Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-04-01
TO EXERCISE CLEMENCY,
IN OVER 5000 CASES
President Determines to Act Because
suspensions Are Nullified by SUI
prcmc Courts Recent Ruling.
NO APPLICATIONS NECESSARY
Many at Liberty for Long Periods,
and Executive Feels That New
Business and Personal Relations
Built Up Should Not BE Broken.
NO APPLICATIONS NECESSARY
IBv A ssoclated Press.l

WASHINGTON. March 3l.-Attorney-
General Gregory announced tonight
that President Wilson would exercise
eral prosecutions where suspension OF
sentences has been nullifd by the Su-
preme Courts recent opinion holding
such suspensions illegal.
Clemency will be exercised the At
torney-General said. without applica-
tions being made in those cases where
pleas OF guilty were entered or ver-
diets of guilty returned prior to June
Is. 1916. but no sentences pronounced
and in those cases where the sentence
imposed was less than the period be-
tween the date OF imposition and
June Is. 1917.
The number who will receive pardons
or combinations under the ruling
probably will run into the thousands
Many of them have been ut liberty for
long periods. and the President is un-
d"rstood to feel that tho new business
and personal relations they have been
permitted to build up because of
clemency by the courts should not he
broken down. Under the Supreme
Court decision. all OF them would have
been compelled but for tho Presidents
intervention. to return to custody
STATEMENT ISSUED
by ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Al.
Attorney -C;eneral Gregory issued
this statements:
The Supreme Court on December 4.
in
OF cx parte United States, petitioner
lthc killits easel. decided that United
States district Judges had no power To
suspend the imposition of sentence or
the execution of sentence except for
the purpose OF di&posinS OF judicial
questions. Only Il portion Of tho dis
trict Judges claimed the right to cx-
| crcisc such a power, and the Killts
case was instituted by the government
| for the purpose of settling the uucs-
ton and obtaining uniformity in the
administration Of the criminal laws.
These results having been accom-
| plshed. the Department OF Justice has
been procuring from the United States
district attorneys lists OF cases I'm
4 which pronounccmcnt or execution of
sentence has been suspended contrary
to the rule laid down hy the Supreme
'oHri ihcfc are more IMAM 1000 Of
these cases, and II has become ncccs-
sary TO adopt general policy in deal
| ing with them. The cases arc being
divided into three groups:
IL Those in which the sentence i'm
/ posed was less than the period between
he date of imposition and June H.,
!. 1917 uhis being about the date on
which the mandate in the kiiiits ease
will be sent down from the Supreme
I CourD.
80. Cases IN which pleas OF guilty
were entered or vcrdicts OF guilty re-
turned prior to June IL. 1916. aud in
! which no sentence was pronounced.
! -. Remaining cases.
PRESIDENT no ACT
WITHOUT APPLICATIONS
Except in very unusual instances,
the President will. without applications
being made. close the cases falling
within tho first and second groups by
tho exercise of clcmcucy.
The third group will probably con
sist OF d comparatively small number
OF cases. which will lie disposed OF on
their merits, and "a determination
1 reached to whether sentences will
be enforced or executive clemency
recommended. If necessary, a general
respite of six months from June -,
1917. will be issued to defendants in
this group To secure adequate consid
Grafton of the facts"
Richmond's Zig Auto Fnctnry
Working hard To meet the demand Local
motorists availing themselves OF this unusual