Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-12-21
MOTTERN SAVED
FROM THE CHAIR
Board of Pardons Recon-
mends Commutation in
Long Drawn Out Case

The long battle to save Henry
Ward Mottern, youthful Jefferson
county murderer from the electric
chair, ended last night when the
State Board of Pardons announced
that 1T had recommended comnuto
tlon OF his death sentence to life I'm
priSonlnent. The recommendafion
WI, SO TO the Governor next week
ana VIII be approved. Attorney con
eral FRANCIS Skunk Brown, speaking
Ior members of the board, said thar
Sihee Earnest Haines, companion of
FUtterh Fa IN the Staying of Haines'
ta,her, mad been acquitted the hoard
ieIt that it could do nothing eIse
me Two cases were inextricably
pound up. Haines was awarded n
new tTlal and acquitted. We Thought
mat Mottern was therefore entitled
10 commutation," said he.
lew cases have attracted the at
tentloh OF the two Jefferson county
poys. Their conviction was followed
by pronounced sentiment beinr ex-
pressed all over the state to save
tEenl from the chair and q reyulsion
ol leeling occurred in Jefferson
county winch resulted in Haines, af.
yer pelng refused clemency by The
Doard, peing acquitted. AIottern has
the record for being respited. SEN
tIiceu TO electrocution in January of
tnls year after being refused COM
mutation and a rehearing he was
seven times granted respite, the last
tlIne only few weeks ago, He was
twice denied rehearing and finally
granted another chance in Septen1-
Der; Since October his case has been
under advisement.
During the tendency of the cases
oh tne Two boys there was an un-
successful effort to abolish the death
penalty in the Legislature.
Inc board granted the pardon for
george A. Redsecker, formerly of
Ellzabethtown, who figured In ten
indictments growing out of forgeries
ana who was sentenced to from three
1915. VI
The Mottern commutation and tbe
pardons will be acted upon by the
Governor next fall.
The board made short shrift of
the application of l.. J.. Parry, CON
Victed of illegal practice of medi-
cine in Pittsburgh and against whose
pardon the State Bureau of Medical
Education and Licensure protested.
When the case came up Secretary of
1t was waste of time because Parry
did not promise not to engage in the
practice again and Lieutenant Gov
ernor McClain denounced the appli-
cation.
Decisions were given as follows:
PardonS recommended Warren
G. Smith, Chester, larceny; frank
Tacteel, Philadelphia, rape and con-
spiracy; Samuel Balonsoff, Philadel-
phla, burglary; William Howard
Watmuff, Philadelphia, assattit ana
battery, ETC.; Joe Rape, Indiana,
shooting, etc; John Hamman. Phil
adelphia, entering to steal; George
Miller, Philadelphia, larceny; ID. o.
Downing, Clearfield, assault.
Pardons refused-Joseph Smith,
alias Batline, Philadelphia, larceny;
George Davis, Cambria statutory
rape; Jennie Ilgenfritz, York, ahorL
ton; L. L. Parry, Allegheny, illegal
practice of medicine; Peter Musin-
ski, Lackawanna, voluntary man
slaughter.
Cases continue6-Janaes Salerno,
Lycoming, murder (commutcd in
1905); Roy Kirkwood, Armstrong,
arson; Dominick Regina, Luzerne,
manslaughter; Anthony Stefanka-
Vicz, Schuylkill, manslaughter: Da-
vid w. Rothenseis, Berks, conspi-
racy; Tony Mangini, alias Bostona,
ct al, Philadelphia, robbery; Flora
vante Trignano, Delaware, second
degree murder.
Rehearings granted-Adolph Blau,
Lackawanna, embezZlement: Louis
Wagner, Cambria, manslaughter; Jo-
seph Catalano, ct al, York, throw
ing explosives.
Rehearing refused-Stewart Chill
son, York, robbery.