The Ripley advertiser. [volume] (Ripley, Miss.) 1843-1897, 1846-01-17

Mississippian and the Southern Reformer, for
sending US copies, the former Of thor dsiIv and
the latter of their ri.weekly sheet and, if j, 10
not asking too much, we solicit continuance of
heir favors. ..ss--ls-ss..ea.ss. s-n
Life and Confession Of A. j. McCAYNON N.
Murderer Of the Adcock Family, b. W. G.
Faikner, R,PL% Mississippi.
An article, with ths above caption, appeared
in late number of the FrankHn (Tuscumbia.
Ala) Democrat, which we designed noticing a,
an earlier PERIOD but for the fact that the paper
was misaid. Having cotton our hands UPON !,
again, we now proceed TO do 90.
The Editor not conten, with pronounc;,r
the narrative "a tissue Of the most bare. faced
falsehoods" he ever met with, as far as !, repa,.
ded M'Cannon's life and performances al tina,
place, must needs also aim at our townsman
Mr.. Falkner upon whose authority the publica.
ton was pu, forth, an i'll na.ured and contempt.
bile thrust in the following words:
ave do not know MIR. Fakner, the author
but will here take occasion to advise hlm, be.
fore he again publishes the ISLANDERS of villain
Gus vagabond upon the characters Of honest
ctizene, he had better prepare 10 shield his own
back trom such infections Of the cow hid. as-his
hero, M Cannon, boasts Of having dealt upm
citizens ofthis Place"
Respecting the Editors structures upon the
details Of the pamphle, itself, we have no.
word to utter. If he detected false statements
in il, he was but performing the part of q faith
ful public journalist in pointing them ont. But
when he turns aside to assa individuals who in
no wise endorse those statements. we have
something TO say in reply.
1 What were the circumstances under which
the publication, bearing the title Of A J, Nc.
Cannon's life and confession, was cotton up!
! When that notorious individual was frs, taken
and brought back into this county, he told the
. crowd who detained him in custody, after hav.
ing wrested him out ofthe hands of the guard
who were bringing him on 10 Jail, that, If they
would allow him time, he would prepare and
leave them narrative Of his life, including all
|
the circumstances ofthe murder. This aroused
public curiosity. The conversations subse.
quently had with him, whilst he was in prison,
by various individuals, and related abroad by
them, but increased the desire manifested on
all sides 10 see fu report OF his confessions.
There was general wish to have M'Cannon's
ri, n nL a. tOo inst a q Ee him.
self Told it. After his condemnation, therefore,
the publication Of his narrative was urged not
only by ctizcns of this. but Of the adjoining
counties, and it's execution suggested to differ
cni individuals. Under these circumstances
. Mr.. Falkner procured a copy Of the narrative,
as given by M Cannon himself and had j. pub.
lished. In go doing, he but responded to the
call made by the public.
AS to the pamphlet itself it comes before the
public not as the production Of a man whose
:, whose name'consttuies sort Of voucher for the
: ruth Of what it contains but as the story OF an
individual publicly executed for the highest
crime known to the laws Of the land. The
reader. is, therefore, by this very crcumstace
prepared beforehand to receive with caution
: and great many grains Of allowance, i's state
y ments, particularly where they are designed e
= extenuaie the conduct OF the accused hmsel
and involve other persons. Hence every mar
e reads and draws conclusions for himself, taking
all the circumstances into consideration, rec
|pecting the probability or improbabiity Of the
= ,hings related. If M'Cannon has sanderet
m honest men, il is either their fault for having
u kept bad company, or their misfortune in hav.
ne ing been known to scoundrel. The man who
T is careful to maintain reputation above susP
" cion--who leads life Of such uniform integrity
:" that all who know him point him out as an up
right citizen-rarely ever finds bis name 'mpro.
perry connected with the evil deeds Of villain
:, Hence the inducement to shun the company o
- the vicious, and to secure such character.
- AS to whether Mr.. June Bynum did OF o0
- not act as the friend Of McCannon upon GER
80 tain occasion, when the latter states be nao
" difficulty at CORTLAND, seems to Us . matter .
en- small moment. Even supposing be dio 90 ~
the act BY no means connects him WIN 'A'
late cu;lt and icnominy of the executed mo'
:. derer. We are sorry to say it il too frequen'
!. " the case, that respectable men are 'oun0 =
l r. -. r4VefYVa