Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1839-02-07

COMMUNICATED.

COMMUNICATED.
MEssRs. EDiross--Awarc that much misrr-
Presentation Is abroad IN relation 10 4 p,tition
signed by n few Of our feIlow-citizens, and ad-
dressed to the Governor OF Virginia on the 9ist
or January last, have obtained full and true
copy OF said petition, and request the publication
OF the same. that the public may have an oppor-
tuaiiy 10 form an opinion upon the subject from
the JIets OF the case. The petition was IN thes,
words
To nj, Erss'isaey, the Corsrnor Of Virginia
The undcrSlgned, petitioners, citizens of JEFF
ferson county, respectfully represent. That ON
'Ae day OF NoveIaber last. negro save
named John. the property Of Humphrey Keyes.
i-sq., was convicted OF an attempt To comm, n
rape On white female. by n court OF oyer and
'crinneT. composed OF Six Justices Of the peace
oi said county, and was sentenced to b- executed
on Friday, the asIh day OF tho present mouth
That the tFial too& place very amer tie said
oGencc MAS committed. aud dgrihg an excite
ment Al ihc community, (cauSrd by a rumur OF
a. attempt 90 prevent the principal witness from,
apPcann;.) greater by far than any which your
petitioners have Witnessed on any other occ,s,on
IL was then sand and believed that If the trial
were evcn postponed. the accused would be seized
and unmcdiaie'y put To death without the sane
ton oi the Law. Since has cony,ctIon, many
persons have expressed strong doubts OF his
guilt. and most cf the unders.ne, are satisfied
mat he - entirely innocent. They believe that
the convict was not the individual who commit
ted the offence, and that the proscca,rix (uLo
with her family, removed FROM the Common
wealth since the conTictIon) waS mistaken ia
Identifying the person who offered violence TO
her.
Tour petitioners world be ~ vilng rs any
Persons IN tac community, that such n criuIe
should go unpunshed, but influenced by n sense
OF justice, they respectfully pray that the said
80 l.
authority given ~ law TO the Executive OF at
least, That be may be rcpFlcyed TO allow time for
further investigation OF the facts or To forward
further petitions To the Executive. This petition
- drawn ~ II So late i day. that a few individ-
uals only can have an opportunity to sign At.
December -, 1889.
lie above, a. before remarked. Is i full and
true copy, word for wor,l, If the petition aSain>,
which 50 much has 5cca said Sow, respect
fully aSk-WheIe - The Objectionable matter
winch II has been sand 10 contain. There Is not
n word against the Couu-not word against
tbs little gIri's ch1racicr--in short. nothing TO
Justify the clamoT which, has beea raised against
II md The signcrs. They are "as unwilling a
any persons IN The community, that such crne
should go UNPUBLISHED - but they believe that the
lfle glfl was mistaken in identifying the per-
Scn Who Offered violence TO her." that 1.-The con-
Wet was not the individual who committed the
offence" AMI that o. course they had ..siron..
doubts" Of has guiii,' 90 believed him ''cnilrr!y
innocent" And does this afford any Just ground
OF complaint against them; Does 1t afford any
Justification for the excitement which has been
raised or attempted To- be raised against them -
Where Is the man who has never formed opit-
ions ia opposition To the decisions Of our Courts
where there was the least room for doubt And
will II be denied that there was any room for
doubt IN the case before US; Did not the little
gifl, the only material witness IN the case admit
thai she might lie mistaken" as 10 the identity
of the negro; l assert that she dld-while she
added, "though indeed don't think I am" She
did not swear positively that be was the identicsl
negro who committed the outrage, and that II
could be none other. She left room FOR doubt
and there IS If not probability, at least pO,si-
b.Liy of his Innocenee. I am not one OF the
number. however. who believe him innocent
The views which have formed OF the case
bring me TO conclusion IN entire accordance
with the decision of the Court. But shall not
fall out wish those Uho have taken a CONTRARY
view Of the case and arrived at different con-
clusl"n. They aTe entitled To their opinions and
have no doubt reasons satisfactory to themselves,
aud which have no right To demand. IN support
OF those opinions. But enough. will only
add. that have conclusive evidence that ihis
petition was not privately" circulatcd-that II
did not reach the Governor until after he had
forwarded his letter containing the rcspiie-and
that know the sisnerS were not confined to the
rich" or To the poor" but embraced "rnechan-
les" and majority Of ''poor men" who earn
their bread by the sweat OF the brow"
JUSTICE.
L. S. DO not wish 1t to be sad that this IS
an anonymous communication. I know the truth
Of III statements, and give YOU the privilege Of
furnishing my name TO any WHO may demand It.
To TIC Editors Of ne ChHtesfora Free Prs,s
GESTLEMGS:
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