The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1916-07-18
Lingo Released.

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Residents of Camden county do no
feel very comfortable over the fact tina
Francis Lingo has been released from
the state prison. In 1897 he was sent t.
the prison on sentence of 20 years anC
a fine of $4,000 for an alleged attempt t.
abduct white woman and for forgery
His term of imprisonment expired in
December 1918, but he could not pay
the fine, and he was forced to remain in
the prison until that was cancelled OF
RENTED by the board of pardons.
Lingo was terror to the neighbor-
hood in which he lived for long time.
He was first arrested on the charge OF
numbering Annie Leconey, but he was
acquitted, and there always was and will
be doubt as to whether he was guilty
of that crime, although subsequent
events strengthened the opinion of those
who felt that he committed the crime.
Not very long after the acquittai on the
Leconey charge, Lingo was again ar
rested for the murder of Annie Miller,
whose body was found in bush lot. He
was tried and convicted, but an applica-
ton for new trial was successful and
on the second trial he was acquitted. In
December, 1897, he was arrested on the
charge of ehdeavoring to entice Miss
Catharine V. Berry, Philadelphia
nurse, to woods near Merchantville,
where grave had been dug and every
thing indicated that murder was meant.
Miss Berry had inserted an advertise
ment for position as governess and she
received answers, signed with the name
of Mrs. Cooper, proprietress of the
Country House, Merchantville.
When brother of Miss Berry visited
Merchantyille to look up the Country
House he happened to talk to Chief
Linderman, who, investigating, learned
that Lingo was receiving mail for Mrs.
Cooper. Lingo was then caught in
trap. He was charged with abduction,
forgery, kidnapping misusing the mails
and enticing for immoral purposes, and
was sentenced to 20 years in state prison
by Judge Armstrong, who also imposed
fine of $4,000.
Lingo's case aroused great interest at
the time. Attorney General Wescott
was participant in several of Lingo's
trials, in one instance as counsel and in
another as judge. Almost every. citizen
in Merchantville protested to the pardon
court against the release of Lingo, but
the court, however, RENTED the fine
upon the assurance that he would not.
return to Merchantville, but would go
to relatives in western Pennsylvania.
Speaking of the pardon of Lingo
Prosecutor Kraft, of Camdea, said
Lingo Is regarded as very dangerous
man in this community His release will
be severe blow to justice and is con-
trary to the wishes of the people of this
county. Even today the women OF Mer-
chantville are in terror of this man. "
Chiefof Police Linderman, who arrested
Lingo, gave it as his opinion that the
best place for him was in prison.
The Camden Courier has this to say
on the subject:
1.-THE people of Camden county, and
those residing in Merchant
vile, will hear with deep regret, not I'M
mixed with just Indignation, that the
Pardon Board of New Jersey, at Trenton,
let loose Francis Lingo, by relieving him
of the fine imposed by the Court when
to 20 years Imprisonment.
Lingo was convicted of enticing a young
white woman from Philadelphia to Mer-
whose fate would doubtless
have been that of Annie .Ieconey and
Mary Miller, had it not been for the
vigilance of Chief of Police LindermaI,
of Merchantville, who skillfully worked
out chain of circumstances that left no
doubt of his guilt. Haying escaped,
through the pleading of shrewd counsel,
from what the people living in close
of the Leconey and Miller
firmly believe was legally due
him, Lingo's last act proved him to be
a deliberate schemer to assault white
women, and that it was not safe for
and daughters of the village to |
have him at large. A sigh of relief went
up in every household of Merchantville
and vicinity when the Court imposed
tllC lull RCndA1y VI OAC law uDOl 1lHROs
and the hope fervently expressed that he
would not again be permitted to return1
to resume his diabolic practices. The
thing about this action Of
the Board of Pardons is how it came to
be imposed upon to grant clemency to
the crafty convict, who has been making
efforts ever since partially completing
his term of imprisonment to secure his
freedom from prison, protesting contri-
ton for the sins of the past, and plead +!
ing that his advancing years will be ]
proof against his giving rein to the
brutal instincts that once governed him.
The people to whom he was always
terror demonstrated against his release
until at least the full term of his sentence
had been completed, and, as he had
neither relatives nor friends anxious he
should be set at liberty before chat COM
pletion, the wonder is who was so power
full as to cause the Pardon Board to
ignore the remonstrance, Can it be pos
sible there might be politics in it? Att
all events it is a case of mistaken
verging closely on a mis-
carriage of justice.
The Philadelphia Inquirer says: "Our
own opinion is that the New Jersey Par
don Board ought to be made to walk the
Dlank "