The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-11-14
WANTS FREEDOM FROM PRISON AS CHRISTMAS GIFT
"LifeP," In Prison 45 Years, Petitions Board of
 PardOnS.

Forty-seven petitions will be pre- sented to the board of pardons when it meets next month. Chief of inter- est among the many petitions is one from Michael Cherest, lifer, who has been in prison for nearly 45 years and who asks the board to give him his freedom as Christmas present. Cher est is now the oldest prisoner in length of time spent at Wethersfield. He and his brother were convicted of second degree murder in connection with the 16 years old then. This is his 16th application for pardon.
 The oldest applicant for a pardon is Frederick Chatfeld. 73 years old, who was sentenced in Litchf1eld a year ago to serve from 10 to 5 years in prison for assault with intent to kill
 Three women who are inmates at the state prison are also petitioning for pardon. They are Addie Burns, sentenced from New London county, Clara Sprague, sentenced from Fair field county, and Ann Maria Rathbun sentenced from New Haven county.
 Michael Cherest, who in 1872 was sentenced to life Imprisonment for second degree murder in Windsor Locks, asks that the board give, him freedom as a Christmas present. He has been in prison nearly 45 years and is now nearly 62 years old. This is the 18th time that he has asked for his pardon. He is able. to work and has a good job to go to, he says.
 Charles Gong, a Chinese, sends his 25th petition to the board. On Sept. g, 1881, he was convicted of second degree murder and sentenced to life imprisonment and he says now he has been sufficiently punished. The crime of which he was convicted was com mitted in Hartford. Gong, who is A years old now, is known also under the aliases of Charley Lee Coon and Lee Yeon Coon.
 Frederick Chatfie1d says that he has been sufficiently punished for assault with intent to kill, for which he was sentenced Oct. 22, 1915, for 10 to Is years. This is his first offense. He is 73 years old. His lawyer will give his case at the meeting of the board.
 Frank Bassett says that he has been in prison for nearly 3S' years and asks clemency. This is the 18th time he has applied for release. He was con- victed of murder in the second degree and sentenced for life on March 1, 1879, for the murder of "Stuttering Jack He is 62 years old.
 Gustave Rockman, alleged to have abused a minor female, was sentenced to Imprisonment on Dec. 21, 1910, for a period of 8 to 20 years. He has previously applied three times for re- lease. He is 30 years old.
 TTY: I.s II. CT, wife and two children need his support. He was sentenced to impris- onment on Dec. IT, 1913, for six to eight years for indecent assault. He is 2S years old and has previously ap- piled for release.
 Antonio Velotti says that his wife and three children are starving in It. ally and asks for pardon in order to help support them. He was convicted of manslaughter on Oct. 6, 1908, and was sentenced to Imprisonment for from to 15 years. It is his second offense.
 Clara Sprague, who was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced on March 8, 1910, to Imprisonment from 10 to IS years, has applied for the first time for release. She is A years old. She says that her lawyer will give her case at the meeting of the board.
 Solomon David, who was convicted of murder in the second degree and sentenced to life Imprisonment on Sept. 29, 1914, has applied to the board for the first time. He is 29 years old.
 Pasquale Prince, convicted of entic- ing minor females for unlawful pur- poses, was sentenced to one to three years on May 13, 1915. He says he has been sufficiently punished. He was born in Italy and Is 29 years old.
 Thomas Bardy, alias. Thomas Brady, says that his health is poor and that he should be released after having served about six months of his sen- tence of one and one-half to three years for bigamy. He was imprisoned on May 10, 1916. He is 25 years old