The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1918-11-29

with the committing OF the death
sentence OF Thomas ]. Mooney. con
victed Of participation In the San
Francisco preparedness parade bomb
murders. TO life imprisonment. Is
sued. last night. the following leng.
thy statement on his decisions In the
case.
ION July %. 1915. 10 persons
men. women and children-were
killed and about 30 others wounded
In a bomb explosion during q pre-
parcdneHa parade ia the city Of San
Francisco. The parade was "A pa
trlotic manifestation into which the
people Of the city had entered with
much spirit ana loyal Impulse.
Aianlfeatly. because OF the occasion
chosen. hostility TO the nations
defense measures must have had u
part In nctuating the preparation
OF 40 horrible a deed. II IN not un
reasonable TO assume that q sym
pathy or even n definite relation
ship existed between those murder
ers and the propaganda and vio-
lencc then being engaged In thru
out the country by agents Of the
German government. The case AS
presented "a the California courts
was that Of murder. without fur
Their evidence OF motive than tbs
impossible tcnctH Of anarchists,
whose sympathies for the German
cause in the wnr are well known.
The wild paclftst theories fitted INTO
tho widespread activities Of the
kalser's agents in this country.
Court Action Closed
"A number OF persons OF pro
nouneed nnhrchistie tendencies were
arrested shortly after the explosion
and of these Warren X. Billings
was convicted and sentenced to life
imprisonment and Thomas J..
Mooney found guilty and sentenced
20 be hanged.
$50 long ns Of appeal 20
tn. courts remained open 10
Mooney. and he was avalling him
self thereof. ! deemed ~ Improper
for executive authority 10 interfere.
Altho the constitution 81 California
clothes tho governor with power 90
exercise clcmeney AT ans time after
conviction. II is important. 10 far
Az practicable. not to intrude into
criminal case until the judicial
branch has finally disposed OF H.
Only recently has final action been
taken by the United States supreme
court. and the aSc Of the people
Va. Thomas j, Mooney placed
-F. 49,. Ea. Ia snnH4Asr4nN
the Mooney case. | nave had before
me the urgent appeal OF the prcni
dent Of the Uni,sd States that !
grant combination
Originally. in January Of this
year. | received "a letter from the
president asking me n IL would not
be possible 10 postpone The crccu'
ton OF Mooney until he could be
tried upon one Of the other indlot-
against him.
"Inaamuch as An appeal already
had been taken to the supreme
cour, OF California. which appeal
Itself acted as n stay of the rec
ton. there was at that time no &C.
caHlon for action on my part l
take IL that the president wa not
correctly informed as 20 the status
of the case.
Wilson's Messages
"In March I received n telegram
from the president urging hat I
commute Moonay's sentence. IL
was as follows:
The White House. Washington.
u. G. 1906 .. m. March 81. 1915.
Gov. William u. Stephens. Sac.
ramento. Cal
With very great respect | take
the liberty Of saying To- you that II
you could see your way TO commute
the sentence OF Mooney II would
have a most heartfelt effect upon
certain international affairs. which
his execution would greatly com.
piicate.
tsigne0 WOODROW WILSON
In June | received this additional
message. the president again urging
communication Of sentence:
The White House. Washington.
u. c. 1851 y. m. June Z. 1915.
Hon. William ID. stephens, Sac.
ramento. Cal.
II beg that YOU will believe that
am moved only by a sense Of pub.
lie duty and OF consciousness OF the
many complicated interests involved
when | again most respectfully sug.
gcst a Communication OF the death
sentence imposed upon Mooney. /
would not venture again 90 call your
attention TO this ease did / no know
the international significance which
attaches to IL.
tSignedl WOODROW WILSON
AT the time Of the receipt OF
these messages. the case was still
pending in the supreme court OF the
state. Not until August % was the
case finally disposed OF by the Cali.
fornia courts. and on November is
by the supreme court Of the United
States.
Reasons for Decision
II have carefully reviewed an the
available evidence bearing on the
case. There are certain features
connected with II which convince me
that the extreme sentence should
not Toe executed. Therefore. and be.
aus OF the earnest request of the
president for communication. and con
scious of the duty | owe as governor
OF this state 10 all OF its people, |
have decided to commute MONEYS
sentence to life Imprisonment. In
doing so. | accept fun responsibility
for the wisdom and justification OF
the action.
The record OF the trial in the su.
pcrior court was reviewed by the SUI.
premc court OF our state. and Il
found no reason for upsetting the
judgment of the lower court. How.
ever, there has remained for me 10
consider. In addition. certain develop.
ments following the conviction that
could not be considered by the su,
premc court. 1t IL because OF this
new evidence that | find justifica.