Gilbert Henry Stephenson. Application No. 5151. Letter from Leonidas Merritt to Board of Pardons, February 25, 1921.
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Red Warrior Mining Co.
Providence Bldg.
Duluth,
Minn., Feb. 25, 1921.
To the Honorable Board of Pardons,
Capitol
Building,
St. Paul, Minn.
Gentlemen:
Without attempting to excuse
or palliate the action of the June mob, who raided the City Hall lockup of
Duluth and hung up the three negroes accused of a statuary crime, to the utter
disgrace of our city, yet am I earnestly constrained to ask clemency and full
pardon for one Gilbert H. Stephanson (sic), the unfortunate victim of an
equally guilty mob.
You, Gentlemen, will doubtless go into the evidence
convicting him. Am frank to say I have not done so. My plea in his behalf is as
above stated and one to which nearly every citizen of Duluth can
subscribe.
Yours very truly,
Leonidas
Merritt
LM/RB