South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-01-01
GOODRICH PARDON
RECORD A HUMMER
May be Releasing Crooks to
Help Win Elections in
Fall Campaign.
spe iai to The News Times

Special 10 The News Times
INDIANAPOLIS Dec. 31-Jarnes
y. Goodrich. the ~psrdoning govern
or Of Indiana. exercised executive
clernency IN behalf OF more convicts
In the year 1919 jhan did Cows Mar
shall and Ralston in the entire eight
years Of their combined terms
His record for the year 1919 was
almost as great as for the two years
previously. and the combined total
o. his interferences with the courts
OF the stat in dealing with criminals
ga the first three years Of his term
- approximately ten times more than
that OF any governor indiana ever
had before him
The extent 90 which Goodrich has
released cOnvicts I'm the state of In
diana can only be conjectured There
b. no public record that contains al
the Instances of his favOrs TO con
Victed criminals Hundreds of CON
viots have been freed from the penal
Institutions OF Indiana on nothing
more than the telephcned request OF
Goodrich that they be released and
there IS no record to which the pub
Tic has access that shows the number
ct such instances
In the Office OF the secretary Of
state is an indexed record shOwius
The executive actions that have been
placed on record by Gov. Goodrich.
Do shows that clemency was extended
to sos persons in the year of 1919.
This total does not include 80 cases
ln which the governor ordered trans
fsr= from one institution 20 another.
which may OF may not be REGARDED
ss clemency
There 81 no barrier 90 ClemencE
because OF the crime committed
Murder. arson. forgery. intoxicatiou
and practically every other crime in
the statute books are in the lists that
follow the names OF men and women
who have been released The pre-
pondcrance. as might be guessed
consists OF violations OF the liquor
Laws and next 90 that is vehicle
taking. tho popular outdoor sport
- the class of election crooks whom
the administration has taken care Of
and who have found it profitable TO
steal automobiles.
any one Of the parole cases They
come from all classes. both sexs and
from both cOIOred and white people
Previous convictions subsequent con
victions ana pending cases make no
difference I'm some cases Goodrich
has committed prison terms. In 9TH
ers he has merely RENTED fines.
There is nothing in The record to
snow that he has followed any fixed
principles I'm revoking paroles al
though IL H. on records that i'm less
than a half dozen cases paroles have
been revoked.
This record Of paroles does not
include the temporary paroles of the
sort that the governor issues when
he wishes a chauffeur or some other
servant 20 attend him. The name OF
C1vde Horne. the Lafayette murder
er whom Goodrich released from
Michigan City 10 drive his car over
the state does not appear in the list
The constitution Of Indiana pro-
vides that the legislature may. by
statute deprive the ,-overnor of the
power TO parole except on the recon-
mendatiou OF a board created by
statute. This is said TO be one of
the reasons that Goodrich fears "a
special session OF the Legislature. for.
as his earnest supporter. the Indiana
polis News. said political mongcrs
IN communities also use their infu-
ence i'm obtaining the release Of men
who are good political workers i'm
certain circles at times"
tCopyriSht. 1870