New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-03-24
WHOLE NUMBER 926.

| t.
want to have anything to do with you.
although Mr.. Cammack, in his excitement,
had hardly spoken about Mr.. Nixon; he had
tried to avoid him; he did everything to
prevent a oaarrel. What is next? An in
vitation from Mr.. Nixon to go out. There
is one of the witnesses who says the invi-
ton came from Mr.. Cammack all the
others say it came from Mr.. Nixon.
The Attorney General says: be who pro-
yokes an attack. can not shelter himself
from its effects. Who provoked the attack
Mr.. Nixon, as all the witnesses proved.
Remember the evidence. From the be-
ginning Mr.. Cammack refused to have
ANYTHING to do with him. When Nixon
called him out, the difficulty had to be
settled somewhere else.
Then Mr. Cammack could not refuse to
| go out. He had tried to shake him OH, to
have no difficulty with him. Who, who
had the heart Of a man within him, could
| refuse this invitation, unless he loaded
himself with the scorn of the gentlemen
| present.
Mr.. Cammack led the way; Mr.. Nixon
| followed closely-this is the first act of the
tragedy. Who was the aggressor? Was it
he who had enjoyed freely the bountiful
festival table of his friends, or he who was
cool, without fear, without excitement
whatever?
| will not say, as cold hammered man
as ever scutled ship or cut throat, be-
cause Mr. Nixon was a man OF honor.
Well, Mr.. Nixon walked out; MIR. Cam
mack follows unwillingly. They go on
the sidewalk. What occurred? Recollect,
nobody on the stairs but both gentlemen.
ViX was in the back room; he went to the
steps, then to the room, then raised the
windows, then got on the gallery, and
then looked down the street.
What happened in this space of time,
nobody knows. Mr.. Ripley, who was sit
ting in the reading room, heard loud
talking, but did see nothing, could under
stand nothing. Vix heard loud talking,
he heard Cammack say, "Let me alone,
let me 60"
| 1 do not deem it necessary to go into
details, as my colleagues have done so
already. What is the evidence of Theo-
dore Vix? That he saw Mr.. Nixon and
Mr.. Cammack; saw Mr.. Cammack shooting;
Mr.. Nixon face to Cammack Mr.. Cam
mack shooting him, and still there is no
wound in the front part of the body OF
the deceased. Almost in the twinklng OF
an eye, the going down stairs, the retreat
of Nixon, the shooting, all was confusion,
and when he (Vix) says that he saw the
shot fired in this way, he undoubtedly was
mistaken, although he wants to tell the
truth.
Cannon says he saw Nixon look toward
Cammack and then saw Cammack shooting
him, still the ball entered the right side.
Then gentlemen, it is untrue that he was
shot in that position as Vix says, and just
as untrue in that position as Cannon says.
Cannon says he was shot as he said: 81
am not armed" The evidence of the two
witnesses is contrary in every respect. II
then, in this crowd, one man would shot
another, how many men would give the
same evidence? l am the last men to
charge perjury on behalf of the Witnesses.
I have seen too much mistakes in such
cases. 1t is a physical impossibility that
what Vix or what Cannon says was lite
rally true. No, gentlemen, it was the con-
fusion that misled them.
In the confusion of the fearful tragedy,
, neither of the witnesses could retain
!, distinct recollection of facts. You can
not believe Cannon and not believe Vix;
, it is impossible; not that they are false,
!, but they are mistaken. VINO else was
!, present? Who else saw what accused
! did on the sidewalk? My client, Mr..
, Cammack, and Mr.. Nixon, who is now in
, his silent grave. Mr.. Cammack comes
, forward, as nan of truth and candor,
and admits that he shot, with his pistol,
Mr.. Nixon. But why did he do it? l am
! not giving in any definitions of murder,
, manslaughter or self defense. In murder,
, is malice; malice is here out of the ques-
: ton. Neither of the gentlemen had any
malice in going to the club house.
, Nixon was tall and remarkably well
!, formed man of powerful build, cool
! and active-a young, strong man.
! There is my client, sixty-one years of
, age, feeling old age coming on to him, no
: aCtiveness of youth remaining-they are
= going down stairs; Nixon put his hand in his
breast. see his high, powerful form now
, before me. Cammack says, 81 have nothing
to say to you" Nixon struck him, and as
he did so turned his right side to Mr.. Cam
Y mack. Remember, MIR. Cammack went
b out unwillingly, still Nixon continued this
e cold blooded insult. '.Are you armed ??
l. says Nixon. "That is nothing to you, u
d says Cammack.
l. When calling him out, when continuing
q his insults, when, relying ia his superio!
l. strength, he struck him. What was Mr.
o Cammack to do-runaway-in the mex
u | uOultuI ula tSoailduG WouAo hnfO 6i0P
o Piled him and thrown him, and then there
o was every reason for Mr.. Cammeck tt
l. believe that Mr. Nixon was armed, ani
le prepared to follow up the violent blow
e, and fulfill his revenge. Talk of tigers IL
ID the jungle, don't know anything so ter
N rible as man, cool and desperate, bent OF
le his purpose.
u Gentlemen, ask you what was Mr..
u Cammack to, do? What would you do
,e Answer me in your hearts, Do You want
s. the law of self defense? God Almighty
,e has written into your hearts. If you be
vs. lieve that will destroy your life, have yor
th not the right to destroy my life Chris
Id tianity does not tell me to prefer the life
S. of my enemy to my own; it gives me th'
", right to take his lite. Is that 80 in Mr.
e. Cammack's case? Do you think he is re
70 ioiced at it? His heart hleeds with mor'
w bitterness over the strong necessity of the
", act forced on him. Since he had em
IS ployed me, l have seen him lament the
d. death of the deceased. Does natural jus
y tice, humanity compel you to consign hin
i, to felon's cell? The cry of his childrel
D. to you is: ''Do justice in mercy
h not from spirit of revenge" Gentle
to men, he has lived with US nearl,
lg fsixty -one years. 1, myself, hav
ID known him nearly forty years; kind AM
e. good man-good to the poor. striving fo
ps his country, his family, bis friends;
IN father aud grandfather dotted on. Is it