Saturday morning, Judge ©. 8. Lobingier promised to reconsider his former decision in the case of Jack Leo Welch, the ship's engineer who was recently found guilty of unlawfully shooting a Chinese girl on Fearon Road. This promise was given on condition that the law allowed him to change sentence after its pronouncement. Mr. P. M. Linebarger, counsel for accused, and Major C. P. Holcomb, U. §S. District Attorney, were requested to look up authorities on the subject.
In his plea for clemency, Mr.
charger stated that accused only pointed the gun at the girl in a playful manner and had forgotten that it was loaded. He stated also that accused's state of health was so poor that he did not think he (accused) could endure two years' imprisonment at Bilibid Prison, Manila. Counci suggested that the sentence of two years' imprisonment be reduced to nine months and that the fine of G. $500 be remitted.
In answer to a question from the Judge, Mr. Linebarger stated that during his six years on the bench he (counsel) had sent several men to Bilibid but afterwards regretted very much having to do this, thorough medical examination has been made of Welch," said the Judge, "and he was found to be in excellent health except for a tittle nervousness which is quite natural in such cases. Regarding Bilibid prison, I was located near it for several years and visited it often and I consider it one of the most sanitary institutions I know of. It is a reformatory rather than a prison. Everything is done to improve the morale of the prisoners. I never have had any special feeling when sending a man_ to Bilibid as I would when sending him to San Quentin or any other Pacific Coast prison. One of my most gratifying experiences on the bench here has been in helping "down-and-outers" to—_reclaim themselves by sending them to Bilibid prison."
Major Holcomb said that he did not wish to make any recommendation but intimated that if he were judge he would have made the charge a misdemeanour and not a felony.
Wusx arraigned before Judge C. 8. Lobingier in the U. 8. Court for China on Wednesday morning, Mr. Ferdinand G. Boulon pleaded not guilty to various charges of embezzlement from the firm of Messrs. Gaston, Williams & Wigmore, Far Eastern Division, Inc. Mr. W. S. Fleming appeared to prosecute and Mr. R. S. Haskell acted for the defence.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.