The log cabin Democrat., 1920-11-02

guilty, and to show the bile how loy- al he was to his previous promise the governor pardoned Anderson with con- dltions attached to his pardon which were so ridiculous and absurd as to make this pardon a jest for lawyers and laymen alike.
 The pardoning of the jitney drivers recently convicted in the Pulaski cir cult court for assaulting witnesses who had testified against them would be also included in the class of mistakes and the robbers and thugs convicted Tn Garland county and recently par doned upon the petition of themselves and their attorney also might be class ed with the error class.
 During the January term of the cir cult court of Monroe county in 1920 flve persons were tried and convicted or entered their pleas of guilty to lar cency and knowingly receiving stolen property aggregating more than $500 were sentenced to the penitentiary from one to three years, and in the evidence adduced i'll the trial court it appeared that these malefactors were acting jointly in the commission of these crimes and pilfering and robbing from merchant of the town of CIar- endon in a wholesale manner. Hardly had the ink dried upon the record re- cordlng the judgment of their con VIctlon before they were freed by a pardon. The costs of these eonvic- i tons was more than $200 to the tax payers of this county, and yet no good was accomplished by the expenditure o1 this sum of money Wrung from the pockets of these people
 And l would be glad for you to in- form the public whether or not you have a complete record of all pardons granted from the governors office If you insist that you have, please advise the public whether or not one J. F. Griffin, tried and convicted during the August term of the Lonoke county cir cult court, 1919, of the crime of incest committed with his own daughter. sen fenced to serve 10 years at hard labor in the penitentiary, whose conviction was affirmed by the supreme court prior to January l of this year, and notwithstanding more than nine months have elapsed since this affirm ance Griffin Is yet free man. l have been engaged in the practice of law for more than 25 years and 1 unhesi- tatingly state that the Griffin case was the most revolting of any that 1 have ever heard in any court room. and so outraged were the citizens of the com munity where Griffin lived at the time of the commission of this offense that mob violence was frequently threat ened, and had it not been for the cool deliberate judgment of such men as Senator Oldham and their respect and confidence in the justness of the courts Judge Lynch would have presided at his trial. Yet by the aid and assist ance of the governor he remains i'm mune from punishment. Do you hon. estly insist that Griffin, who debauched his own daughter and who is at least 55 years of age, is fair subject for reformation, and is it safe to turn men of his type back upon society?
 The records disclose that men con- victed of all manner of crimes have been tried in the circuit courts of this district, whose guilt was conclusively established and the judgment of their convictions reviewed by the supreme court and affirmed. and yet the law was poWerless to punish them because of executive clemency exercised upon the part of the governor. This con- dition has been practiced until law en- forcement has become a joke in this state
 MT Burkett says that he has been present when pardons were granted and discussed the same with the gov ernor after they were granted and that he always acted upon the theory of tempering justice with mercy. And you could have also said that you have discussed with the governor the grant 1 ing of pardons even before conviction. l l recall an instance in the circuit court of Monroe county where a negro charged with the detestible crime of
 
 grand jury You appealed for relief to the prosecuting attorney, who turn ed you down, then you requested the sheriff to send this convict to the pen itentiary without a guard, as you stated to the sheriff that you had a pardon waiting for him.
 That the governor has been imposed upon by false misrepresentation by those who seek pardons I do not doubt but he could have easily protected him self against these prevaricators by re quiring all petitions and applications for pardons to be published the coun- ty where the trial and conviction was had, and notice given of the time when the petition would be presented to the governor. This rule was promulgated by Gov. Jefferson Davis and as far as 1 am advised worked admirably.