Executive clemency files, 1835-1973.

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Executive clemency files, 1835-1973.

http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/36025346

Files (1835-1860) usually contain citizen petitions and correspondence on convict's behalf. All material is filed in jackets (1861- ) which list applicant's name, age, sex, and residence; court term and trial county; crime description; sentence length; Executive Office and Secretary of State filing dates; application disposition and executive action remarks. Jackets also list correctional institution and applicant's attorney (1874-). Within each jacket are petitions and correspondence which evaluate applicant's character, health and mitigating factors in the case; trial transcripts; judicial and prison official affidavits and depositions concerning granting clemency; and certified legal notices of clemency applications. With the creation of the State Board of Pardons (1897), file material increases significantly and includes application recommendations; board hearing reports; application filing notifications; and sentence commutation receipts. Jacket data (1920-) includes applicant's register and case numbers, race, aliases, occupation, marital status, and number of children; correspondent name and address; criminal associates; trial judge; states' attorney; and parole hearing date. Applicant's executive clemency petition provides a biographical sketch, criminal record summary and crime description; reports (e.g., sociologist-actuary predictions; parole; classification; medical; visitors'); punishment and work assignment records (ca. 1930-). Material (1971-1973) is not filed in jackets and often the original recommendation to the Governor is not included. Also included are items (appx. 6 cu. ft.) relating to Haymarket Riot anarchists clemency (1886) and other labor disturbances (1877-1886).

522 cubic ft.

Illinois State Archive

Information

SNAC Resource ID: 7376565

Illinois State Archive

Related Entities

There are 5 Entities related to this resource.

Illinois. Office of Secretary of State. Index Dept. Executive Section.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6hr4qvg (corporateBody)

The Executive Section of the Index Division has held unique responsibilities in the Secretary of State's office, which was required by the Constitution of 1818 to maintain official papers and registers of the acts of the Governor. A separate statutory appropriation for an executive clerk to perform these duties was first enacted in 1895. The Executive Section affixes the Great Seal of Illinois to official acts of the Governor (e.g., extradition writs petitions, requisitions, pardons, and citizen...

Illinois. Parole and Pardon Board

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Prior to creation of State Board of Pardons in 1897, all parole actions were handled by Commissioners of the Penitentiary, while applications for executive clemency went directly to Governor's Office. New Board assumed administration of state's parole acts, first of which was passed in 1905. Board usually met monthly to investigate and decide on parole applications from inmates of Joliet and Chester penitentiaries. Board's responsibilities encompassed setting of conditions under whi...

Illinois. Office of Secretary of State

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w62v6qwp (corporateBody)

The Office of Secretary of State, successor to the territorial Secretary, was established by the 1818 Constitution to keep both the state archives and a register of the Governor's official acts. The Secretary was appointed by the Governor until the 1848 Constitution made the office elective. In 1873, the Dept. of Archives and Index was created to "make and keep proper indexes to the executive records and all public acts, resolutions, papers and documents" filed with the Secretary of State. This ...

Illinois. Office of the Governor

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6kt1033 (corporateBody)

The Board of Fund Commissioners was created by l. 1837, p. 121. Board contracted for and negotiated all loans authorized by General Assembly for internal improvements and signed and executed all bonds or stock certificates issued for such loans. Monies received from proceeds of loans were deposited at State Bank of Illinois and Bank of Illinois at Shawneetown. These deposits were used to pay drafts issued on Fund Commissioners by Board of Commissioners of Public Works for expenditur...

Illinois State Board of Pardons.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w62k2wnb (corporateBody)