The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1869-07-15
TMENTY-FIRST DAY.
SATURDAY, July Sd, 1869


TESTIMONY OF REV. w. C. CRANE.
Have resided in Jackson IL years, and
have been acquainted with accused ever
since my residence here; my acquaintance
with him commenced in the summer of '0S.
1t was not as intimate then as it became at
ter his fathers death, and from the time of
his fathers death till shortly before the fall
of Vicksburg my acquaintance with him
was very intimate; ; my intercourse was al
most daily, and during that time he sus-
tanned the character of 4 very exemplary
christian. He was remarkable for his lib
erality to the poor and for his kindness to
the sick, and his interest in every form of
suffering that manifested itself. On one Oc-
casion he called upon me before the depre-
citation of our money, and handed me $500,
and said he had heard of some restitution
around me, and as he was not able to ad-
minister it in person, he desired me to dis
pense it, and after dispensing that money to
let him know of every case of restitution
that might arise in the community; that he
was unwilling. while he had anything, that
want and suffering should exist around him.
He also offered his services to minister to the
sick. and on several occasions he sat up with
poor dying persons under circumstances of
great personal discomfort. He was also an
earnest Sunday School teacher; he took
greater interest in religious mattersthan per-
haps any other member of my parish; he
read a great deal on the subject of theology,
and delighted to hold frequent converse
LlOnS WITH Inc OH InOS6 SUBJECTS. 1t may De
proper to say that his interest in religious
matters seemed to be very greatly stimula-
ted by reason of the death of his father.
which made very deep impression upon
him, and his desire to show his respect for
his fathers memory in every way, and to
tread as closely as possible in his footsteps.
His father was the best man ever knew and
he seemed to feel-that is, L gathered such
without any distinct statement Of his to that
eftect-that in leading strictly reli6 ious
life, he could be in communion and fellow
ship with his fathers spirit. and sometimes
cherished the hope that he would have SEN
sible manifestations of his fathers spiritual
presence. 1t was after Gen. Grants visit to
this place, before his flank movement on
Vicksburg, that Mr.. Yerger became inVOly-
ed in personal difficulty with gentleman
here, and was appealed to by member of
his family to try To prevent its resulting in
something tragical, which was feared. L
then called on MIR. ergerand reminded him
of his obligations to conform to the laws of
God, the vows and promise he had made in
connecting himself with the Church. of the
wrong he would do his fathers memory and
example, and the inju that would result
to the church from his recognition of the
code of honor, in direct violation of the
laws of God. He wished to ignore the ex-
istence of this difficulty; he expressed a
good deal of surprise that l had heard any,
thing about it, and when l pressed the mat
ter upon him, as his pastor, he said that he
church, and settle the difficulty in the only
way in which it could be settled. He said
that his position was a very peculiar one in
the community; that he had not been appre-
ciated by his family that he was not prop
erly regarded Dy the community, and if he
sought refuge under his christian profession
from the responsibility that devolyed upon
him as gentleman, and a man of honor.
that it would lead to continued injury and
insult. That while almost any other person
lnnH farf fiaVi=t ilI IA
culiarlty of his position was such that he
was obliged TO brave the consequences. and
he wished me to erase his name from the
list of communicates. My intimate rela-
tons with the accused ceased at that time.
he may have been three or four times to
church since that period; but my respect
for what he was, and the memory of his
father, has prevented me from ever meeting
him when | have known him to be in a state
of excitement; but have been brought in
cidentally into connection with some of the
difficulties, in which he has been involved |
his family have solicited me to interfere to |
prevent the difficulties in which he has been
involved, from fatal termination; but he |
was not aware of Interference, and know
that they have multiplied very much; that |
they have been very grave and serious, |
his own life and destroying the |
peace and comfort of his own family. But !
from personal acquaintance since that time, |
| cannot state anything whatever except on I
him have thought his tone was excited. and |
his views on every subject exaggerated; he |
told me on one occasion. recollect, that he |
was at some loss whether to take United /
States Senatorship, or the mission to France. |
he thought, on account of his. daughters, /
who were about completing their education, |
hat he would go to France-if the political |
results which he then seemed to anticipate /
,ook place. He said that his party would
give him anything that he asked for, and it |
seemed to me that his tone was very eXag-
gerated; and, on his return from New i DIRK,
called with my wife to make enquiries /
With regard TO member of his family who
vas sick, and he came int the room with
tut having paid that attention to his person.
Il appearance, which he ordinarily did in
he presence of lady. so as to occasion the
remark that he had changed very much
He seemed TO have lost his propriety of con-
iuct and demeanor.
BY the Judge Advocate.
attributed his refusal to aceede to my
request in reference to the settlement of
hat difficulty to his morbid sense of honor:
attribute Ii now to lack of moral cour-
lge. and all such cases of failure of duty:
law there was great deal that was very
morbid in regard to the manner i'm which he
regarded those things; L have known MANY
persons who We're perfectly sane in every
respect yet they showed lack of moral
courage in this particular; think the pris-
)ner has been considered what you would
All ula1n OA uhsounO mimi sne mas been con-
idered and spoken of by members of his
amily as an insane man for more than two
Tears; this was kept q secret in the family
md was only communicated to mecOnfiden-
tally; previous to 1868, never suspected
Inything of the kind.
By the defense.
think the expectations the accused SEEM
d to have formed in reference to positions
n his party were very baseleSS, and OBJ
erved that there was great deal Of excite
nent; he impressed me very unfavorably
nd deprived me of any satisfaction might
therwise have had In his society IL was
ny impression at the time he was imagin-