Jasper County Democrat, Volume 22, Number 12, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 May 1919 — : CLEMENCY FOR FIFTY [ARTICLE]

: CLEMENCY FOR FIFTY

WILSON LENIENT WITH MEN CONVICTED AS SPIES. Complete Pardon Given Man Guilty of Issuing Circulars Condemning the War. Washington, May 9. —Fifty more men convicted during the war for violation of the espionage act have been granted clemency hy President Wllaon on recommendation of Attorney General Palmer in pursuance of the recently announced policy of being lenient to those who have already served a year or more In prison, and whose sentences in the stress of war times now appear excessive. Only one complete pardon was given, according to the announcement by the department of justice. It went to C. E. Menke, sentenced In the federal district court of northern Alagama to 15 months* Imprisonment. Perley B. Doe, son of the late Chief Justice Doe of the New Hampshire Supreme court, convicted in Colorado, where he had gone for his health on a charge of Issuing circulars condemnIng the war, was given a commutation of sentence to expire at once. Among others granted clemency, w’fth the district where they were convicted, the original sentence and the commuted sentence, respectively, are: Frank Beal, southern Iowa; three years, 18 months. August Welssenel, northern Illinois; 10 years, one year, one day. David Gerdes, northern Illinois; 10 years, one year, one day. Emil Schiller, western Wisconsin; two years, one year, one day. Christian Seeger, eastern Michigan; five years, two years. William Powell, eastern Michigan; 20 years, two years. Frank Momparler, eastern Michigan ; 18 months, time served. Sam Jacobs, South Dakota; two years, six months; on release from St. Elizabeth’s hospital.