Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-01-22
LOCAL CASES ARE
HELD OVER AGAIN
March and Pennington Re-
fused Recommendation For
Further Hearing

The State Board of Pardons last
for the present the application for
pardon of John Eckert, sentenced to
two and a half to ten years in prison
in the eastern penitentiary at Phila-
delphia on charges of robbery COM
mitted in this city. The case will be
investigated as 1t was brought out
that Eckert had not taken anything,
but had entered the place apparently
while drunk. The police department
had brought the information. The
board also held over the application
of II. r. Mercer for a rehearing on
the forgery charge, 1t being stated
that he desired to be pardoned so
that he could face other charges.
The board refused a rehearing to
George III. March and Roland 5. PEN
nington, of Delaware county, and
they will be electrocuted in the new
penitentiary in Center county on Mon
day for the murder of S. Lewis Pink
erton two and half years ago. The
two men were refused clemency last
year and refused a rehearing in De-
cember.
Argument on the applications for
rehearing lasted two and a half hours
concluding at o'clock last night. 1t
was the most attended argument ever
heard on such applications and was
marked by continued questioning of
the attorneys by members of the
board and discussion of their points.
For March it was contended that he
had gone insane since conviction and
for Pennington that he was youth
with undeveloped mentality, that he
was Influenced by March and that he
was without a motive for the crime. A
letter from Judge Johnson, of Media,
was presented, stating that commuta-
tion would meet approval of a large
portion of the community and of him
self, together with other letters and
petitions. The members of the board
took the position that both men had
been given fair trial with all the safe
guards possible, that nothing had been
shown to prove their mental ire
sponsibility and that the cases had
been reviewed by the supreme court
and considered by the board.
The board struck from its list the
application of George Lee, Philadel-
phia, commuted in 1911 and asking
pardon, and continued the case of
James Reilly, Philadelphia, for one
month. Frank P. Smith, Northamp
ton, was refused pardon after serving
seven years for second degree murder
with comment during the hearing by
Lieutenant Governor McClain that
murder was becoming too common
and too much sentiment shown in
seeking pardons.
Action on other cases was as fol-
lows:
Refused - Martin Notch. man.
slaughter. Schuylliill Vincent LoXter-
man. robbery, Allegheny; George
Kinks, second degree murder, Schuyl-
kill; James Hogan, assault and bat
terry, Philadelphia; Edward Kepp,
arson, Northampton. Final discharge
refused Clarence Mccoy, second de-
gree murder, Lancaster; Bernhard c.
Michaels, forgery, Wayne.
Recommended - Nathan Lou X
breaking and entering, Philadelphia
John Williams, John Wolfe, robbery
Luzerne; Bernard O'Donnell and
Dennis Herrity, attempted burglary,
Lehigh; Charles Bell, statutory rape,
Chester; Elmer c. Foote, felonious
assault, Bradford; Anthony Discus
larceny, Luzerne; William NJ. Lloyd
and Mark L. Swab, embezzlem ent,
northumberland; Frank Hail. rob-
= berry, Luzerne.
Rehearings granted - Ellis Light
cap, assault and battery, Chester.