Vicksburg weekly herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1868-1883, 1870-10-08

sNs1 lSAAug WIZ "NAAeA III Ah1
field with the negro. On one &C.
the boy and negro quarrel
ed and fought and in conse-
quence Of which Mr.. Markham
discharged Taylor. After which
he continued 10 Turk about the
place until the day upon which
young Markham was murdered,
then left and was never seen there
after.
The circumstances attending the
death of young Markham are as
follows: After the discharge of
Taylor, it was his custom to 60
into the crib each morning at
about daylight for provender for
the horses. One morning, soon
after the discharge Of Taylor,
young Markham not returning to
breakfast at the usual hour, was
sought and found insensible
and in q dying condition in the
crib. DR.. John L. Hebron call
ed in and declared that he was
dying from injuries received by a
blow or blows upon the head.
During the day he died. Suspi-
cion, however, did not attach to
any one, nor would Taylor in all
probability have ever been discov-
cred as the author of this horrible
murder but for HE own state
ments. Perfectly indifferent to
consequences and elated at his act,
it was not long before he declared
to several persons that he had
killed young Markham by butting
him on the head. About this
time he killed negro girl on the
plantation Of Mrs. Davidson in
this county. He was then arrest
ed, committed and tried at the
last term Of the Circuit Court,
held in this city, for the
murder Of Markham. The testi.
mony was ample, and he was con.
victed of murder aud sentenced to
be hung on the lst Of the present
month. The testimony estab-
lished that, actuated by a spirit
of revenge, and knowing the
habits Of young Markham, he had
during the night secreted himself
in the crib, and on the fatal morn.
ing, when the lad went to the crib
as usual, he killed him by hutting
him on the head. When the jury
came into the Court to return the
verdict, it was polled and each in
dividual declared that the verdict,
as rendered, was correct.
The last Legislature knowing the
purchasable character of its officers
passed an act permitting the Gov
ernor to commute the sentence in
capital cases to Imprisonment for
life or such other term as he shall
deem adequate.
A few weeks since, the negroes
Of this county rode about indus
triously, procuring signers to q Pc
tition, praying Governor Alcorn
to commute the sentence of Tay-
Tor. Upon the presentation of
this petition, Governor Alcorn
granted a respite until the 2lst
inst, by which time other infu-
ences will probably be brought to
bear.
Governor Alcorn should re-
member that he is the Governor
of Mississippi and not of a politi-
cal faction, and that he is placed
in his present position to cause the
law to be duly and properly exc
cuted. He should be thoroughly
acquainted with the testimony
in this case and if he is governed by
a sense ofduty there can be but one
thing which can justify him in in
terfering in behalf Of Taylor, and
that is the established fact, out
side the testimony given the court,
that Taylor did not take the life
of Markham. In such event the
man is entitled to an uncondition-
al pardon, and should at once be
released, but If on the other hand,
it should be undoubted that he is
the author Of the killing, he is
guilty Of an attOciOus, malicious,
and brutal murder ofa how. and il