The Washington herald., 1913-11-02
ROOSEVELT TELLS or FIGHT WITH LEGISLATURE

would then commute the sentence to the
penalty thus indicated.
In one case in New York pardoned
outright a man convicted OF MURDER IN
the second degree, and ! did tins on
the Recommendation of a friend. Father
Doyle, OF the PaulIst Fathers. i mao
become intimate with the Paulist Fatn-
ers while I was Police Commissioner
and I had grown TO feel confidence IN
their Judgment. for / had found tnat
they always told me exactly what the
facts were about any man. whether he
belonged to their church or not.
In this case the convicted man was
a strongly built, respectable old Irish
man employed as a watchman around
some big cattIe-kiling establishments.
The young roughs Of the neighborhoN.
which was then of a rather iawiess
type, used to destroy the property OF
the companies. In conflict with watch
man a member OF one of the gangs was
slain. The watchman was acquitted, but
the neighborhood was much wrought
up over the acquittal. Shortly after
wards a gang OF the same roughs at
tackled another watchman, the old Irish
man in question, and finally. to save
his own life, be was obliged in self
defense to kill one of his assailants.
The feeling in the community, how
ever, was strongly against him. and some
of the men high UP In the corporation
became frightened and thought that II
would be better to throw over the watch
man. He was convicted. Father Doyle
came to me. told me that he knew the
man well, that he was one OF the best
members of his church. admirable In
every way, that he had simply been
forced to fight for his life while loyalty
doing his duty, and that the conviction
represented the triumph Of the tough
element of the district and the abandon
merft Of this man, under the influence
of an unworthy fear. ] looked into the
case, came to the conclusion that Father
Doyle was right, and gave the man a
full pardon before he had served thirty
days.
The Vice Presidency.
The various clashes between myself
and the machine, my triumph in them,
and the fact that the people were get
ting more and more interested and
aroused, brought on a curious situation
in the Republican National Convention
at Philadelphia in June. 1900. Senator
Platt and the New York machine lead
ers had become very anxious to get me
out OF the Governorship. chiefly because
Of the hostility OF the big corporation
men tONaTOS me- uuI lncy HeAu aISo Oc-
come convinced that there was such
popular feeling on my behalf that 1t
would be difficult to refuse me a renom-
ination If demanded II. They accord
ingly decided to push me for Vice Presi-
dent, taking advantage Of the fact that
there was at that time good deal or
feeling for me in the country at large.
myself did not appreciate that there
was any such feeling. and. as greatly
disliked the office OF Vice President and
was much interested in the Governor
ship, ! announced that 1 would not ac-
cept the Vice Presidency. was one Of
the delegates to Philadelphia On reach
ing there found that the situation was
complicated.
Senator Hanna appeared on the sur
face to have control OF the convention.
He was anxious that / should not be
nominated as Vice President.
Senator Platt was anxious that
should be nominated as Vice President,
in order TO get me out of the New York
Governorship.
Each took a position opposite to that
Of the other, but each at that time cor
daily sympathized with the others feel
ings about melt was the manifestations
and not the feelings that differed.
Ny supporters in New York State did
not wish me nominated for Vice Presi-
dent, because they wished me 10 con-
tinue as Governor; but in every other
State all the people who admired me
were bound that should be nominated
as Vice President. These people were
almost all desirous of seeing Mr.. McKin-
ley renominated as President. but they
became very angry at Senator Hanna's