Richmond daily register. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1917-1978, 1922-04-15
(By Associated Press)

j. Frankfort, KY, April 15-Mau-
rice Calvin, Covington attorney
and republican leader, charged
with conspiracy to secure par
don for Frank Blair, convict, to-
day told on the witness stand
how he obtained communication of
Blair's sentence from Governor
orrow. He declared he received
no pay for obtaining the pardon
and did it solely through friend
ship for William Burkamp, of
Newport.
Calvin was the first witness for
the defense after the court over
ruled a motion to instruct the
jury to acquit. Calvin indicated
Newport people interested in
Blair's sick sister, asked Burkamp
to intercede for Blair. Burkamp
came to Calvin, the latter said.
and he placed the matter before
the governor. He declared he
made on representations to the
Governor other than document
ary.
Another motion for peremptory
instructions for the defendant
was filed after Galvin's testimony
with the court took under aIvise-
ment.
Gov. Edwin P. Morrow. who
committed the sentence OF Blair
so that it would expire on June 2,
1921, was the first witness for the
commonwealth. The governo;
told the jury that he did not issue
the pardon because of anything
Mr.. Calvin said to him or because
of Mr.. Galvin's friendship, but be-
cause of the fact that James Hen
bricks, Louisville restaurant pro-
prietor, whom Blair attempted tc
rob, recommended the pardon of
Blair, who had been sentenced to
serve five years in prison.
The governor said that he ''fi
ured that the man wh4had beer
robbed knew more about it thar
anybody on earth" and that
was on this recommendation tha
he Commuted the sentence. Ask
ed whether OF not he had COM
municated with the common
wealth's attorney or the Judge
who tried Blair in Louisville. the
governor said that he did not. He
was asked about whether or not
1t was usual to communicate with
local officials and he said that it
was not, although sometimes the
commonwealth attorney and off
cials came to him with recon-
mendatiOns of pardons.
The defense sprung a surprise
on the commonwealth during the
cross examination of the COVER
nor, when it developed that Mr..
Calvin had obtained from the
State Board of Charities and Cor
rections the record of Blair. show
ing a clear" prison record at
Frankfort tiiad that he had show
this to tie governor. The gov
ernor testified that this incident
previously had slipped his mind,
but that three or four days ago
Mr.. Calvin showed him the card
and that he then remembered it
1t also developed that the card
had been used in the governors
office to figure the number Of
months Blair had served and to
determine how the sentence
should be fixed in the communal
ton SO that it would expire on
that date. The governor said this
was the thing that had caused
him to remember the card.
Asked on redirect examination
if it was not unusual to grant al
pardon on the say SO of one man
and within two hours of applica-
ton, the governor replied, Not
if | think it is warranted"
''Did friendship have anything
to do with it" Mr. Bradley asked
the governor. The governor said
that he might listen to friend
closer than to others, but that he
granted this communication en-
tirely on Hendricks letter, which
said that the man had been pun
ished more than enough"