The Robesonian., 1917-09-10
GOVERNOR PAR
DONS 21 CONVICTS

4 ~ 1AAe-
DONs 21 CONyICTs
Gives Freedom to Group in Which
/ mo Human Being Has Been In
terested'-AmOng Them 16-Year-
Old Girl Sentenced for 20 Years
Raieagh Cor, Sept. 6, Greensboro ,
News.
Twenty-one State convicts whose
aggregate sentences represent 446
Years, plus two life terms, were dis
charged from the States prison to-
cay under the second of Governor
Blckett's Investigations into cases in
which mo human being :las been in
te, ested."
The first Of these surveys resulted
IN the pardoning Of men and women,
likewise babies, whose combined sen.
tences otaled about 800 years. If
the initial investigation showed what
a careless commonwealth has been
North Carolina, the second pretty
nearly convicts of criminal idiffer-
ence. Governor Beckett releases some
who are barely yet men, but pris-
oners who have spent more years in
the prison than they have lived with
out. In one instance New Hanover
convict, John Perry, is released af-
ter having spent more than twice as
many years in prison than he has out.
And Perry was sent to the peniten-
tiary for life on crime committed
when he was 13 years old. The sur
vey does not yet disclose any life
sentences imposed upon infants be-
fore they were weaned, although 9th l.
ers may be heard from.
Tn crrontino fboao rorJ ooo
nor Beckett gets back to first princi-
pies. "On June Is, 1917" Governor
Beckett says, 81 gave out the follow
ing statement: Soon after I came
into office I was convinced that there
were men and women IN the State
prison who ought not to be there;
that their relatives and friends, i
they had any, had completely forgot
ten them, and, being without money
and without influence, they were
kept in prison simply because nj
human being had any interest in theil
release. AS result of the convic
tion some weeks ago I directed th'
prison authorities to make complete
survey Of the prison, showing tn
following facts in regard to eac]
and every prisoner, to wit: The Grim
= for which he was committed; tn
. term of his sentence; the time he ha
served: his behavior while a prison
err; his age and his physical cond
tion.'
"a further report of this surve
is now before me. I have made
most careful study Of the same an
have personally conducted an inves
tigation in regard to the circumsta1
ces under which the crime for whic
each prisoner mentioned below We
convicted. AS a result of the stud
and Of the investigation made +
me, pardons are granted to the {
prisoners mentioned below"
All in Class A
Governor Beckett fortifies himse
by pardoning all prisoners who a
now in class A. The segregatit
was made easier by the act Of Il
1917 General Assembly, which can
so near really to giving prison I
form. It did so much that it stan
out as humanitarian. 1t almost abe
ished the miserable pastime of bes
ing naked backs Of defenseless CO
| victs and allowed them chance
=, hope when they were puon an no
or system in which they work wit
- out guard and gun. Governor Bic
/ ett mas Deen tremendously DuSy Iile
but he has found time end inciir
ton to go minutely into the pard
/ cases. He has studied them all.
| The amazing thing IN this inv
tigation is the life Imprisonment
brat who was convicted when
and is now just 40. Even this fell
is on the honor roll, but so far as
| known, this is the first oppo"tun
| that Perry has had. Governor Bi
ett gives him and half dozen otl
children their liberty.
The first released is Josephus v
liams, Martin county, sentenced wi
12 year old to Is years for burni
store. He has served Is yea
| two longer than he had preyiou
| lived, has 900 days to his credit
/ is given full pardon.
/ George Johnson, Nash, 80 ye
| for burglary committed when 10,
we'd Is years and has 815 days.
/ Sweet Sixteen, Not Quite Hange
! Melissa Clegg, Cumberland, W
. 16 years old, was convicted of N