The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1925-08-08

concerned" 1 declared, as impress
sively as I could. He had the
reputation of being the most dan
gerous convict in the State. He
turned straight, became as good
as he had been bad. and swayed
hundreds of others to do likewise
He can't live to benefit from
pardon. but every prisoner IN TIE
State of New York, and many in
other States, will realize there is
such thing as recognition OF
and. reward for right, and all
they've ever known hitherto has
been the certainty of punishment
for wrong. His pardon will mean
a great deal toward prison disctp-
line"
The governor touched button
and asked me to be seated. Pres.
emily Potter. the pardon clerk
an aesthetic looking man whom I
had seen before, and who had a
reputation among the prisoners as
"a hard nut" appeared. FIJI
out a pardon for this man." or
dered Whitman, indicating the
name on the doctors certificate.
Bring it to me at once"
Potter withdrew, and Whitman
asked me how things were goinS
on at Sing Sing. told him thew
couldn't be better Nnder the cir
cumstances.
What do you mean by cir
cumstances'?' he demanded
..The rat-hole cells. the poorly
ventilated shops. the overcrowd.
ing. the damp walls, ! replied.
New York needs an opensair
prison, the kind where men will
be regenerated and
I was interrupted by the reap
pearance OF Potter, who told the
governor in what seemed q salts
fled tone that Blackie had two
commitments, and innocently 90
INQUIRED which offense the par
don was to cover.
Commitment Causes Surprise
Whitman was surprised. He
turned to me half accusatively. or
so it seeped. Apparently he was
pioued that he had not been ac-
ouainted with all the facts OF
the case.
Briefly / told him the circum-
stances-the extra sentence OF
ten years imposed at Piattsburg
for Blackie's attempted escape
from Clinton prison.
Il didn't agree to issue two
pardons, = declared Whitman. I
Enew nothing Of this other COM
nitmerit."
"But you agreed to pardon the
man, and that's the point,
replied. Every prisoner in Sing
sing and Auburn knows of that
nronise. You'll-you'n have to
keep your word. Governor.
He glared at me.
You prison officials are get
ting altogether too sentimental.
he grumbled. "I don't know
where It will all end. But you're
right. / gave my promise"
He turned to Potter
make out two pardons. one
for each case he ordered.
Mach to my secret eiation,
Potter started to offer some
technical objection. In the brief
time 1 had observed Whitman
I knew, or felt. that opposition
was the very thing that would
make him determined. nor was J
wrong.
"Get the two pardons ready!
he snapped.
Ready For Great Seal
Potter retired again. and Whit
man began reading from a type
written document on his desk
At last Potter returned. bearing
two long sheets of parchment.
which he smoothed out before
the executive. Whitman glanced
over them hastily and then
dashed off his name. twice. !
wanted to reach for the docu-
ments and must have made an
involuntary movement to do so.
They've got to have the great
seal affixed first said Potter.
''It will take only minute"
i arose and thanked the gov
ernor
Perhaps you'd like to tele-
phone to the prison" he suggest
ed. considerably. Il suppose
they'll like to know. especially
the beneficiary. You'll find a
booth in the next ROOM
thanked him again aDd with
drew. In the telephone booth
got Malloy. the chief clerk at
the prison. on the line. Osborne,
/ learned, had gone to New York,
and Johnson, the deputy warden,
was somewhere inside the prison.
TO Be Continued TOmOrrOW.)