The Washington herald., 1913-05-08
WILSONPA RDONS
FIVE PRISONERS
Executive Clemency Extended
by President IN Cases Be-
lieyed to Be Deserving.
BRITISH CITIZEN IS FREED
Apache Indian, Who Sold "Tixwin,"
Also Is Given Liberty BY
the President.

For the first time sincee ntering the
White House. President Wilson yesterday
exercised his authority to pardon or COM
mute sentences of Federal prisoners. Fa-
vorable action was taken on five cases
which were sent to him by the Depart.
ment OF Justice, the sentence In each
case being commuted from date.
Action in the first case. that of Brit
ish citizen who was convicted under the
white slave law. was taken at the re-
quest OF the British Embassy. the petit
ton for clemency having been Endorsed
by James Bryce just before his retire
ment as British Ambassador.
William Bernicky, a Canadian, was
convicted in the fall of 1910 in the North
ern New York District Court, on charges
OF importing an alien woman for i'm
moral purposes. He was sentenced to
two years and six months In the Atlanta
prison, and a fine of $500 His term will
expire June 8. His fine and the remainder
of. his prison sentence were COMMITTED.
The British Embassy acted on the ground
that the mans wife and family were in
destitute circumstances.
Lewis S. Banks was convicted i'm the
Northern Indiana Territory District
Court in 1900 on charges Of attempted
assault on girl, and was sentenced
to twenty-one years in the Atlanta
attention of three Presidents.
President Roosevelt declined to act.
saying: when ten years OF the sem
tence shall have been served, commu-
tation will be just. but there seems no
reason to act now" At the end or
ten years the mans friends brought
the matter up anew, but their petition
was disapproved by Attorney General
Wickersham and President Taft. They
again brought ii up at the beginning
OF the new administration. Attorney
General McRevnolds and President
Wilson have agreed that the man has
sufficiently paid the penalty of his Of
Tense, and, since he is past fifty-five
years of age and in poor health, his
sentence should be committed from
date.
Indian IL Pardoned.
In passing upon the petition of
Richard Dickins. an Apache Indian,
President Wilson was required to ex-
hibit a knowledge OF intoxicating
drinks. He decided that "Tizwin" is
not as bad as IL sounds, and favored
the Indian, who was convicted on
charges of giving "Tizwin' to another
Indian on the Fort Mcdowell, Reser-
walton, Ariz.
Dickins was convicted in the United
States District Court at Phoenix May
and sentenced to sixty days in prison
and a fine of 500. The prison sentence
was made retrocessve, from the time of
the mans arrest, 80 the President had
only the fine to commute.
Clemency was made on the recon-
mendation Of the judge and district at
torney, who said Dickins was prosecuted
as a test case for the purpose of break
ing up irfractions of the liquor laws on
the Indian reservation. They thought
that the purpose of the prosecution had
been accomplished. since the Indian was
pauper. with a wife and four children.
il would be hardship on his family for
him to pay the fine. In order to simplify
the matter of clemency the President
was given the opportunity to decide that
"Tizwin" is not SO badly intoxicating
after ALL
The President approved a recommen-
dation Of the Attorney General for COM
mutation of sentence in the case of
James Borland, an Arkansas youth. on
the ground that was serving two
sentences growing out of one ofYense.
Borland was convicted on two counts
breaking into a postoffice building and
larceny-and was sentenced TO eighteen
months on each in the District of Col
umbia Reform School. His second SEN
tence would haxe expired had he not
attempted to escape, after which he was
required 10 serve the full three years,
ending June %.
John Foster was convicted in the Dis
trict Court for Northern Alabama for
breakin ginto a postoffice, and was SEN
fenced to four years, his term expiring
July IL. 1t was commuted from date.