The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-10-31
PARDON BOARD
RELEASES ONE
LIFE CONVICT
Montgomery County Slayer
Wins Plea After Is
Years.
MURDER TERM REDUCED
Killer of Saloon Keeper at
SCottSburg Promised
Liberty in 1881.
81 United Press


81 United Press
MICHIGAN CITY, Ind. Oct. 81.
The murder for which John James
has spent twenty-five years in the
Indiana state prison. has been ex-
plated, the pardon board concluded
Thursday night. James was granted
the only release given a life" term
convict.
william Spores, another murderer,
was granted commutations
however, which will permit him
to be released next year.. after
spending quarter of century in
prison.
James was convicted on charge
of numbering Pennell Backner in
Montgomery county. M. z. Foley
board member, cast the only dissent-
ing vote on James release.
Spores was convicted of killing
John FawbuSh, ScottSburg saloon
keeper. He, was originally sentenced
to death.
Bandits Pleas Spurned
Banditry was frowned upon by re-
lection of all pleas for ,clemency by
those in prison for that crime. The
board gave clear indication that it
intends no favors for bandits who
have served less than the ten years
minimum term. Manslaughter
cases, and those in which criminal
assaults we're committed, likewise
found no sympathy.
A special investigation was de-
ter1nined upon in the case of Ed
ward l.. Duncan, Linton, convicted
on charge of numbering his
divorced wife. His daughter, now
living in Indianapolis, appeared in
his behalf, and a large number OF
names appeared on petition from
Greene county, citing mitigating
circumstances. Judge Robert t.
Miers, before whom the case was
tried on a change of venue in
Bloomington, said he believed Dun
can would have been acquitted had
the daughter testified as to her
mothers character.
A pardon was refused Edward w.
Kraft, Fl. Wayne sportsman, who
went to the prison last summer on
a one-to-ten-year sentence for man
slaughter, growing out of death of
two persons whom he ran down with
his automobile while allegedly under
the influence of liquor, and driving
without lights He had escaped
punishment for two years after sem
tence, and went to prison after
Governor Leslie refused him an
executive pardon. q
Hope was held out to Alfred Hizer.
Fulton county, who has served
twenty-five years of a life sentence
imposed on a charge of numbering
a saloon keeper, when his case was
continued a month.
Flat denial was made on the
petition of Charles Hanson, 10, con-
victed on charge of numbering a
taxi driver at Plymouth in 1922.
Recommendation from the trial
judge is awaiting in the case of
Forest Alexander, De Kalb county,
committed in 1922 for robbery. Iiia
release within month was pre-
dicted, provided the judge approves.
Woman Slayer Stays In
Another murderer who was told
there is no present hope for Glenn
ency, was Walter Cunningham, Elk
hart county, sentenced in 1919 on
a charge of numbering woman.
No action was taken upon the
pleas of two Terre Haute Negroes,
James Martin and Van Williams,
convicted of manslaughter on a
charge Of killing their minister, the
Rev. Obadiah Thompson.
A continuance was taken in the
case of William Waible, former
superintendent of the city render
ing plant in Evansville, sentenced
four months ago to two years for
accepting bride.
A parole was granted Oliver
Collins, Delaware county, former
service man, convicted on charge
of embezzlement.
Banditry petitions which were re-
fused included those of Arthur wy
rick, Shelby county, ten to twenty
five years, 1925, for a bank robbery
at Boggstown; Joseph Horger, Hem
bricks county, sentenced eight years
ago for a $500 robbery, who has
paid back most of tne money while
in prison through earnings; Carl
Marshall, Vigo county, convicted on
an auto banditry charge six years
ago; Eugene Bumpus, Lake county.
grocery store robbery: Martin LANCE,
Laporte county filing station rob-
berry; Fay Cor, Cartersburg, rob-
berry; Leon w. Faulkner, Huntington
county, grocery robbery.
George Kessler, who was convicted
in Shelby county of killing Minnie
wilkins, attendant at an Indian
apolis filling station eleven years
ago, and hiding her body in els
tern, was denied clemency.