History

Does Legendary Writer O. Henry Deserve a Pardon?

By  | 
Tony Maples Photography

 

While he was alive, Porter never pursued the chance to clear his name through a presidential pardon. This was despite the fact Theodore Roosevelt was an O. Henry fan and had pardoned Porter’s old friend Al Jennings. In the years since Porter’s death in 1910, several attempts have been made to secure him a pardon. The latest attempt came during the Obama administration, but the US Pardon Attorney rejected the request.

What do you think? Does O. Henry deserve a pardon? Let’s review the case: Porter complained about the careless operation of the bank, saying that customers would simply walk in and take money straight from the till. At the trial, his former co-workers acknowledged the lax procedures. One of the three counts of embezzlement on which Porter was convicted apparently took place after he’d been fired.

Porter as member of the Hill City Quartette.
Porter as member of the Hill City Quartette.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

On the other hand, no one knows where Porter found the money to start his Austin-based magazine The Rolling Stone. It’s entirely possible he helped himself to cash from the bank in order to fund his literary endeavor. Porter never denied his guilt to the public, but perhaps he only wished to spare his family further scandal.

We may never know the truth about William Sydney Porter’s time in Texas, but one thing is for sure—O. Henry remains one of the most beloved authors of all time.

Page 3 of 3:123