Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-12-19
Euft1tt1g Glrat

1t Is not generally known that thd
State Board of Pardons, at least by
the average person who reads of itA
meetings, that the Pennsylvania
Board is unique in this country
Very few states have a tribunal
which has such powers as those ems
| 1oyed by the Board which YESTERDAY
helds 'its final meeting as at present
constituted. The Board changed
with each administration and while
It's authority is recommendation
time and usage and disposition by
| governors to lean upon IL have made
III branch of the government of
| importance. 1t was created, say
some, to take the burden of pardona
from the shoulders of state execu-
tiVes, and by others so that there
might be a tribunal which could
upon considerations OF mercy or
other things which could not be
| taken into account in law decide
upon remission or change of punish
ment. So 1t happens that this board
which was created by paragraph
of the constitution of 1873 can set
aside the verdict of jury and the
sentence of n Judge. which may
have been upheld in the supreme
court of the commonwealth. The
board is created by paragraph
which gives the governor power to-
remit fines and forfeitures, to grant
reprieves, commutation of sentence
and pardons" and then adds but no
pardon shall be granted nor SEN
tence commuted except upon the
recommendation in writing of the
lieutenant governor, secretary of the
commonwealth, attorney general
and secretary of internal affairs or
any three of them, after full hear
ing, upon due public notice and In
open session" The Board has all the
ceremony of a court and its decis-
ions when written out have to be
signed by the members. Its ses-
sions are open to everyone and upon
proper prcedure any one may speak.
Wives, mothers, brothers and sons,
ministers and nurses, friends and
persons representing prison socie-
ties have spoken before it, although
as rule and so that the mercy of
the state may not be tightly regard
ed, the advocates are mainly law
yers who are bound by rules of the
Board and the ethics of their pro-
fession. For years it is interesting
to note that by force of the election
or appointment there have been two
attorneys and two laymen upon the
Board. There are two elective and
two appointive officers and next
year for the first time in a long
while there will be three lawyers,
AS n rule governors have accepted
the findings of the Board, but not
always: The late Samuel w. Pen
nypacker used to occasionally de-
cline to accept recommendation
and once bluntly set one aside and
went into a case himself with q
rather startling result. John h.
Tener once sent case back to the
Board to revise and other governors
have occasionally indicated that
they did not concur in the recon-
mendations. And after all 1t is
within the province of the governor
to exercise the final act of clemency.
1t is interesting to note the work OF
the Board and the confidence re-
posed in it, the words of the judges
who at times address it in recon-
mendation or protest and the at
titude of the public. 1t is an un-
usual tribunal and fills what some
call an intermediate, but what is in
fact, q most important place by di-
rect mandate of the people of the
state.
There are more deer in the woods
now than 1 haye ever known" said
Max Robson, well-known South
Mountain gunner just home from
two weeks spent in a deer camp. Il
have been in tae South Mountains
for upward of twenty-five years, and
have never seen so many deer as
this fall. 1 got my buck early in
the game, and stayed on for the run
Of being in camp, although 1 could
do no more hunting, and l believe
saw as many as twelve in my tramp
ing about, most of them sleek look
ing well-fed does. believe that next
year the hunting will be even better
than this season."
A man walked into the Central
Y. NJ. C. A. yesterday and asked for
Arch II. Dinsmore, secretary for
BOYS work. I want membership
in they" for my boy as Christmas
gift he said. Inside of three min
utes the card was ready for the boys
stocking. Another man came into
the building this morning, applying
for renewal of his boys membership:
"I want it as q Christmas gift, too"
he said. And Mr.. Dinsmore thinks
II n good idea. Speaking of the Y. M.
C. A. and its activities, Doc Mil
Ter. the physical director, went on
the gym floor the other night to take
charge of a class. The floor was so
crowded with men that he had to
stand in a corner while directing
them. "It Is a usual occurrence,
he said, when a bystander asked