The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1923-12-13
Governor Blaine COmmutes Two Sentences of
KenOsha County Men Now Serving
Terms in Prison.
OVEN O'HARE IS RELEASED TO-DAY
State Executive Takes No Action in His Case in the
Case of Alex Ritter Saying Time of Expira-
ton of Sentence Was Too Near.

long statement to draw a complete
distinction, in general, with respect to
their official conduct, and in fact, such
distinction would involve a very tech
nical difference as to their violation
Of official trust. Meyers was the SUI
perior Of Ritter, and as toe those two
that is about the only difference. Rit-
ter's sentence, according to the record
Of the warden, expires February Is,
1924, making his actual service one
year, nine months and twenty-seven
days, after deducting for good behav-
Tor. By committing Meyers sentence
to expire February Is, 1924, will make
Meyers actual sentence committed to
about two years and ten months and
after deducting good behavior, his ac-
tual imprisonment two years and
twelve days, and such difference, both
as to sentence and ACTUAL service, rep
resents substantially the difference in
their degree Of violation of law.
Sentence committed to expire at
noon February Is, 1924"
Sympathy But No Action.
The Governor indicates that he had
considerable sympathy for Alex Ritter
but it did not go far enough to bring
executive clemency. In this order he
says:
convicted, circuit court, Kenosha
county, bribery; sentenced April 49,,
1922, two and half years, state pris-
on.
"Ritter was undersheriff of Kenosha
county. He was convicted Of having
collected and paid to the district attor-
ney bride money, all the way from
500 to $3.50, on eight different occa-
sions. The money was collected at $50
or $50 each from saloonkeepers and
roadhouse keepers efor permission to
run slot machines, gambling games,
ETC. Ritter was an innocent, well7ln-
tentioned fellow, before he got into the
Job of undersheriff; no doubt was in
fuenced by men of stronger intellect.
However, his term expires Febru-
ary Is next. His application for par
don was not completed for hearing till
late in November, and placed on the
December calendar. There are no spe-
cial circumstances in this case that do
not exist in every case where a man is
sentenced to Imprisonment.
''The only action that would serve
Ritter any benefit would be an uncon-
ditional release, as he has only about
two months to serve. Under these Girl
cumstances, in the absence of some
very keen, special or extenuating cir
cumstance, the executive does not
grant absolute pardons. Had the mat
ter come to the attention of the execu1
tive in July some other action might
have been permissible and justifiablei
but since that time has long since
gone by, circumstances justifying conf
ditional release do not prevail. With
only about two months to serve, in
the absence of any other showing than
contained in the record, find no JUS
LITIGATION for action.
Denied"
The Case of O'Hare.
The notations made by the governor
| in connection with the denial of the
application for clemency for Owen
| O'Hare follow:
Convicted, circuit court. Kenosha
county, charges of malfeasance, en-
bezzlement, endeavoring to procure an
other to commit perjury, obtaining
money under false pretenses, and SEN
fenced February 8, 1922, on the vari-
Gus charges, sentences to run concur
rently, making a total of two and a
half years.
"O'Hare was the chief of police of
Kenosha for over twenty years. His
application for pardon was not per-
fected until in October and his case
placed on the adjourned October par
don calendar. His term expires on
December 18th next, leaving scarcely
two months from the date of the hear
ing until the expiration of his term.
The only executive action that would
have availed 0'Hare of any conse-
quence would have been an absolute
pardon. There were no special circum-
stances or extenuating circumstances
prevailing in this case that do not OBJ
tain in practically every case where
men have been sent to prison. In the
absence of special or extenuating cir
cumstances it is not the policy of the
executive to grant absolute pardons.
Had the matter been called to the at
tention of the executive during on or
about the time he <was eligible to pa
role, there might have been circum-
stances justifying some executive ac-
tion. 1t is unnecessary, however, now,
to discuss those circumstances, as they
do not apply to a case where an abb
solute pardon is the only relief that
would avail the prisoner anything OF
consequence.
Therefore, on account of the near
ness Of the expiration of his term, no
action need be taken"
lWphh to Receive