The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-09-08
WELBORN IS GIVEN HIS PARDON WHILE
 GOVE ERNOR IS AWAY
Lieutenant Governor Issues Order Eight Minutes Before
 Governor Crosses Line

JACKSON Miss, Sept, 7,-The American Legion today obtained a pardon for Sharp Welhorn, former service man, and in accomplishing the feat afforded that part of Missis- sippi between Pickens and Jackson and along the Illinois Central rail road McComb to the Louisiana state line the greatest excitement in years. It was a race between two powerful automobiles, one from Jackson to Canton. 24 miles, the other from Pick ems to Canton, 20 miles, and an Illi- nois Central flyer with Governor Russell aboard bound north from New Orleans The legionnaires had set out to meet Lieut.. Gov. Homer Casteel at Canton before the train crossed the state line at Oryka, and they won the race with only eight minutes to spare.
 Welborn served in the navy durlng the World war, and, according to the veterans bureau, it later developed he had become mentally defective as a result of exposure at sea. In 19I9 h committed manSlaughter Tn Jasper county and he had hardly begun 10 serve a sentence of eight years before the legion, the veterans bureau and hundreds of Mississippians launched a campaign for a pardon in order that the offer of the veterans bureau to send him to a hospital for treatment might be accepted. Governor Russell steadfastly refused clemency. and the minutes of every local post of the legion in the state, and those Of the state organization, contain resolu- tions condemning him for his failure to act favorably.
 Russell Fell once Before.
 Governor Russell visited Memphis for day last spring and during his absence the lieutenant governor is sued a pardon. As result Of the con- troversy that followed, the legal au- thorities ruled that the lieutenant governor had power to grant elem ency while acting as chief executive. The governor countered with the dec laration that not until his term ex- pired in January would he agaln leave the state. but he did so-last advantage of.
 Curtis Green. state commander of the legion, heard a rumor that the governor was in New Orleans. By the time he had confirmed the report he was advised Mir. Russell had boarded train for Jackson, ana real izing the governor had to travel only S9 miles to enter the state, Green got busy. Legionnaires at Illinois Gen. tral stations in south Mississippi were ordered to watch the train, re- port the governors presence on board and report the time of it's arrival at Osyka, on the state line. Breathing a prayer that a freight train ahead Of the flyer might ditch a box car some where in Louisiana or tie up traffic temporarily with a bot box, Green and his co-workers here telephoned the lieutenant governor at Pickens to go to Canton as quickly as possible. Green Welborn's attorneys, who also are ex-service men, and Secretary of State Joseph w. Power, armed with the legal pardon forms, started from Jackson in another car.
 The lieutenant governor hung on for dear life while Hardie McGee, former service man, drove his carat high speed from Pickens to Canton over a gravel road built for fast run ming but with numerous hills and many dangerous curves. Meantime the party from Jackson was rushing northward with utter disregard for speed laws and small towns along the route. Both cars drew up at the Madison county court house simul- taneously, and the lieutenant goyer- nor signed Welborn's pardon at 10:1S a. n The train bearing the governor crossed the state line at Osyka at 1O:26, a fact which the legionnaire watchman at that point duly reported as quickly as he could leg it to telephone and which the sentry at McComb confirmed 8 few minutes after the Asyka railroad operator had given the dispatcher at McComb his "OS" on the flyer.
 Welborn will be sent to a govern ment hospital in Wyoming, where. specialists declare. he can be cured nf al trOnble