Arkansas true Democrat., 1859-02-23
TO THE PEOPLE OF LAWRENCE

have never denied his. right to claim know nothing support, seeing, by his course that he IS an enemy to democratic principles, and know nothing at heart. But I have questioned and still oppose his claim to public sympathy. If an innocent man is accused of crime, he is entitled to raise the 'ry ot persecution; but guilty man has no such right The question, then, is whether 4. r. McAlexander is guilty or not gull ty."
 To enable you to determine the matter, l caused to be published in the True De- macrat of December 29th d duly certified transcript of tAe record of the Pulaski cir cult court, in the case of the State vs. Z. r. McAlexander, charged with larceny; to- gether with duly certified copy of the tes- timony of c. c. Danley, a witness before the examining court in the same case. To refresh your recollection of the facts, as set forth in that publication, here quote the testimony of the above named witness, as follows:
 THE STATE OF ARKANSAS,
 COUNTY OF PULASKI.
 Justices Court sitting as examing court
 July 22d, 1852.
 State of Arkansas, Plo;nt'f,
 /. P. McAlexder, Detendant.
 Upon a charge of larceny.
 C. C. Danley sworn on the part of the State
 was introduced to defendant about the Sth July, 1852
 On or about the same day, Mr. Tucker bought me one dozen shirts, that is about h. eth of July 1852 Those shirts were tied up compactly in bundle, which | put in my wardrobe, so that might mark them at subsequent day. They had never been opened by me. l counted them. and there were dozen. Dr. McAlexander left here on the llth of July, 1852, and | took the shirts out on the 12th to mark and number them. On examination of the shirts found that there was only ten had writ ten an advertisement, describing the shirts. to be published in the Gazette & Democrat, but when going to the Anthony House, lIom the remarks from Mir. Collins. brother of the | proprietor, 1 was induced to believe that it might be possible that my shirts were in the saddle bags of the defendant On examina- ion oftho saddle bags. I fonn1 two shirts which are the same that had purchas d from 1 Tucker. At that time the gloves and hand- kerchief had not missed NIT. Glass kad me if l had lost anything ol-e, l told him ] did not know He, Glass, then produced the gloves and handkerchief, which is here before tho court. One of the pair of gloves, think are mine. One hand lerchnf which X here before court is mine and marked iii my name"
 On the testimony aldduced, the sworn grand jurors of Pulaski county, found m in 'i"tment against MoAlnvander, char ing him, on their paths, with the mean crime of larceny. This was at the Decem- Der term, 1852. At the June term, 1853, the thief did not appear to stand his trial, hrt "onsoiouS of guilt, forfeited his recog- nizance. After the adjournment of that term, he came forth from his hiding place, and Was taken again into custody and rc- quired to enter into bond. At the Decem- Der term, 1858. his guilty conscience had once more made him betakc himself to con cealmcnt, and his second recognizanco was also forfeited. But in January, 1854, he was brought to trial, when iurv was em- | plnolled, the testimony given in, and la borionS arguments made by two lawyers in his behalf, five cntir9 days elapsed after the jury retired and before they were diScharr- ed, vet they could not aquit him anI miss l trial Was agreed to. On the 24th of Jan nary, lN34, hv consent, another iurv was ompauoIel, the testimony was again given in and his two lawyers again Iabored for his ac4uttal. The second jury considered the ease four days sncceSsivelv, but couId not agree that nc was innocent. and another mis-stral was the result
 On the 4th of February 1854 the State, attorney appeared in the court and asked leave to prosecute the case no further
 Two sworn iuries, 24 good and lawful men, had weighed the facts for nine doys, and their conscienccs would not permit them to say that McAlcxander was not a thief. Then, in sheer compassion, as it woul seem. the States attorney made the above request, the judge merciiullv granted it-a nol'c prose7W was entered and the shirt stcacr was at last turned loose. brand ed by the record l have referred to, as ef- tectually as if justice had been meotod out to him by condemnation to the pententia- ".
 The whole world contains but one wretch so lost to shame as to think his reputation vindicated hy such proceedings as those I have detailod-that hardened miscreant is Z. ?. McAlexander. the wcll-beloved lea der of the Lawrence county know nothings and disorSanizers, the cunning piferor of shirts, gloves and handkerchiefs. He foul- 1 ly brides himself on his infamy, and is SO utterly corrupt as to fancy that it does him honor. Over his own signature in the True Democrat of January 26th. he boasts that the iuries that tried him were composed of some of the best, and most intelligent and most distinguished ctizens.''
 If he had been innocent, would such iu- TOTS have consumed nine days in finding it out? If there had not been the strongest circumstances of guilt. less than absolute certainty, would such iuries, after nine days natient investigation, have refused to acouit him?
 He concratulates himself, also, that a | NOftc UfONfTHt NuN tllltitl. II ne nHN 00f been guilty, would he have consented to be thus practically pardoned out of the peni- tentiary by States attorney and circuit judge? What honest man would not "a ther sit in jail than accept liberty on such terms? Who but thief would be willing that a charge of stealing should be hushed up by nol, pros, instead of being rebutted by a verdict of jury?
 Judge of this for yourselves, and then say what you think of the nol pros "mar- tyr," the " persecuted" thief. the 1" much injured" shirt -stealer, 7. r. McAlexander, clerk of Lawrence county, and generalles- mo of the know nothings and disorganizing forces
 It is an old saying, that tho man that will lie will steal;" it is equally true that the man that will steal will lie. This ac- counts for the batch of islander and false hood that McAlexander spawns in his pub lication just referred to- For instance, he says: l solicited him to become candidate