Max Mason. Case No. 6785. Letter from L. S. Nelson to State Board of Parole, May 25, 1925.

State Board of Parole

St. Paul, Minn. 25^th May, 1925

Mr. F. A. Whittier, State Agent,

State Prison, Stillwater, Minnesota.

Dear Sir: We enclose herewith letter from Judge Nelson in regard to Max Mason-6785 and recommending a pardon and expressing doubt as to the man’s guilt which please have made a part of the records in the case for consideration by the Board at the September

Yours very truly,
Ella S. Hudgins
Secretary to the Chairman.

L. S. NELSON, JUDGE G. FRED CARS, COURT REPORTER

Thirteenth Judicial District
Worthington, Minnesota

April 27, 1925.

Mr. H. B. Whittier,

State Capitol,
St. Paul, Minnesota.

Dear Sir: In re Max Mason.

Max Mason, who was tried and convicted in my court in St. Louis county, and sentenced to Stillwater penitentiary – I have always had some doubt about his guilt, and had it not been that his counsel raised some legal questions that I thought should be passed upon by the Supreme Court, I was of the intention to set aside the verdict and grant a new trial.
In the evidence, it appeared from the testimony of the girl in question and her escort that five of the negroes had intercourse with here, while she was in a faint, and her family physician who examined here about ten o’clock the following day found no trace of any one having had intercourse with her, as her organs were normal, no bruises, no inflammation – that while it was possible that they could have had intercourse with her, it did not appear to be probable, and the evidence of identification was far from satisfactory.
I am of the opinion that Max Mason should be pardoned at this time. I, therefore, earnestly recommend that he be either paroled or pardoned.

Yours truly,
L. S. Nelson
Judge