Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1913-12-21
Burdick in His Glass House

tasa# ous'S0 WIN - 'S~
Burdiick in His Glass House
1t is with very poor grace that former Lieutenant
Governor Burdick, now states attorney for Williams
county, criticizes the action of the pardon board,
which has just held it's winter meeting. In talking
of the recent %lynching Of Culbertson, he stated,
among other things, that there were two prime con-
~tributing causes, and said:
Two things, | believe, were contributing
causes to the l%ynching. One was the verdict
of life imprisonment. Another is the feeling
that Culbertson might be %pardoned within a
comparatively short time, because of the fact
that six murderers had been granted clemency
or absolute pardons by the pardoning board
within a day or two, of the time that the Cul.
bertson jury reported its verdict"
Now, it is a fact that there a few murderers who
were granted clemency by the last pardon board, but
in every case there were good and sufficient reasons
why this should be done. Some of them were out on
parole. others were well recommended to the board,
and others had served their sentences within a few
days and clemency was granted in order to save
their citizenship. The reasons for these pardons
were fully explained in the press of the state and
there could have been no chance to gather the idea
that the present board was going to allow anyone
to escape their just punishment. There was no
'lifer'' in the list.
In conformity with his usual grand-stand style,
Mr.. Burdick played to the galleries in the above re-
marks, regardless of facts or consequences. Little
Is 1t probable that the Williston tragedy was due to
the acts of the recent meeting yof the board of par
dons. but more probable is it that this disgrace was
due to the acts of the pardoning board, when it, with
Mr.. Burdick himself as its president, broke all prece.
dents and records by turning loose AZ men from the
penitentiary, among whom were several Of the vilest
characters who ever %blackened the history of this
state. Lest Mr.. Burdick may have forgotten, allow
it to be recited that at that meeting of Mr.. Burdik's
board of pardons there were 70 applicants for par,
don and 60 per cent were granted. At that meeting
there were 10 full pardons, 4 conditional pardons and
10 communications.
Here is the list of full %pardons, Of wlich there
appeared no explanation to the public: Daniel Ma,
loney, murder in first degree; w. d. Kel, rape in
first degree; Steve Bohm, rape; H.. A. NJ. shaffer,
grand larceny; Scott G. Hall, embezzlement; Alfred
Wooden, assault with dangerous weapon; Leo Bur.
guier, grand larceny; Jefferson Whitaker, murder in
second degree; Conrad Hougan, em~bezzlement; 10
seph Davis. obtaining money under false pretenses;
w. =. slavens, rape in first degree; Mason w. Ste
vens, grand larceny; William Marshall, robbery i'll
first degree; J. 2. Dunwoody, em~bezzlement; Will
liam Cans, burglary; George r. Shear, grand larceny;
Emanuel Olson. rape; Ferdinand Stevens, grand lar
ceny, and Andrew Jensen, assault with dangerous
weapon. There were also a number of conditional
pardons.
Now, compare that with the record OF the pardon
board at the last session and see if'you think Mr.. Bur
dick is the man who should criticize.
1t was not such pardons as were granted by the
present board which cause suspicion in the minds OF
the public. but it is such as those granted by former
boards of recent years which cause the public to
experience unrest.
For instance, take the pardon of Remington, the
Cass county murderer. This was one Of the vilest
atrocities in the states history. Remington laid in
wait for his man and deliberately killed him for his
money. He was sentenced for life, but the board d
two years ago %pardoned him and he was passed out
into the world a free man. Till, the Pembina muir
derer, Is another specimen of this easiness on the
part Of the same pardoning board.
II the people knew that when a murderer who
was sentenced for life was to be kept in prison TO-
the full term stated and would not be turned loose
upon society after a few years there might not be
this feeling of doubt on the part Of the people.
As it now is, there is a feeling on the part OF the
people in q community where a heinous crime has
been committed that the man may soon be freed, ant
i is but natural, in their wrath, that they take steps
to zee that there be no miscarriage Of justice, ever
though 1t is necessary to commit a crime to produce
the cure.
Inasmuch as Mr. Burdick was a party to the prin
cipal net which has caused this feeling in North Da
kota, 1t would seem that he is the last man in the
state who should cite a much lesser case as the
cause Of q crime in his own community.
People concerned about the low cost OF living will
take no interest In the news that the first strawber
- 81 the season have been shipped from Florida
The wifeAof the assistant secretary Of labor be
Hsvss that children should be allowed to vote; prob
10y - ~ theory that 50 many Of the growD-up'
vcte IKE children, Il wouldn't do any hsr1n to let Til
l1s1s sHss hays the fun ot casting ballots too.