Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial. (Wilmington, Del.) 1878-1928, 1918-06-10

The Board Of Pardons, in session at
Dover, last week, by partisan vote OF
three to two, recommended TO the governor
a pardon for Rev Howard Lowbcr, Negro
preacher of Smyrna, who had been con-
victed by jury in the Kent county Court
of General Sessions, on an indictment OF
grossly immoral conduct, in contraven-
ton of statute law The court sentenced
Lowbcr to Imprisonment in the New
Castle County Workhouse for three
wears. and at the time of the hearing be-
fore the Board of Pardons he had served
one year and four days of this sentence
The decision of the Board Of Pardons,
as we have said, was "A partisan one, the
three Republican members voting Tor the
recommendation and the two Democratic
members voting in the negative. Inc
reason for this injection of partisan ieel-
ing. we take it, was that this Negro preach
err. during his stay in Delaware, had also
been active in politics, and was valuable
worker for the Republican party. Lead
ing Republican politicians of Kent coun-
ty interested themselves in his behalf
We are of the opinion that no dislnter-
cstcd citizen, after reading the report oil
the proceedings before the Board OF
Pardons that resulted in the favorable rec
concentration to the governor. could see
any sound reason for the extension OF Glenn
cncv in this case. In the first place, the
offence charged was very heinous, one
that no minister of the gospel should have
been guilty of His trial was eminentlv
fair. the accused having the benefit OF
vigorous and capable defense by able
counsel. But the jury found hun guilty.
Appcsl was taken. and the Supreme
Court of the State sustained the Judg-
mcnt of the court below.
The bulk Of the evidence laid before
the Board of Pardons in behalf of this
convicted defendant was IN respect OF
prcylois good conduct, but that was not
disputed at his trial There were vague
intimations of perjury on the part OF the
chief prosecuting witness, but nothing
direct and positive in this line In tact,
the case presented itself TO the impartial
observer as one in which there was no
doubt Of the Justice Of the verdict q con
yiction. and that application for pardon
was largely based on personal sympathy
In respect Of tho politicians who interest
Cd themselves in tho matter, however. Il :
. ,.,,.,.., - =, mourn ~ ~ their motive
This rccrcant Negro preacher. who
according to the deliberate verdict OF a
i,irv. after a fair trial. had committed a
hcjnous offence. had been useful 10 them
in their partisan work, and il was only
natural thcv should stand by him and do
their best to save him from the consc-
oucnccS of his offending notwithstanding
II involved a violation 81 law and COM
mon dcccncy. rs established by The vcr-
dict Of jury
Ii is presumed. Of course, that Governor
Townsend. in view Of the recommended
ton Of the board. will extend a pardon to
this convicted offender. whose conVc-
tion was sustained hv the highest court OF
thc State. 3ut those who believe n a
storm administration of the law. We re-
lIcve. will no; loot, upon tins incident with
approval Does il not have tho appear
aucc Of suhvcrting tho course Of lustic
10 par, isan ends We hope the governor
viii give the matter full consideration
before h. takes action