El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1920-03-10
PARDON BOARD
HEARINGS OPEN

A statement was issued Wednesday
BY the board OF pardons, which IS now
in FL Paso, requesting those who have
friends or acuuaintanees in the peni-
Tertiary deserving Of consideration or
leniency, appear before the board,
which is in session in room al OF the
Mccoy hotel.
Fritz R. smith and VIM. H. knight
who comprise the board. are there,
and will be there until Friday TO talk
to persons who are interested in men
and women in the penal Institution
There are about 100 men from Fl
Paso county serving sentences IN the
penitentiarv at Huntsville. The board
Of pardon has a list OF 81 names OF
men who have been there several
months.
some Have Good Records.
About three-fourths Of the men in
the penitentiary from FL Paso county
are Mexicans and only q few OF them
have friends who are seeking their
pardon. Some Of the men have SPLEEN
did records and, according to the
board, would stand good chances to
be released If the board was told OF
their cases.
ONLY about a half a dozen men in
the penitentiary from this county
have friends who have filed papers
with the board praying for considera-
ton and clemency. There are a great
many more than this who deserve
T
say. The board came here at the re-
quest Of Gov. ". P. Hobby so as TO
give the poor chance TO take cases
Of their friends and relatives up in
person and without expense.
An interpreter has been engaged
by the board 80 MeUicans can tell
freely to the board details OF the
cases in which they are interested.
When a case is heard by the board
the board looks into the record OF the
man in the penitentlary and makes
accommodation accordingly.
The board is particularly interested
IN the neglected, poor and friendless
inmates Of the penitentiary. Since
their arrival in FL Paso they have
heard recital OF some worthy cases.
A Mexican girl went before the
board Wednesday. She could not talk
English, but through an interpreter
said she was asking for clemency OF
her brother who had been in the
penitentiary for eight or nine years.
He was sentenced for IS years. No
board but Mr.. smith promised her
that the board would look into the
case thoroughly.
Records Some Times Lost.
some times the record OF a man is
lost" said 1fr. Smith, and some times
through a mistake we fail to get his
name But We VIII look up his case
assure YOU"
The board viii recommend that IVY
Clay be pard0ued- He was sentenced
TO five years on a charge Of stealing
penltentiary for a year and during
this time has not violated one rule OF
the penitentiary. he Is young man
and is trying TO serve his time well so
he viii be rewarded by having his
term shortened.
The -7arl 7-i,osa o.- rvrs-- d sss7 %
have taken signed a petition for his
pardon. 50 did every member Of the
jury which convicted him, and a num-
Der Of city and county officials who
know the young man
The board viii also recommend
Agnes Owens be released. Agnes
Owens was tried five times. Il Is said.
on charge OF poisoning her daughter.
since she has been in the penitentiary
she has suffered greatly with tuber-
culosis and is now Isolated and kept
in little house by herself on &C
count OF her disease
There are many other cases like
the ones have mentioned" said Mr.
Smith When We find the inmates
are deserving We recommend their
pardon 10 Gov. Hobby
Chance Tor All.
The men sentenced for lie are
seldom pardoned. but some times they
are II their records are good or If they
get too old or suffer from some
disease and their family want to care
for them.
I'VE had rather a man sentenced to
serve two years in the penitentiarv
would hit the balr good and hard
so 70 speak. for Is months and be
pardoned, than 70 have him drag along
Tor two years and be released.
We are especially interested in the
men who have been in the peniten-
t1ary for q long number Of years.
serving their time well and who have
no friends OF money back OF them at
nome II seems as many Of the de-
serving prisoners are without friends
while some Of the worst criminals we
nave in prison have friends with
money intercediug for them"
Mr. Smith and Mt. Knight named
over some examples Of these cases
clemency.