Evening star., 1915-03-11
|PA[MER'S APPEAL
HELPS PROMOTERS
Wilson Grants 30-Day Res
pite to Convicted Mexican
Land ManipuIators.
WIFE'S PATHETIC PLEA
FACTOR IN ACTION
Final Presentation Of Case to Be
Made to Keep Men From
Penitentiary.

Several hundred Washington people
who lost in the purchase of stock of
the International Lumber and Devel-
opment Company. with headquarters in
Phiiadelphia, are deeply interested in
the rather dramatic action Of Presi-
dent Wilson late yesterday afternoon
in granting respite of thirty days
from the beginning of prison sentences
for William Armstrong, jr.; Col. A. g.
Stewart. John r. Markley, Charles IN
Mcmahon and Isaiah B. Miller.
The Presidents action was taken
without previous consultation with Of
flcials of the Department of Justice, 1t
is stated. and without asking for their
recommendation. The prison sentences
of the men were about to begin, after
a long fight through all the courts, In
United States. which has refused to
entertain appeals for the convicted
men.
Respite to Allow Hearing.
The respite was granted. it is said.
so that the men may have opportunity
to make a final presentation Of their
case to the Department Of Justice and
the President, the claim being made
that the men, or several of them, at
least. are innocent of the charge of de-
frauding stockholders. and their i'm
prisonment would be a travesty on
justice.
The conviction was brought about
after long investigation by the Post
once Department, in which inspectors
went to Mexico and delved into the af-
airs Of the company. After careful in
vestigation the men were indicted on
the charge of fraudulent use of the
mails.
1t is known that a large number Of
departmental employees in Washington
were victims Of the operations of the
company. some Of them losing all their
savings. The affairs OF the company
were represented as promising so much
return to stockholders that 1t was an
easy matter to secure subscriptions to
tne STOCK. The losses of government
employees run all the way from 5000 to
$4,000. About twenty-five employees Of
the treasury Department lost all their
cash IN the venture.
Wife's Appeal Pathetic. 4
The stay of sentence was granted
upon the request Of former Represen-
tative Mitchell Palmer of Pennsylva-
MIA He saw the President Tuesday
night and again yesterday morning,
presenting petition signed by many
pei SoAS. fA4oAS Win tN6 pellIlOn was a
letter from the wife of one of the five
men making a pathetic appeal for
reprieve and present...g facts which
she said had not been allowed to come
out during the trial She told the
President that a thorough investigation
of the facts would show that her lus-
band was innocent
Mr.. Palmer would not talk about the
matter while in Washington, but at
Easton. Nd. where he is today, he
stated that friends of the defendants
who were friends Of his had claimed
to him that great wrong was about
to be done to the convicted men IL
they were sent to prison. He decided
that an opportunity should be given
the men for the presentation OF a pe-
tition for pardon.
The men did not have that opportu-
nifty because the Supreme Court. after
refusing the second appeal, sent the
mandate to the lower court for nronont
execution. The defendants were dc.
prived Of the thirty days allowed bv
law for the return of the mandate.
Prosecution Is Insistent,
The prosecutors side of the casa
will be fully presented to the Presi-
dent when the petition for pardon goes
before him. The Department of JUS
tice and Post Once Department will
unite. 1t Is said, in urging that the
men be required to complete their sen-
tenceS In prison