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COMMUTATIONS FOR MANY UNFORTUNATESTwmr-TMHBK roirirw haveTIIF.IR SE^TESrEN NRDI'CEI).CHEER FROM THE GOVERNOR■ 11 '■HIM I »»■On i-i'cninnit*niln linn of nnrdi'ii of | lienllen Hurt nuil n« reornrd for kooiI conduct nn«l work for ilnlr, term* of Imprisonment nre cnt.Special Dispatch to the Standard.Helena, Dec. 24.—Qovernor Stewarttoday granted commutations to 23 men who are serving time In the state penitentiary. In a statement to the state board of pardons accompanying the commutations the governor says:“Twenty-three men have this day been granted commutations or reduction of sentences. These men are all serving terms in the penitentiary on conviction in the various counties of the state. The action was taken on the recommendation of the warden of the prison and the superintendent of the work In which the men have beenengaged.“These men have been engaged in road work and In the construction of buildings for the state of Montana. They have worked faithfully and Warden Conley has stated that they have rendered service as efficient as paid men. The result of their work shows this. Ninety-nine per cent, of the people of Montana would be amazed ifshown the building erected by these men. The cell house at the state prison is a marvel. It is up to date, commodious, sanitary and architecturally beautiful. The work was done by the prisoners, with the employment of only one free man. and that was the superintendent. The cold - storage plant and other buildings have been erected.“Under the superintendency of the warden these men have wrought for the state of Montana, in the payment of the debt which they owed society, improvements worth many thousands f dollars. All of this, in addition to the work which they have done on the public highways.Hope of ltiMTnrd.“The results could not have been obtained but for the hope of reward.Discipline, loyalty and industry were inculcated and became the controlling factors in tin* activity of the state’swards.“Much has been said of the work lone by prisoners in other states, while little has been said about the work inMontana. However, Montana has notlagged behind. At the same time, no work has been done in competition with free labor, and no work has beendone save and except for the state of Montana or some of the counties in which road work was pursued.“The diminutions granted today may be construed as coming in the nature pf Christmas gifts. Yet this is not true in the larger sense. The men have earned what they got. It should to borne in mind that these commutations are not pardons and will not afford any of the men immediate release. They are merely reductions ofsentence for work performed and really constitute a readjustment of thepunishment based very largely onfacts and circumstances arising sincedie infliction of the original sentences.“I do not believe that us governor pf the state of Montana 1 am able to tny more intelligently gauge a man’s punishment than is a district judge who tries the case. At the same time,[ feel that there is an advantage from tny point of view in being able to look •ack rather than being forced to look forward. When a defendant is convicted and presented to a judge for sentence, it Is a conjecture on the part pf the judge as to what will be the resulting effect of the punishment on the individual or how’ he will conduct himself thenceforth. In the esse ofthe chief executive he has the advantage of knowing Just what effect the punishment has accomplished and how the man has received it and how he has responded to the demands of thecommonwealth.”The recipients of the clemency of the governor are: K. Horan, convicted InSilver Bow Jan. 2T. 1911. of assault andsentenced to 7% years; commuted to6 years. Charles Johnson, convicted in Teton county Oct. 4. 1910, and given 10 years; commuted to 8 years. Ulmer Nelson, convicted in Valleycounty in 1901 of murder and sentencedfor life; commuted to 24 years. Robert Vunella, convicted of murder in the second degree in Yellowstone countyin IOOh and sentenced to 60 years; commuted to 12 years. Nick Marti, convicted of rape in Flathead county, in 1910 and sentenced to 10 years; commuted to 8 years- J. W. Wilson, convicted of second degree murder in Dawson county In 1903 and sentenced to 50 years; commuted to 20 years. C, H. Blaine, convicted of grand larceny In Dawson county Oct. 10, 1911, and sentenced to 6 years; commuted to 4 years. Louis OJalehto, convicted in Carbon county in 1906, of murder J and given a life sentence; commuted to 16 years. H, F. Ross, convicted inPark county of grand larceny Aug. 17. 1912, and given 5 years; commuted to 3 years. John Murphy No. 3, convicted in Cascade county of attemptedrobbery arid sentenced to 10 years; commuted to s years. T. A. Gardner, convicted in Sanders county May 21, 1909, of burglary, given 15 years; commuted to 10 years. William Smith No.1, convicted of robbery in Silver Bow county June 20. 19»2. and given 30 years; commuted to 25 years. Hugh McHugh, convicted in Rosebud county Juno 8, 1912, of assault in the second degree and given 5 years; commuted to 3 years. John Driscoll, convicted in Silver Bow county Feb. 19, 1912, of robbery and given 5 years; commuted to 4 years. William Kneeland, convicted in Dawson county of grand larceny and given 3 years; commuted to 4 years- Frank Brown, convicted in Beaverhead of rape Nov. 28, 1909. and given 10 years; commuted to 8 years. John Laird, convicted in Silver Bow county Jan. 7, 1913, of burglary and given 5 years; commuted to I years. Alexander Milne, convicted in Silver Bow of robbery and given 20 years; commuted to 10 years. FrankLaverdure, convicted in Fergus county July 16, 1911, of manslaughter and given 6 years; commuted to 5 years. Martin Johnson, convicted in Flathead county Aug. 11, 1909. of rape and given 20 yea»rs; commuted to 10 years. H. E. Whittaker, convicted in Chouteau county of rape Dec. 30, 1908, andgiven 20 years; commuted to 10 years. James Barrett, convicted in Silver Bow of burglary and given 15 years; commuted to 10 years. Herman Parsons, convicted in Missoula of second degree murder June 9, 1909. and given 99years; commuted to 20 years.The state board of pardons has approved the action of acting Governor Dearborn in commuting the life sentences of A. S. Sheley and John Wolff to 20 and 25 years respectively. Sheley killed a man at Twin Bridges in 1903 and Wolff killed Sheriff Summers InMadison county in 1901.MOTHER LOSES HER HOME MUST LEAVE ON CHRISTMASLos Angeles, Dec. 24.—After years of litigation William F. McCann obtained today a court order giving himthe right to eject his aged mother, Mrs. Mary McCann, from the home she had occupied for years.The litigation hinged on documents signed by Mrs. McCann several yearsago for a consideration of $700. andwhen she was in ignorance of the factthat one was a deed, she said.Judge Wilbur of the superior court issued the court order to McCann. lie said that under the law there was nothing else for him to do.Mrs. McCann will leave her home tomorrow—Christmas day.Col«lw Cmme lien dache mid Grip.LAXATIVE BROMO QUININE tablets remove causes. There Is only One BROMO QUININE. It has signature of E \V. GROVE on box. 25c.
Newspaper Details
Anaconda Standard
Anaconda, Montana, US
Thu, Dec 25, 1913
Page 2
Full Page
Clipped by
Joseph M.
VA, USA 25 Jun 2020
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