The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-09-14
The Pardon OF
"Shorty" Davidson

II Shorty" Davidson was released
from the turpentine camps-and We
have no reason for doubling the
officers statements crime was
committed against the State in gen.
eral and the good people of High
Springs in particular. - Tampa
Times.
The Tampa Times has had much
to say concerning the recent pardon
Of Shorty Davidson, an act which
it condemns on general principles"
and without knowledge of the facts
which actuated the pardon board.
II is in line with The Times policy
Of jumping on every act of the pres
ent State administration in general
and our good Governor Trammell in
particular.
I'm all fairness The Times, sup
posedly an up-to-date newspaper,
should give the facts concerning
this pardon. What are the facts?
Shorty" Davidson was granted \
CONDITIONAL PARDON on August
7th, the same becoming effective
August 21st. Mind you it was a
CONDITIONAL PARDON, not
FULL PARDON. This pardon itself,
a copy of which is reproduced be-
low, sets forth in full the reasons
which prompted the pardon board in
its action. Here is the document in
full:
State of FLORIDA
WHEREAS, At meeting this
Gay held at the Capital, in the
City of Tallahassee, at which were
present His Excellency Park Tram
nell, Governor of said State, II.
Clay Crawford, Secretary of State,
w. V. Knott, Comptroller, w. A.
McRae, Commissioner of Agriculture,
and T. F. West Attorney-General Of
said State, who, under the Constitu-
tion of said State, have full power
to remit fines and forfeitures, conf
mute punishments, and grant par
dons after convictions, it was deter
mined that d. M. Davidson who was
convicted in the Circuit Court oe
thereof, A. d. 1909 of the offense of
murder and sentenced thereof to life
Imprisonment, should now, there
having been presented to the Board
with the application for this mans
pardon, an affidavit made by James
M. Kelley. convicted Of the same
crime as applicant, acknowledging
his guilt and exculpating the app'i-
cant, d. M. Davidson, from any con-
nection whatever with the crime;
and applicants pardon being en-
dorsed by nine of the jurors who
convicted him; by the Mayor and
the town council of the town where
the crime occurred; and strong Pc
tition of the citizens of the town
and of the county, and adjoining
counties having been presented to
the board in his behalf; and upon
the endorsement of the county Off
cials; and letters from some of the
State witnesses, saying that they
did not believe this applicant
guilty; and applicant having borne
an excellent prison record and that
he has been instrumental in pre-
venting escapes of other prisoners;
and applicant having served six
years and is now fifty-seven years of
age and in very poor physical con-
dition; be granted conditional par
cen, upon the condition that he
hereafter lead sober, peaceful and
law-abiding life. This pardon is
granted to and accepted by the said
n. NJ. Davidson upon express un-
derstanding and condition that if at
any time hereafter any person shall
make complaint before the State
Board of Pardons or the Governor of
this State that the said d. NJ. David
son has violated any of the above
conditions, the said board or the
governor shall have full power and
authority, without notice to the said
d. M. Davidson to investigate and
inquire into such alleged breach of
conditions, and If satisfied, after
such investigation that any of the