Ogden Standard-Examiner | 1921-02-06 | Page 4 | Former Mayor Bock's Appeal

I FORMER MAYOR BOCK'S APPEAL Appealing to ihc state board of par dons, E. A Bock, former mayor of Salt Lake City, in seeking clemency. He asks to be paroled Bock, as city auditor, used $1l'.im0 of city funds. With his misappropriation misappropria-tion of the city's money kept from the public, he aspired to the hiph ofRcc ot mayor and was elected by an over whelming vote. At the height ot his popularity, his misuse of city money was exposed. Immediately the man made full restitution, but be as tried, confessed and sentenced to an indeterminate inde-terminate term In the state prison, with a court recommendation ot seven years It Is stated that with the applica tlon of Bock, numerous letters were filed, many being signed by citizens and business men of Salt Lake Ther are letters from neighbors who knew him In Illinois when he was a boy, some of these being pathetic in their appeals. Charles R. Clark of Dundee. N. Y, in a letter to Governor hfabej states that he knew .Mr. Bock overseas over-seas during the war and had a high regard for him. Mr. Buck's wife, sister sis-ter and other relatives write, assuring the board that he has atoned lor his mistake r.nd should be allowed to support sup-port his family. Among local ni n -a I'm have signed letters asking that the application ap-plication be given favorable consider atlon are C. F Stlllman, Richard P. Morris, Lorenzo N Stohl. W. H. Swan son and others, numbering more than 100. One letter was received by tho board from the Civic Center signed by Jeannette A Hyde, Mrs. G II Mo-Mahon, Mo-Mahon, Mrs. J. A idlsoe, Clarice W. Beebe, Isabel D. Basccn, Mrs. Leo W. Davey and Mrs Murray Schick. Charles Denton, Bock's father-in-law, LLLJ In his letter, states his confidence in Bock's willingness to do the right LLLJ thing If given another chanc. Mr. Denton adds that he helped Bock to pay back the money he bad taken LLLV from the city by lending him S300. LLH This is a puzzling case. What Is the I object of imprisonment0 Primarily to warn others against a similar crime, and, secondarily, to soften the hard smH encd crmlnal and bring about a refor mation In the old dauAhe man sent to prison was hr objeit "Of abuse. was subjected to great physical and mental distress, and at times placed on the rack The whole system wat brutalizing and debasing to those who found amusement in seeing their victims vic-tims sutler But as civilization ad m vanced, tho mistreating of prisoners was condemned, and the two outstand ing purposes were (J reform and fore- wara When Mayor Bock tell, ln. humllia tion and that of his family must have been crushing. This public chastise-ment chastise-ment will go on endlessly. Bock, bis innocent children and wife are i-tlgma- SSSSSSSSnH d tized while they live. Every man in public office in Utah has taken deep L mental appraisement of the degree of punishment Inflicted on the Conner mayor. The lesson is indelibly writ LLH ten on the minds of all. Does thai LLH servo the object of the law's effort to LLH warn others not to prove untrue to LLH their sacred obligations in public of As to reformation, only those who know the man intimatel;. can say whether his own downfall and hla family s degradation have weighted his soul with a lull sense of wrong H doing and have made him cry out In anguish against his weaknesses, tilling i hl6 mind with a firm Tesolve to live In LLH the future a penitent, eager to win back the confidence of his fellow man. which at one time brought him the ex j tremo Joy of being honored as few men aru honored. sH ! oo