FE ( PRES S (esePf- 64-9) fissoc ( ArEb Pia es5 Man is found innocent o!ler sorving 37 yearts, O given lull pardon TOPEKA, Kan. The man who prosecuted Frank Sawyer, 70, led37 Mr. Sawyer also testified. He years ago for a bank robbery said he now believes that Mr. he said he didn't commit, was Sawyer did not participate in pardoned yesterday by Gover- the robbery. nor Robert Docking. Mr. Docking said the rec- The office of the Governor ommendation for a pardon said the prisoner of the Kan- had been made by his pardon sas State Penitentiary is inno- attorney, Robert Ochs, and by cent of a 1932 bank robbery. the Board of Probation and A former U.S. public enemy Parole. No. 1, Alvin Karpis, now on parole in Montreal, had said "Based on the two recom- that he and several others mendations, testimony gath- committed the bank robbery ered by eyewitnesses of the 37 years ago and that Mr. robbery and an in-depth inves- Sawyer did not take part. tigation of the case, Frank Mr. Sawyer has been serv- Sawyer is innocent of the ing a sentence of 20 to 100 crime he was convicted of in years for the robbery of a Kansas," Mr. Docking said. Fort Scott bank in 1932. "If he did nut commit the Mr. Karpis made his state- crime for which he is serving ment Mier leaving the United time now in the Kansas State States, following his parole Penitentiary he should be re- PRE5sc(F5P77 190 from a prison sentence on leased immediately." Cillf#0141.J other charges. The Governor said in a statement that formal papers for Mr. Sawyer's release are being sent to the state prison. A spokesman said he under- stands Mr. Sawyer will be Til Inew Sawyer favcas glluagegim freed as soon as the papers are processed. Mr. Karpis, ln Ottawa on a business trip, said that Mr. §ormer public enemy No.]] Sawyer happened to be picked up in a "hot car" containing MONTREAL CP — Alvin Karp is was a central figure in shotguns and revolvers after his relearelease . making a public the robbery. Somehow Mr. (Old Creepy) Karpis, one-time statement in July that he and • Sawyer was identified by wi United States public enemy No. five others were responsible for • nesses to the crime. He sat '1, said Wednesday that U.S. au- the robbery. - that when he was picked up in 1936 by the FBI for kidnap- ;so thorities knew from, the start Sawyer was serving 20 to 100 - 1 pcoinngvicatioMninonfessoitra sbarewerr,w1hae , \ the innocence of Frank Sawyer, years. a prisoner of Kansas State Peni- Karpis said in a telephone in- discussed. tentiary pardoned, for a 1932 terview that Sawyer happened • bank robbery. to be picked up in a "hot car" Karpis, 61, has lived in Mont- containing shotguns and revol- real since January after depor- vers after the robbery. Some- tation from the U..S., S., re he how, Sawyer was identified by served 33 years for various eyewitnesses to the crime. crimes: lie said that when he was ' ..,, Sawyer, 70, was granted a flill picked up in 1936, the FBI ,‘...---- pardon Wednesday for the $40,- i conceded in an offhand manner, 000 armed robbery at Fort that Sawyer was serving a bum \ ..,...,.... Scott, Kau., in 1932. rap, .