Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-09-01
GOVERNOR AND COUNCIL
CONTINUED from Page oneyh

dress delivered by Attorney General Pat
| tangall at the close of the Commute
opposition of County Attorney Archibald.
| The attorney general went on record for
a conservative policy in the granting of
| pardons for murder and advised that the
Governor and Council grant no pardons
at all except in cases where they have
been able to review all the testimony of
| both the prosecution and the defence He
| remarked that he assumed the Governor
| and Council understood that the State is
very liberal in the trial of persons sus-
| pected Of murder and also that in this
| case, should they decide to grant the
pardon on the ground that the convict
was not guilty, they would be setting
aside the verdict of court which had
heard all the evidence and had acted with
entire fairness. He pointed out the fact
| that counsel for the defence had not seen
fit to undertake all the steps open to
1t in trying to clear Roberts and that
the appeal had not been prosecuted.
Pardons Too Easy
The case was prosecuted, said the
attorney general, by Attorney General
Hannibal Hamlin. one of the mildest
I
ever had, and the defense was made
by Hon. Ransford w. Shaw of Houl
ton, one of the ablest criminal case
lawyers in Maine. and the chance for
the unfair conviction of an innocent
man was very remote with Hamlln
prosecuting and Shaw defending.
He declared that during the last five
years there has been an average of
one homicide a month in Maine and
that a too liberal policy in the grant,
ing of pardons would not but en-
courage further homicides. In this
connection. he said that in two muir
der trials in which he has been lately
interested as attorney general he has
heard from the suspected man that he
did not fear conviction very much
anyway. for his friends would soon
succeed in obtaining pardon for him.
| NO murderer has died in State prison
during the last 10 years unless he was
| in poor health when he went there
he emphasized. IF YOU are asked to
set aside a virdict." he urged, under
such circumstances insist upon hav-
ing all the evidence submitted.' In
closing he remarked that things are
, now in such a condition that many
think it is necessary only for the
! chaplain Of the prison to say that
convict is a model prisoner and is
behaving behind the prison bars-and
pardon will be forthcoming.
In his closing remarks County At
torney Archibald declared that Aroos-
took County has had enough crime
within the last few months and the
| a.
ly opposed to the granting of par
don to Roberts or to any other move
which might make crime less fear
full.
Pardon Hearings Separate
Gov. Curtis announced that hereafter
all pardon hearings will be assigned to
a date other than the date of the regular
monthly Council meeting. An order was
introduced and passed providing that in
all future pardon cases the petitioner
must at some date prior to the hearing
provide the Governor and each member
Of the Council with a complete copy Of
all the evidence.
Some Finances and Some Politics.!
The trustees of State juvenile institu-
tons were present to discuss with the
Governor a misunderstanding growing
out of the renovation of the Hurd house,
SO called. recently purchased to provide
additional dormitory space for the Hal
lowell Industrial school. w. H. Water
house of Old Town, president of the trus-
tees, was first to speak in behalf of the
Hallowell institution. He stated that
Sl170 had been expended by the trustees
in certain repairs and improvements be-
fore they were Informed that they were
doing work for which they had received
no authority. He said he was anxious
only that provision be made for the in
creased number of girls who would be
at the institution this coming year and
that the trustees, who without any will
full INSTRUMENTATION had apparently act
ed beyond their authority, were eager to
agree to any proposition that would
bring the best results for the work. lie
said the school would have to provide
for Is or 20 more inmates than usual this
year and that when authority to pur-
chase the Hurd house at a cost of $4,000
had been given it had been taken for
granted that it was to be fitted for USE
The Governor said he had noted that
the appropriation for the school had
been expended further than last year
at this time by the amount of $4,000. Mr..
Waterhouse explained that $500 has
been expended for coal which last year
at this time had not been paid for, and
$4,000 for the Hurd house.
The Governor and Council do not
| want to allow the inmates of the school
to suffer-" said the Governor, but as
Governor I have got to know why
there is $4,000 increase over last years
expenditures"
Il think the Governors committee
understood that the Hurd house was
purchased to be used" said Mr.. Water
house.
Couldn't you use it as it was?"
Gov. Curtis asked.
I'VE couldn't see it that way
81 guess there's a lot of things you
couldn't see down there" the Governor
said bit sharply.
Here's the Politics!
You see," continued the Governor,
| people believe that the State is two
or three hundred thousand dollars