Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1918-11-29


William d. stephens tonight eommut-
ed to life Imprisonment the sentence
of death growing out of the prepared
ness day bomb explosion at San Fran
cisco, July %, 1916, when ten persons
were killed and forty others Injured.
In a lengthy statement given to the
public outlining his reasons for COM
muting the sentence, Governor Ste
phens said MONEYS case largely par
alleled that Of Warren X. Billings, an
other bomb case defendant who is
serving a life sentence in the Folsom,
Calf, penitentiary.
The governor said there were GER
tain features connected with the case
which convinced hi mthat the sentence
of death should not be eXecued. For
this reason, and because of the earn
est request of President Wilson for
Communication, he did not believe that
the extreme penalty should be paid
Governor Stephens said he accepted
"full responsibility for the wisdom and
justification for the action
In reviewing the case, Governor
Stephens said his action was taken az
ter painstaking survey of the EVIL
dence produced at Moneys trial, but
because of certain new developments
following the conviction which could
not be considered by the state supreme
court, to which the case had appealed,
he found justification for setting ASIDE
the death sentence.
"In arriving at this conclusion" the
governor continued n have exercised
that caution which must be observed
in weighing evidence presented out
side of established legal procedure
BY Communication to life Imprisonment
Moneys case will be in the same stat
us asthat of Warren X. Billings. who
was convicted of the same crime and
received a sentence to life imprison'
ment.
~ From igcsiicni.
For the first time since the Mooney
case assumed national importance
Governor Stephens broke his silence
us 10 the contents of the two messages
sent him by President Wilson urging
clemency for the condemned man
These two messages were quoted N
the governors statement tonight. The
first, which was received on March
81, read as follows:
THE White House, Washington
d, c., March 81. 1913,
Governor w. D. stephens, Saeramen'
to, Calf.
with very great respect | take the
liberty eff saying to you that If yot
could see your way TO commute the
sentence of Mooney, it would have O
most heartfelt effect upon certain in
ternational affairs which his execu-
ton would greatly complieate.
(Slgned) WOODROW WILSON"
on June the governor received
this additional message, the president
| again urging Communication of SEN
tence.
"The White House, Washington
3:15 p. M, June 4, 1918.
Hon. william d. stephens. Sacrament
to, Calf;
~ beg that you will believe that I an
moved only by a sense of public duty
and consciousness of the many and
complicated events involved wher
| again | must respectfully suggest &
| Communication of the death sentence
| imposed upon Mooney. | would no
| venture again to call your attention
to this case did not know the interna
| tonal significance which attache:
| to ii.
| (Signed) 'wOODROW WILSON"
Governor Stephens, in explaining
| his reasons for granting a commuta-
ton, said he was guided by various
! s-entertainment of doubt suf-
ficient to save men from the gallows,
| certain features" in connection with
| the case, and President Wilson'S
earnest request for Communication,
| On these points the governors state
ment said.
II have carefully reviewed all the
available evidence bearing ON the
case. There are certain features con-
nected with 1t which convince me
that the extreme penalty should not
be executed. Therefore, and because
of the earnest request of President
Wilson for communication, and con.
scious of the duty owe as governor
| Of this state to all of its people.
have decided to commute MONEYS
sentence to life imprisonment. The
| logic that a man is either guilty oil
innocent, and that necessarily II the
maximum punishment IS not justified
pardon should follow. does not hold
| In theory or in practice. 1t has beer
no uncommon thing for executives In
granting clemency to entertain doub
sufficient to save men from the gal.
| lows, but not of that degree of ''rea-
| SDtldD1t UOuDl that liit IL" iSSViNts
completely in favor of a defendant.
II refuse to recognize this case a.
| in any fashion representing clasl
between capital and labor I regart
the petition of the defendant fol
clemency solely as that of a man con.
victed of murder in the first degree
1 Governor stephens in committing
the sentence Of Thomas j. Mooney tc
| life Imprisonment gave out the fol
| lowing statement:
"On July 22, 1916, ten persons
men, women and children--were
killed and about fifty others wound
Z ed in a bomb explosion during pre-
paredness parade in the city of Sar
Francisco. The parade was a patri-
otto manifestation into which the peo-
pie of the city had entered with
lmuch spirit and loyal impulse. Man
lifestly. because of the occasion chos-
4 EN- hostility to the nations defense
measures must have had a part in
| actuating the preparation Of SO hor-
ribie a deed. 1t is not unreasonable
to assume that a sympathy Of ever