, 1923-04-05
BOARD OF PARDONS
HEARS PETITIONS
CoRDILL0 CASE Reviewed At HEAR
ing YESTERDAY. ~ PETITIONS
ARE PRESENTEDBy INMATES

Charges that they were the victims
OF = gigantic frame up were made
By John and Pete CordillO and
Walter Newell at a lengthy hearing
Of the State Board OF Charities and
Reform held at the penitentiary yes
terday.
The Cordillo brothers and Newell
are now in the state institution serv-
ing sentences ranging from Is to
20 and 80 to 40 years for the muir
der Of Frank Jennings to the north
OF Laramie in the fall OF 1919. All
three men were at the time Of the
death OF Jennings, In the employ II
the state prohibition department. and
It was the contention OF the state that
the three men stopped the car cor
training Jennings and deliberately
shot to death the Laramie cattleman.
Confessions. said to have been sign
ed BY John and Pete Cordillo. were
largely instrumental In obtaining the
conviction.
Yesterday the State Board OF
Charities and Reform reviewed At
length the testimony introduced at
tho trial OF the three prohibition
agents. In the morning session OF the
board County and Prosecuting At
torney George Patterson appeared
before the members and CAV reA-
Sons why In his opinion the petition
for . pardon should not be granted.
Attorney Irwin Of Denver. spoke In
behalf Of the convicted men and he
was supported in his plea by Dr.
Finch OF the same city.
The afternoon session was OPEN
I'd with testimony by John Cordillo
who reviewed in detail all the al
leGed actions OF himself and COM
rads during the night OF the Jen-
nings murder. He spoke easily and
readily answered questions put to
him BY Governor Ross. State Super
intendent Of Instruction Katherine
Norton, Secretary OF State Frank r.
Lucas. State Treasurer John NJ.
Snyder and State Auditor Vincent
John Cordiilo maintained that
neither he nor his companions were
near tho scene Of the murder on the
fatal night but had remained in the
court house 1t Laramie until short
~ after nine o'clock that evening
And had left there in a Buick car
for Red Buttes. On the way south
from laramie. he stated. the lights
went out and he detached the bulbs
aud threw them to the side Of the
road. These bulbs. he claimed. were
picked up later by county authorities
hut never produced because they
teoded to prove an abb for the ac-
cused.
Cordiiio mentioned other import
ant evidence which he maintained
was suppressed.
Cordiilo told the board that the
confession he signed ut Whcatland
was represented to him "a being n
statement Of his whereabouts on the
night Of the murder and that he
signed . paper believing II to be
OF this character.
County Attorney Patterson "a
severely condemned by tho convicted
man IN his closing statement to the
members Of tho board and open
caarGes Of . fr1me-up were made
aeasnst several officials connected
with the case.
Pete Cordillo followed his brother
With much the aamc story and In
addition he told bis hearers that no
signed the confession under great
aerses and dld 30 fearing that II no
dld ~ he would b. In danger Of
being nacbbod.
Walter Newell. the last Of tho Dc
IendAsee 70 testify, backed up his
cornDaaions IL the story they told
and stAted tAA4 tAere had been re-
eseeed aets@Dts - force him 10
9Ake . ~eonfeosioo bet tAat he re-
fueel 70 10 -.
Ne Beard hes Delayed sseloa on
~ Doeee1o0 q - ehf0o - uati1