Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-10-20
IA Pardon Cases
For Next Meeting
Governor andCOuncil

| Fourteen petitions for pardon VIII
be in line for hearing at the regu-
lar meeting of the governor and
council which will be held next Fri
day, this being record breaker in
the number of assignments of this
nature for one day. Six of the pc
titoners are serving life sentences In
are serving jail terms for driving an
automobile while intoxicated, one Is
serving a prison term for rape. one
is serving n term at Thomaston for
robbery. one is serving n Jail term
for transporting liquor without fed.
! eral permit, one, woman. is serving
a term in Jail fer unlawful possess
sion of liquor. one is serving n jail
/ term for assault and one Is serving
term in Jail for the illegal trans
portation of liquor.
The "lifers' for murder are James
! w. Purcell. convicted of the murder
Os Asa l.. Entrekin. station agent at
Embden. in November, 1921; Albert
L. Barker, formerly of Portland; Ed
ward GRAHAM. formerly Of Portland:
Giovanni MOTTO. formerly of Jay:
George II. Champion. formerly of
! Newfield. and Edward F. Cole, for
merly of Portland.
Says Has Atoned for Crime
Purcell, who is % years of age and
who was convicted in the supreme
judicial court for Somerset county. in
! bis petition says that he has atoned
for the crime and that until circum-
stances threw him into close contact
with his two companions. Spurlock
and Brown, he had never injured any
| human being or had ever been con-
cerned with any lawlessness or vio-
lence.
Asks Communication
| Barker was convicted in the su-
pcrior court for Cumberland county
in 1914. In his petition Barker states
, states that the ends of law and JUS
tice would have been fulfilled if the
respondent had been convicted OF
! nanslaughter instead Of murder and
he urges that the sentence be COM
muted to Is years.
Graffam's Position
GraHam was convicted In the SUI
| perior court for Cumberland county
IN 1901. In his position he states
mat ne Is innocent of any participa-
ton or knowledge Of the crime all
legged and that during the years that
he has served at Thomaston. his
every word and act has been that OF
an innocent man. GRAHAM further
states in his petition that he Draws
shat II the governor and council will
not vote to pardon him that 1t viii
commute his sentence.
In Self Defence
! MOTTO was convicted In the supreme
judicial court for Franklin COUNTY
IN wi Tor the murder of a fellow
ttaiaE. HE says that he acted In
! sen defence and he struck at the
man whom he was convicted of kill
ing Tor no other purpose than to save
his own life.
; Says He 10 Innocent
champion was convicted in the
supreme judicial court for yorL
county at Alfred in 1900. Inbis ne.
luton. Champion says that he Is ali.
soiutely innocent of the charge for
which he was convicted. that I, was
not conclusively shown that any
| crime was committed, that the Are
occurred as he Is Informed at I
CLOCK In the morning. that he had
Deen visiting at the house; and that
'nere was also peddler at the
place. that he left the night before
knew nothing Of the cause OF fbe fire
and that he is not guilty of any con-
hection with it nor any attack unon
any person In any way, shape or
manner. -
Coles Plea
Cole was convicted in the super-
ior court for Cumberland county in
I90S. In his petition for a narion
Cole says that he was not present at
falmouth on the date alleged. but
was at Cape Elizabeth. that there
was SO much doubt in his case that
the first jury disagreed. that the evi.
dence was not enough to warrant a
verdict OF guilty. that he feels that
ne was convicted on prejudice, and
that having served Is years Tor \