The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-07-23
BOOTLEGGERS
PARDONED;; NO
time SERVED
Leslie Frees Pair; Admits
He Didn't Know All
Facts in Cases.
ONE SOLD To MINORS
Other Used Lye in Liquor;
Governor Stands by His
Guns in Reply.

Although the state devoted three
years to conviction Of two Evansville
bootleggers, one Of whom made IL
quor with concentrated I've and the
other who sold to minors, Governor
Harry G. Leslie parOled them before
they served a single day of their
sentences, as far as records show
today.
1t was admitted at his office today
that the Governor was not familiar
with the facts brought out at the
trials regarding the I've liquor or the
selling to minors. The evidence still
is unavailable at the Office Of
Charles L. Biederwolf, clerk of the
supreme and appellate courts, al
though the cases were affirmed by
the appellate court May Is.
The pardoned I've bootlegger is
Edward Goebel, sentenced in Van
derburg circuit court to one year on
the Indiana state farm, Feb. IS, 1926.
when 10. A raid on his place dis
closed three stills, two forty gallon
ones in operation, and nineteen bar
relS Of mash made Of corn sugar and
concentrated I've.
Long Delay Allowed
Attorney W. D. Hardy appealed
the case to the supreme court Sept.
Il, 1925, and secured time extern
siOnS so that it still was there, I'M
decided, March II Of this year. The
court clerk then transferred it to
the appellate court under the 1929
statute giving that court jurisdic-
ton in all misdemeanor cases. The
appellate court affirmed the SEN
tence May Is, the opinion citing the
raid and the I've liquor mash.
Hardy came to the Office of
Charles Biederwolf, clerk of the
court, and obtained the transcript
of evidence on the grounds that he
was to petition for rehearing.
Sixty days is the limit for such
filing. They have elapsed, but
Hardy still has the evidence. He
doesn't need it, for GoebeI was given
a complete pardon by the Governor
on June 10, it being contended that
he had married in the interim of
conviction and appeal and his wife
was soon to become a mother.
Pardoned Mother of 10
On the same date the Governor
granted a pardon to Mrs. Matte
Payne, Evansville. mother of nine
teen children, said to have special
lied in selling to youngsters. She
had been sentenced to from one to
five years at the Indiana woman's
prison and fined $780, The dates
o. sentence and appeal follow quite
closely the GoebeI case. The law
firm Of Kline & Meyer, Evansville,
represented the woman.
In both cases the pardon petitions
bore the signatures of the majority
Of Vanderburg county officials.
But, of course, nothing was said
concerning the evidence of I've
liquor or selling to minors. 1t was
said Mrs. Payne was needed to sup
port six of her children.
Had the Governor sought to in
vestigate the evidence. he would
have met with difficulties, so far as
the records at the clerks office are
concerned.
Both transcripts are gone, Hardy
having the Goebe1 case.
Where the Payne transcript is. no
one appears to know.
Leslie Gives His Side
"I handled each of these cases
personally, and political influence
had nothing to do with it." Cover
nor Leslie commented today. "Of
course, I didn't know about the I've
or the selling to minors.
This boy Goebel came to my Of
fee three times and pleaded for a
chance. He was accompanied by
his wife and she said that if he ever
did another thing wrong she would
report to me herself. He had been
making good and I believe he will
continue to do so.
"One big factor that influenced
me in his favor was that he said
he paid his attorney S7O0 for the
appeal. which failed. I consider that
an unjust fee for the service rem
dered. Two other men convicted
with him had served their time and
were free. while this youth suffered
delay and was working hard to pay
his attorneys bill"
In the woman's case the Governor
said he followed recommendations