Year: 1868

THE CASE OF EDWARD b. KETCHUM.
The Erening Post prints synopsis OF the
testimony presented to the Governor III support
of the application for the pardon of Edward
b. Ketchum, who has been some two years in
the State Prison on a sentence for forgery. Of
his case, The Post forcibly says:


There is no doubt that the prerogatiye OF cemency


which the Constitution vests in the Governor OF the State
is often abused in granting pardons to persons VINO are
no effect than to add more to the class who prey
bS pSenSe is sincere Where the punishment now long
continued has had its entire effect, where 1t is next to
certain that the ofense will never be repeated where
incarceraton could have no good effect but would
rather do away the announcement Whlch resort 70
@ {Reg f 9 S S IN eSrng oG o
prerogative Of officially forgylng the offender"


ALI this is true; yet it is considerably
short of the whole truth. Having given much
attention to the case of Mr.. Ketchum, we
firmly believe him essentially innOcent-that is,
one whO under a temporary hallucination or
phrenzy, produced by the atmosphere of Wall
ST.. committed acts of which he had no proper
consciousness and for which he was morally
irresponsible. To this effect, Mr. J. Pierpont
Morgan testifes as follows:


was absent from the country wien the disclosure
was made. On my return. after hearing the particulars


said and believed and still believe, that he out Of
his mind i'm fact that he crazy Clearly, the
knew as Edward b. Ketchum could not do the things
charged against him If he were himself believe 1t was
impossibe Every thing about those acts and their con
sedueuces was contrary his habits and nature There
was NOT single thing about them corresponding 10 his
character He could not have done them, he could
control himself Large stock speculatiOns OF he klnd
and amount he led into bring on very great eNee
Of the BRAIN and people often wild ana irregular
in their judgment and actions. They do not Know whA
they say do. This would be much more the case WIN
so young a man as Edward was and led me TO believe
that he not in his right mind at the time he commit
ted the crime Of which he now stands convicted.


QttsSiOn-What Is the general impression IN the com
munltyand especially among the class OF business men
with whom Edward b. KetChum formerly dealt-respect
ing his mental condition at She time he committed the
acts charged against himi Ansicer-They believe he
was out his mind So much that the majority OF the
dealers the street would be glad to him in his old
place"


To the same effect, Mr. Jonathan Sturges
tcstifes:


"Ican only attribute the transactions which came
liQbt I'm August 1865, TO supcacOn OF his mind which
amounted TO a species OF Insanity mOnonana that
when he saw the position in which his speculaOns had
paced his father and many OF his intimate personal
friends his mind losing ts balance swayed and fro in
its feebleness only looking 10 end-saying others
without regard for hIWself have idea that it
entered into MS mind TO defd0 oiy In cOrrOborn
Hon OF this will state that in July had occasion 10 call
M the Office and was struck with the change in Ed
ward, cOunenance that. when went home, told my
family how as shocked and expressed the opinion that
If he was not relieved from the great press Of business
which was upon him, he would become deranged was
confirmed these views by his manner VI leaving the