Jasper County Democrat, Volume 12, Number 44, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 September 1909 — GOVERNOR HAS HEW PAROLE PLAN [ARTICLE]

GOVERNOR HAS HEW PAROLE PLAN

Board of Pardons May Adopt His Method—To Publish Petitions.

Governor Marshall has taken up with the state board Of pardons, as a result of a recent incident, the question of providing publicity for petitions received by the board, for pardons or paroles for persons convicted of the more serious crimes. The Governor believes, he told a member of the board, that communities are in danger of being imposed upon by the methods which have prevailed in dealing with these petions. In the midsummer meeting of the board, a petition was received for the parole of Edward Taylor, of Switzerland county. The petition was acted on favorably, and a parole was recommended to the Governor. The executive was in the act °f signing a parole when the attention x>f an attorney from Switzerland county, who was in the room, was called to the paper, with the result that the Governor was apprised of the fact Taylor had made threats, and had kept them up, to the effect that he would, if released, return to Switzerland county and kill a number of persons whom he held responsible for his conviction. On this showing, the Governor recommitted the petition to the board, and ft was considered further in the meeting just closed. What recommendation the boad saw fit to -make in the recent session has not been made public. The Governor’s plan, which has received favorable consideration from members of the board, is to give to the newspapers of the state the names of prisoners in whose behalf petitions have been received by the board in order that interested persons may khow of pending hearings. The board has believed, in the past, that tnese petitions should not become public matter until they are acted upon, with the result that frequently cases have been heard, recommendations made, and the Governor’s signature fixed to pardons or paroles before the public became aware of any steps taken toward liberating the prisoners concerned. As a further step in the movement to obtain greater publicity the Governor will recommend to the next state legislature that the statute creating the pardon board be amended so that the board shall be required to publish a legal advertisement in a newspaper published in the county in which a serious crime has been permitted, notice whenever any petition for the release of the perpetrator of the crime is received by the board.—lndianapolis News.