Arizona republican., 1914-09-29
MIR. YOUNC'S POSITION
 ON CAPITAL PUNISHMENT

there is not one single case in which l exercised clemency but time has proven the correctness of my JudG- ment How many executives or act ing executives can show as good record? I am still in Arizona, but many of those who assailed me, where arc they?
 In their campaign of mis- representa- ton they were dishonest enough not to mention the other side of the subject. They failed to credit me in the case of the Mexican who killed Pete Hodges in Yuma county This Mexican it appears, was highly connected in Mex ico, and not only the pressure of our state department was brought to bear upon me, but also the full pressure of the Mexican government. My answer to both parties was That 1 considered the people of Yuma county a better judge in this matter than either the state department or Mexican govern ment", and I refused to commute this mans sentence. which afterwards was commuted by Governor Sloan.
 I have before mo at this writing, the letter of the Mexican consul, acknoWl- edEing receipt of my refusal and thanking me for my courtesy yet eX- pressing his great regret that l had refused to commute the sentence of death on this man.
 These critics also forgot my actions n regards to the murderer of Louis Yae- ger in Yavapai county. In this instance I refused to interfere in the face of strong appeals by the victims father and mother and also from eminent clergymen.
 men.
 Also they forget that two Of the three hangings of late years in Arizona took place while l was serving as act | ing governor.
 I defy the most scEutnizing critic, if | he be but half way intelligent and half way honest to examine the records and all evidence in the cases acted upon l in every instance and which show that used the power invested in me by the law solely upon my own judgment without setting at naught the law ono ! iot or title.
 1 In the case of a boy from Graham county q forget his name) common ordinary intelligence was applied. Tho collecting of evidence in this one cast alone caused three or four mighty good people to spend S50000 The da! after the communication of the deatl sentence. the Hon. Thos. Rynning, a i that time warden of the penitentiary- | a man well known in AriZona-tant not one of those acquainted with hin would accuse him of being a Senti mentalist) came and stood in the doc of the secretary's office in the capito
 building, and with emotion said thes
 words: :-"George no matter what cri ticism may be heaped upon you, thi
 act was a righteous one and Shoul make you immortal for, had I beel
 compelled to break this boys neck yes
 terday, I never would have rested dur
 ing the balance of my natura. life an,
 cation, whether I am warden, or not
 of the penitentiary."
 Some of the harshest critics at tha
 time have come to me and apologize
 admitting that I had been right an
 they had been wrong. Personally
 never saw the boy and you'd not knoy
 him should I meet him.
 The case of Dan Williams of Dougla
 was 1 1 months under investigation. Tn
 people of Douglas were notified twic
 by mo that an effort was being mad for the release of Dan Williams. Tn
 case was gone into thoroughly durin
 that period and I could practically re
 cite the evidence from memory. Mum
 erous petitions for clemency were sen
 me signed by such men from Cochis county as w. H. Brophy, M. J. Gun
 ingham, George Kelly and other goo men whose names I shall be pleased read at the meeting next month
 Douglas. l will also go into the vari ous phases of the case if it is desired and this will raise more hades in Doug
 las than three years ago when dropped into Douglas during the cam
 paign, quite unconscious that the rin
 candidates were going to have meet ing, and which was called off becaus
 of my presence in the town, and of m
 request that they give me just te , minutes on the platform after the re-
 had made their great promise to u , dear public.
 , In conclusion permit me to say tn;
 anyone who has made study of tn , subject knows that society will get b, , temporary relief from it's presel , methods in criminal procedure. q Clemency, however, in all cases is = violation of the law of God and ma
 until such time men and women WI
 believe in good government, and a
 striving for good government, w
 recognize the only real solution of tl