDS
 HIS POSITION
Declares Pardon Power Not Abused - Issues Long Let ter in Reply to Resolutions of Recent Mass Meeting

ter in Reply to Resolutions
 of Recent Mass Meeting
 Governor Hunt yesterday answered the Prescott meeting which was held .ostensibly to protest against the pro position of passing an anti capital punishment law in Arizona In his reply which was addressed to Presi- dent Jackson Doran of the meeting the chief executive takes occasion to say one 'tiack to the men who criticis- ed his action as governor. The letter is somewhat lengthy. quite a goodly space of it being given over to a de fense of Governor Hunts views on the question of capital punishment with which nearly all the people of the state are familiar However those par agraphs of the letter which deal di- rectly with the charges made in the meetinng as to his abuse of the par doning power and the wholesale let ting loose of criminals contain matters of some more than passing interest.
 In defense or inc prison policy, Governor Hunt goes on to say:
 As to those reports in which my official acts toward the inmates of the state prison have been criticised. it IS evident that no little misrepresenta- ton exists, since the facts have not at all been fairly set forth The charge has been frequently uttered, by parties whose thoughts were rather for in- jury to my administration than for the dissemination of the truth. and isl echoed in your resolution, that the tule has been to turn coId-blooded
 murdererS loose upon a defenselcss| world, to minimize the responsibility
 for crime and to exalt criminals. The resolution declares that the records show several instances of late where cola 5Elooded murderers have been re. leased. either through absolute pardon or by executive pleasure, in violation and in disregard of the letter and the spirit of the law.
 Nothing could be further from the truth. Neither the letter nor the spir- it of the law has been violated. No icold-blooded murderers have been turned loose. No injury has hecn wrought to organized society. But lon the other hand organized society has been strengthened by the rehaE ilitation of men who but for the chance given them would have constituted a menace. And venture to say that have exercised no executive peroga- tive that would, 0Lc for the pressure .of political antagonism, have attract ed more than passing attention
 Y wish to call your attention to cor rection of the lurid reports of my abuse of the pardOning power. to the tact thaS since my inauguration a year and three months ago but two men convicted of hOmici5e have re- .ceived pardons, and both of these had been previously parolled by the ore. ceeGing governor. That official had discovered circumstances in the crime they had committed sufficiently amel- iorating to justify their release or parole, and their furth conduct had ieen such as to justify their restora- tion 10 organized society.
 fL4ikewise during all the time [ have been in office, but eight men sery ing sentence for murder have been granted paroles and of these five were second degree offenders. Not one of these paroles was granted careIessly. Tor with out ample consideration and justification. Two of the men were rapidly dying of tuberculosis, and one has since died. One. whose crime was committed under circumstances not without extenuating features. was pa- roled on the condition and agreement that he return to his native country In Europe, which he did. One had gone
 totally blind in the prison and was re- turned to his sister, and another, was parcled partially on the representa-, tions of many good people of Yava- pal county. Not one of these have failed in their obligations to the state not one of them constitutes a men ace 10 organized society. though the state maintains a strict watch over them, and at the slightest evidence of return to criminal life their free dom would be taken away. Having Demonstrated their possession of the powers and the desire of rehabilita- tion they have been given the chance without which they would have bel come confirmed and dangerous crim-
 inals, to be freed. at the end of their terms, iRestimably worge than when they were incarcerated. Administrations have come and
 gone in Arizona, and men convicted
 of murder, with sentences ranging
 from twenty years to hanging, have l tOeen par1oned, reDrieved. commuted and paroled, and during exceedingly
 few years in less number than the rec.
 ords show tO be the case during my
 administration. And yet it excited no
 hysteria anc= except in rare and indi- vidual instances. brought forth no pro-
 tests. It was eeceptei as a fact that
 there are many cases in which the ex- | tension of executive clemency is
 right and proper, and necessary to the accomplishment of the best ends iof organized society. t
 Tt is remarkable that my efforts to- 1 ward reform of the abuses which had | grown up in the handling and manag-
 ement of those convicted Of crime. has
 so offended many who have evidently given no study to the sutdect. and
 that my fewer than the average of