The weekly Panola star. [volume] (Panola, Miss.) 1857-1881, 1858-05-12

hes heeH pfesas'fd u me. sblth
psl,lea seais'ss i've fsllsrinf ssis.
nshtsf
Thsi Il I" from The Ihoulsiso NJ
have N ll,e general disposition of Ne
ssIi NsIms No yerssh Killed, Nat
! I Ne saId llysos hal net wsd w.
al,nest ssatlsn, ssd taken iIe lie oi
said stlmi, lhsi sad Nslma would
hsge taken lle liis u sad Dysoh
With hIs osn hanls, ~ ~ procure.
mont. sai that said Dyson vas N
possession Of The fse, the, Nelms
contemplated taking he life, IRON
cirum,iahees Mhj statements made
TO bim u tie most telisLle ehaigcier
and further, lhal at the time OF
killing Dyson thought, and had good
reason ,o believe, lha, he W. acting
strictly in self.ief,nse. and We be.
lIoys lhs same 10 be Itue.'
Now, II tbs statement be correct,
though Il docs not amount q jusiI.
hcation n Dyson fw the killing Of
Nelm,, Il certainly affords a slrour
reason lvI lbe interference Of Esocu.
tive clemebcy, When sustained by The
expressed Wifh " ~ many Of The
citizens u the county where The
oicnsc was committed. Aud II it
be true iha, Dyson killed Nclms In
consequence Of a well. founded bclici,
~ stated by tho petitioners, ,ha, II
Vas the only means ~ preserving his
own llle--has no, his punishment VI
over live years IN the peni,cn,iary
sailiclebtly atoncd Ior his aime!
The facts stated in the petition
that Dyson killed Nclms on accoun,
Of cpprchensions Tor security Of his
own life, il fully sustained by the
testimony Of witnesses on shc trial
Of the case, and also by numerous
letters addressed to me by ei.IseDs Of
Panola county; and though j, could
no, ju,iiiy the act of killing, J, goes
far to lessen the cnorlnily Of the
crime tf lnking the life Of a human
bcing--and more especially was by.
son justified IN the belief of rcaI
danger, from ,l,s admittedly danger.
ous and violcn, character Of Ncl'as,
who had been charged With aud tried
for the crime Of murder.
On the l.h n March, soon af,cr
the rcceip, Of the petition for III,
pardon Of Dyson, | addressed III,
following letter to several gentlemen
VI Panola rouuiy--asking the follow
ing ques,ions---l'hst il. II have be,
presented TO me q petition, signed b,
several hundred citizens Of Panoll
county, asking the release Of Jamel
II. Dyson. who has been conGucd il
the peui,cn,iary for the last 6v,
years, for The killing of Samuel II
Nclms. From the statement Of ,h'
petitioners, and the great number o
ihea, | sm Inclined 10 suppose sha
the ends oi pablIc Justice may hav
been obtained. and no further goo
would result from the punishment 0
Dyson. II this be 80, in considera
ton Of the unprotected state Of bi
TWO daughters, ani tho petition o
! 50 many Of bis fellow citizens, ,nmonI
! whom ke has lived, and among whot
he 10 70 continue 10 live, " ] shosl
release him, | have thought il M
duty to open q correspondence vit
yourself aud several other citizens o
your county, for the purpose .
ascersaining the true STATE of publ
. sentiment. Permit -, then, 10 %
you The following qssssions
\ "lst. DO yos believe that ID
punishment Of Dyson has been suiIi
cicn. for his ofcnse, and that the d.
msnds Of public justice have bee
satisfied!
20. 10 yVs os''ess N:''. ~ y !. - ..s' y
/. vsn OF avery ,s,E msjW'syv, s"V'