Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1858-05-06
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,-sr.s-si 81 LoWNEs rFGiii 4 90.
son kiHedD that If tee SAID Dyson had not
used The ulmest csutioa, aud taken the Ike of
said Nelms that said Nelms would have tsk ken
the life Of sid Dyson with his own hands, or
By procBrement-and that said Dyson was in
possession OF the factt that Nslus coutemD stcd
"a king bis life, from circumstances ard state
ments made ts him Of the most reliable char
scteT-snd further, that At the time OF killing,
/ Dyson thought and hai good reason 20 believe,
that be vas acting strictly In ssif-defeEse and
we believe the same 10 be true"
Now, II this statement be correct, though Il
does Bot amount TO justification Of Dyson for
the killing Of Nelms, It certainly affords a
strong reason for the interposition OF Execu-
: tive cleDency, when sustained BY the expressed
wish Of many ol he citizens OF the count y
where the Ofense was committed And II II
| be true that Dyson killed Nslms IL consrq 1encg
OF a Well-fogndsd belef, as stated 1y tie pc
titiOneTs, that il vas the only means Of pre-
serving his own life-hss not bis punishment Of
over five years In the peniteutisry sufficiently
atOned for bis crime2
/ The fact stated 10 the petition that Dyson
! killed Nelms on account OF sppre5snsious for
security Of bis own life, is fully SUSTAINED by
I the testimony Of witnesses au the trial Of tie
case, and also bY numerous letters addressed 10
me BY citizens Of Psuola county; and thoagh
I It could 10; justify the act OF killing, il goes
far 10 lessen the enOTIlity q the crime Of tax
( ing the lie Of human being-snd more espe-
cially was Dyson justified 10 the belief Of real
danger, from Tie admittedly dangerous and vio-
/ lent character OF Nelms who had been charged
with and tried FOR the crime Of murder
On the sth Of March, soon after the receipt
OF the petition for the pardon OF D ,s0n, sd-
dressed the following letter 70 several gentle
men Of Pamela county-asking the following
questions-thst is: q have had presented 10
me petition signed by several hundred citi-
zens Of Panois county, asking the release oi
James H. Dyson, who has been confined IN the
I psniteutiary for the lsst five years for killing
samuel n. Nslms. From the statement Of the
I petitioners, and the great number Of them,
am inclined 10 suppose that the ends Of public
Justice may have been obtained. and no fur her
good would result from the punishment Of Dy-
sOn.-h this be 80, in consideration Of the uIi-
protected state Of bis t,so daughters. and the
petition of 20 many Of bis feilow-eitizaBs
among whom he hss lived, and among whom
be is to continue &c lige, If ! should release
him, have thought it ny duty to open a cor
respondenee with yourself and several other
citizens OF your county, for the purpose Of az
ceTtsining the true state Of public sentiment
Permit me, then, to ask yea the following ques-
tions
"Ist. Do you believe that the punishment oi
Dyson has been sufficient for hIs OHenss, and
that the demands Of public justice have been
satisfied
ss2nd. Do you believe that Il is the wish Of
very large majority Of those acquainted with
Dyson, (aBd the circumstances Of the killing
Of Nelms,) that Dyson should be released from
the peniteBtisry2
's3d. Is It the general opinion that Dyson killed
Neims 10 conseq lence OF a well founded appre-
hension that it Was the only means OF protecting
his owu life-and tbot be really was IN danger
from Nelms Z"
To the above letter two Of the persons writ
ten 10 declined to express any opinion, snd one
was against the pardon Of Dyson; all the rest
were 10 favor OF his pardon. Ine following
Is an extract from the letter OF one Of the most
respectable men IN the county, and all the rest
were TO the same effect:
" In answer 70 your first question, / will say
that kelm's character for perseverance IN the
sccOmp 'ishmeut (sItber by his own hands, or
Z BY procurement,) Of his rsvengeiul and vindic-
tive purposes, Was 90 notorious, that Dyson
was tsbsrred from. and could not safely trust
to the legal remedy Of peace-Warrant, and
consequently, / think that whilst the ma jesty
Of the law has been fully viudicatsd, by the in-
earcerstio OF DysOa, the confinement bas been
more than sufficient for the of nse be commit
ted.
:. To the second and third questions respond
unhesitstisgiy in the affirmative. I think
know the sentiment OF the people Of this county
and believe that a large majority OF those ac.
ousiuted with Nelms believe that Dyson's life
was in great danger, and that hes Dyson, dic
right TO anticipate helU's deadly purposes
as the only means Of saving bis own life. Dy'
son and Nelms were near neigbboIs, and liVe'
some thirteen or fourteen miles northwest IRON
Panola. Fesise in the same neighboIhood
Among the people here, where Dyson wiii con
tinue to reside, II be is released, nearly all ar
signers to the petition 10 your EXcelieney FOL
the pardon Of Dyson"
such, substantially, were the answers CT th'
persons 10 whom ] wrote, with The before-men'
TONED exceptions. But the fact that DysoI
killed Neims under frn conviction that j
was the snly means left him to save bis Owl
I ne is not ouly proved BY the very numerous
clhzeIs Of Psnoia county who have signed tn
petition for his pardon, and by letters a reply
10 ny letter; bat By very many letters from
eiuLens OF the county (of the best character
ahd "ho, from oflcisl positions and other cir.
eumstanees, knew fHily and well all about the
Importance OF what they wrote. have beer
urged and tmportunes for The pardon Of Dyson
II any matter dependent on testimony can b.
proved beyond controversy, the papers in m,
possession prove that be killed Nslms under
well founded belief that il was the only mean
/ left TO him Of protecting or defending his ow
iife- ! agree with the petitioners, that fy
years IN the penitentisry is a sufficient punish
nsHt Cor bon.eids taas e0uHittsd. & !
Fss thsi ne les ssahol sllss aHy aAs Ie e