The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1916-03-24
HENRY YOUTSEY'S
Case TO THE front
DISCUSSION PREclplTATED BY
STATEMENT OF A PRISON
COMMISSIONER.

by the Chairman of the Prison Com
mission has stirred up the Henry
Youtsey matter again:
Frankfort. KY, March 2l,--Dhnlel -.
O'SuIllvan, chairman OF the Prison
Commission, gave out the following
statement to-day:
AT the next meeting Of the Prison
Commission, Tuesday. April Z, am Eo-
ing 10 present the name Of Henry
Yontsey for parole, | have not dis
cussed the matter with my associates
and do not know what view they VIII
take OF il. But my duty is clear. The
time has come when ! must vote 10
give Youtsey the benefit OF the parole
law. He Is entitled 10 It by length 81
service, by continuous VALUABLE WORK
for the State. by the provRions OF the
law, and by every dictate of fairness
and humanity. lie has served more
than sixteen years FOR his crime. DUR
ing my term of osiioe We have paroled
1890 conyicts. guilty of every crime ~
the calendar, and at every meeting "i
the Prison Commission We parole some
life prisoner who hns served less than
half the time Toutsey has serksd, IhS
law under which he WIS sentenced en-
titles him To a parole after fYc yehrs'
He has served more than three times
nye years and for twelve years he has
been eligible
II believe In The parole law. II liz 9,
wise and mercif1l law, " has dope
more 90 promote discipline In the prls-
on than all other Influences combined,
IL should apply TO hcury Noatscy az to
every other convict, white or black.
sYoutsey's crime was the most
dnstardly In the long record that has
drenched Kentucky in blood, Nheth'
er he fred the shot that murdered VIM
Coebel or cOnspired To aHsassinate him
he wns equally guilty and should have
Maid the extreme penalty But the
Jury that tried him gave him a lie
sentence. and the law entities him 10
paroie. Youtsey was mere boy in
years. and the towards who nred his
wrctched brain and sought To proht 10y
his act are guiltier than he. They are
all free. some driven IN disgrace ffom
their native state. others gaining po-
iitical preferment for their share In the
murder OF WIN. Goebel, all OF them ben
eficiaries OF undescrved pardons'
"Youtaey alone liz tortured on the
rack OF life Imprisonment. ] believe
that the people Of Kentucky. irrespect7
i've OF party. want him paroled. ! hon
or Juetus Gocbel for his devotion 70
his brothers memory His loyalty and
his self sacrifice enuoblc him. do
not want 20 open his wounds afresh.
but under my conscience and my oath
OF Office / must vote for the parole OF
Henry Youtsey."
The newspapers OF Louisville and
Lexington at once wired the two 9th
or members OF the Board for "A state
ment of their position. Both r. T..
Hatcher and NJ. r.. Conlcy replied that
they would vote against the parole
In response 20 n request for a state
ment Of his position in the matter OF
parolIng Henry youtsey, NJ. !. conley'
Prison Commissioner. gave out the tol-
lowing 20 the newspapers:
Louisa. KY. March 2g. only an un-
usual situation could induce me 70
make a statement about parole IN ad-
yapce Of the Boards action.
shall vote against the parole Of
Henry Youtsey, one OF tho consprators
and aHsassins OF Governor Goebel. at
any time the case may come before the
board while ] am a member, ! con-
slider assassination the worst of all
crimes. II is committed In delihera-
ton. not in sudden passion. Only a
demon can contemplate and execute
this dastardly crime. The victim has
no chance TO defend himself, to flee for
his life. to beg for mercy, to adjust his
material or spiritual affairs, or TO send
II. II IN la
has any right To intilct the death pen-
atty, surely justice demands it's appll-
cation In all cases OF assassinauon'
Furthermore. believe that In its re-
iation to n people who have made laws
TO protect life and property. the par
doninE OF an assassin Is crime against
the public.
The fact that all the other assassins
associated with Youtsey in his heinous
crime have been turned free certainly
does not furnish other officials an eN-
cuse for committing the same grave
offense against Justice and against all
the guarantee of life that law can give
would stand against the pardon or
parole Of any OF Youtsey's guilty as
sociates II had n chance. Then why
make an exception in his case2 Doubt
OF guilt is the only ground upon which
I would ever vote 10 parole any assas-
ain. There is none in Youtscy's case
After having been proven guilty he
confessed Not before.
/ believe in the parole law but the
Board has wide discretion In it's appli-
cation and is supposed TO consider the
degree and circumstances Of the crime
The assassination Of VIM Goebel and
the events following IL from the wors'
chapter in American history. The state
was carried to the verge OF civil War
Youtsey entered the penltentiary IL
February 1901. He was then ~ years
oid.,a mature man. well educated, III,
husband OF good woman. In 1912 he
broke the prison rules and was roduc-
cd In grade, making him Ineligible toi
parole consideration for nine months
Twice since that the Warden has found
Il necessary TO report cases OF
misconduct against him, He has more