This collection contains a small portion of the pardon records from the Gov. George Washington Hays administration (1913-1917). These twenty-two case files, representing crimes of murder, larceny, rape, and forgery, provide an insight into the social conditions as well as to the extent the convicts, their families, and influential persons petitioned Gov. Hays to grant pardons. These documents include such items as petitions, letters of recommendation, and personal letters from convicts. In addition, some cases have official documents such as applications for pardons, prison records, and letters from the governor’s office.
Arrangement: This collection is arranged chronologically. Each case file contains some or all of the following documents: petitions, letters for or against leniency, personal letters from the convicts, and official documents.
Tracings: Blacks; Crimes and Criminals; Governors – Hays, George W.; Politics
Prisons; Social condition; Hays, George Washington, Pardon Records
Box 1
File 1 – Neal McLaughlin (case #673) of Ozark, Franklin County; rape, death by electrocution; petitions, letters for leniency, and personal letters, 1914-1916
File 2 – McLaughlin (case #673), letters against leniency, 1914-1916
File 3 – McLaughlin (case #673), official records, 1914-1916
File 4 – Charles Ellis (case #918) of Lee County; grand and petit larceny, 1 year; petitions, letters for and against leniency, and official documents, 1915-1916
File 5 – C. F. Hall (case #924) of Doniphan, White County; illegal sale of liquor; petitions, letters for leniency, official letters and personal letters, 1915
File 6 – Henry Brewer (case #1023) of Amity, Clark County; illegal sale of liquor; petitions, letters for leniency, and original response from Gov. Hays, 1915
File 7 – C. C. Cameron (case #1024) of Judsonia, White County; illegal sale of liquor, $50; petitions and letters against leniency, 1915
File 8 – W. C. Daugherty (case #1028) of Little Rock, Pulaski County; grand larceny, 1 year; petitions and letters for leniency, 1915
File 9 – Forrest Daugherty (case #1029) of Fayetteville, Washington County; grand larceny, 1 year; petitions, letters for leniency, and official documents, 1915
File 10- E. Wayne Hannah and Dewey Dotson (case #1032) of Van Buren, Crawford County; obscenity, $50 plus court costs each or 150 days; petitions, letters for leniency and personal letters, 1915
File 11- Mose Mitchel (case #1039) a black man from Nashville, Howard County; 2nd degree murder, 15 years; petitions and letters for and against leniency, 1915-1916.
File 12- J. G. Wright (case #1046) of Jonesboro, Craig head County; grand larceny, 1 year; letters for leniency, official documents and personal letters, 1915
File 13- George Chapman (case #1049) a black man from Searcy, White County; illegal sale of liquor, $100; letters for leniency and official documents, 1914-1915
File 14- James Perkins (case #1169) of Blytheville, Mississippi County; forgery, 3 years granted; letters for leniency and personal letters, 1915
File 15- Frank Howell (case #1184A) of Ozark, Crawford County; forgery, 2 years; letters for leniency, 1914-1915
File 16- J. A. Hubbard (case #1184B) a black man from Stuggart, Arkansas County; grand larceny, 3 years served, restoration of citizenship; letters for leniency, 1914-1915
File 17- Godfrey Hill (case #1184C) a black man from Arkadelphia, Clark County
File 18- Arthur Harris (case # 1184D) a black man from Dewitt, Arkansas County; carnal abuse, penalty unknown-served, restoration of citizenship; letters for leniency, 1914-1915.
File 19- Frank Lambert and Marion Harding (case #1184E), Maumelle, Pulaski County; petit larceny, penalty unknown; petitions and letters for leniency, 1914-1915.
File 20- Hugh “Pete” Hays (case #1186) of Corning, Clay County; 3 counts of burglary and grand larceny, 5 years; petitions, letters for leniency, and personal letters, 1915
File 21- Andy Payne (case #1206) of Morgantown, Van Buren County; burglary and grand larceny, penalty unknown; petitions and letters for leniency, 1915-1916
File 22- Joe Walker (case #1212) of Pine Bluff, Jefferson County; 2nd degree murder, 21 years; petitions, 1915
File 23- Chester Boyd (case #1214) of Quitman, Cleburne County; illegal sale of liquor, $61; petitions and letters for leniency, 1915-1916
File 24- George Bolt (case #1215) a black man from Little Rock, Pulaski County; burglary and grand larceny, 4 years. petitions, letters for leniency and personal letters, 1915-1916
File 25- Ed Crossno (case #1216) of Paris, Logan County; illegal sale of liquor, penalty unknown; petitions and letters for leniency, 1915
File 26- Charley Martin (case # unknown) serving time at Tucker Prison; crime and penalty unknown; Personal letters, c.1915
End of Box 1
End of Collection