The Columbia Democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1837-1850, 1837-07-08

nor Desha, of Kentucky.
"Late in 1925, son of Governor Desha
was charged with the murder of Baker and
arrested He applied to the Legislature at
the next session for change of venlre, on
the ground that he could not have fair trial
in the county where the offence was charged
to have been committed Although the
ganting orsuch request was always
matter Of course in Kentucky, Robert
Wicklifie, when the bill was at its last read
ing, took occasion TO pronounce studied
philippe against it, in which without
shadow of reason or truth, he charged the
unhappy father with conspiracy and corrup-
ton to screen his son from punishment
Nor did he cease pursuing the object of his
hatred with these imputations, in public and
in private, during the whole course of his
administration.
"The situation of Governor Desha, than
whom no Stateeverhad more honest Chief
Magistrate, was such as to excite the SYM
pathy of every feeling heart. The son was
charged and finally twice convicted Of MUIR
der; The father held the pardoning power
and believed him innocent. There were
circumstances which justified father in so
believing. After the son had been second
time convicted, and new trial had been
a second time granted, the whole of the Sc
cond jury, as understood, and part of the
first, petitioned for his pardon. The first
conversation ever had with the Governor
upon the subject, was introduced by him
with statement of these facts.
"le proceeded to say, that his son had
sent for him to the prison. had protested
his innocence in the strongest terms,-had
declared his unalterable purpose not to live
unless he were acquitted by iury,-and
had told him that if he sent him a pardon,
he would the next hour put an end to his
existence. 1t was found impossible to pro-
cure third unbiased jury, & the wretch
ed man remained in Jail from term to term.
Finally, on that day of horrors when
Beaucharhp was executed for the murder of
Colonel Sharp, after the suicide of his wife
and his own unsuccessful attempt, young
Desha cut his own throat with a razor,
severing the wihdpipe quite in two. In
that awful moment when he believed himself
entering into eternity, he beckoned for pen
and ink, and wrote solemn protestation
of his innocence while his life-blood was
streaming. upon the paper. saw it after
wards IN the hands of his father, so besmear-
cd with blood as to be scarcely legible.
ga father under such circumstances had
a right to believe his son innocent. None
but monster would hunt him down for so
believing and acting accordingly. But none
OF these things moved the finty heart or
quelled the slanderous tongue of Robert
Wicklif'e."
The following account ofthe Desha affair,
from the Baltimore Sun will be read with
interest.
"Francis Baker, the man murdered by
young DeSha, was a native of Newark,
New Jersey, but had for four or five years
resided in Natchez, Mississippi, where he
edited with ability and success public
newspaper. In the autumn of 1895, whilst
on his way visit his family in New jersey,
ne passed through Kentucky, and put up
at BellngaPs Hotel at the Blue Licks. In
the course of the evening, young Desha,
who was dashing, dissolute young man,
called at the Hotel--found Baker, somewhat
intoxicated, and induced him to play with
him at cards. The two sat up all NIGHT.
""N WV hOAl ihOlnllB IJGSlld, UNDERTOOK TO
conduct Baker to the residence of a gentle
man residing in the little village of Flem-
ingsburg. They left Bellingal's together,
and that was the last that was ever seen of
Baker till he was found murdered by the
road side. He was shot through the head,
and his throat was cut from ear to ear.
Suspicion fell upon Desha; he was arres-
ted, and the common opinion was that he
was guilty. Kentucky was at that time di-
ylded by two strong and bitter local par
ties.--Ihe affair was instantly seized, con-
verted into political uses, and such was the
state of the public mind in the county of
Fleming, where the murder was committed.
that it was not believed that Desha could
have fair trial ia that region, and the Le
glslature was petiloned for a change of
venire.-Mr. Robert Wickliffe, who was a
bitter opponent of Governor Desha, and a
member of the Legislature, opposed the
petition in a speech, which for eloquent in
vectlve, bitter denunciation, and whitening
sarcasm, never can be surpassed. 1t was
agreed by all parties that it was cruel as it
was eloquent.
The petition was granted; the venire was
changed to Harrison county, where Desha
was twice tried, and twice convicted. In
his fathers hand was vested the pardoning
power, and he was solicited by his wife, the
mother of his ouillv boty IN avarc;er, :. ii.