The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1873-04-17
TRIUMPHANT VERDICT
ACQUITTAL!!
General Lowry Completely Vindicated
from the Charges Of the
Attorney General.
The House Of Representatives Endorse
the Resolutions with but Three
Dissenting Votes!
THE CHARGE AND SPECIFICATIONS.
To the Honorable the House of Representa-
tiUes of the State of Mississippi:

To the Honorable the House of Representa-
tiUes of the State of Mississippi:
GENTLEMEN At your last session a law
was passed. just on the eve of adjournment,
which annulled all the bail bonds and recog-
nizances in criminal cases then pending in
the courts of Mississippi. and at the same
time released all the sureties thereon from
any liability to the State, whether the Grim
inaI had already fled. or should thereafter
flee from justice. All murderers, thieves,
torgers and other felons, if under bond or
recogniZance. were bv this law authorized
10 escape; the ends of justice were in hun
dredS of cases thus legally defeated; and
tie State was made to lose hundreds of
thousands of dollars which had been secur-
ed by bonds and recogniZances under her
laws. and upon which, by Judgment final
at the return terms" as required by another
section OF the same act, the sureties would
in many cases have been certainly com PEELED
70 pay the penalties in money into the
Public Treasury.
This measure of relief to criminals has
been generally condemned as revolving To
every principle of justice. and is believed
10 be absolutely without precedent or par
allel in the history of civilized governments.
And vet it was amendment to Il bill
which had for its original object more
faithful and efficient enforcement of the
laws. The original bill having been refer
red TO the Judiciary Committee, and that
committee had. after inserting this amend
therefore no wonder that the bill, being u
purely judicial one, should have passed in
the hurry and confusion which generally
precedes an adjournment without any no.
'ice being taken OF the amendment. 1t is
quite certain that many members of both
houses voted for it who would not have
done n had they known of the change made
in it while in charge of the committee.
The following is a copy of letter, the
original of which is in my possession. 1t is
/ tn IN Chairman n
Your Judiciary Committee i'll reply to an in
quiry of mine and submit it to your hon
Orable body. because in connection with
other corrobative evidence, which is easily
obfainet, il removes all She mystery, which
FOR nearly twelve months has hung over
this strange enactment.
Mr.. Willing says:
JACKSON, Miss, March II, 1873.
Hon j. 5. Norris Attorney General:
DEAR SIR: In answer to your inquiry of
the Sth inst, 1 have to inform you that Hon.
Robert Lowry of the House of Representa-
tives, from Rankin county. is the author
and originator of the provision law abol-
ishing ali bail bonds and recogniZAnces and
annuling all proceedings thereon as that
provision now appears in sections nine and
I t,n OF an act 10 amend the rules OF proee-
/ dare in criminal eases" passed at last seS-
sion See Acts of 1872, p. Sc.
The facts are these: The original bill,
+ without this clause, was introduced by Mr..
! Mcintosh. of Chickasaw. and was referred
i to the Judiciary Committee. of which was
! Chairman, and of which Mr.. Lowry was a
I member. In the committee, Mr.. Lowry re-
! fused to support the bill unless amended by
this provision, but would support the bill II
+ so amended. He therefore requested me TO
/ draft aud report an amendment embracing
/ this idea, and, being chairman of the COM
/ nIirtee, | did so; and on its passage. Mr..
/ Lowry supported and voted for the bill as
( amended. See House Journal of 1872, p. S67.
! | have no knowledge as to whether Mr..
/ Lowry had any fees or other private inter-
/ est involved in his action and vote on this
| law. He is. however, an attorney, praetic-
| ing law in Rankin county, and an examina-
ton of the dockets and records of the
courts of that and some adjoining counties
would probably furnish the desired infor-
| nation.
am, respectfully.
Your Obedient servant,
w. WILLING.
Such being the origin and authorship OF
| the measure, I ask your attention now to
the motive and inducement which prompted
Mr.. Lowry to conceive the idea to ask its
introduction and to vote for It's passage.
l have only limited personal aeQuaint-
ance among the good people of Rankin
county, upon whose peace and good order
outrages have of course been occasionally
committed. and whose interests in the Leg
stature Mr.. Lowry processes 10 represent
have not searched their judicial records
nor sought among theneOple for charges Of
. witnesses against Mr.. Lowry. i sci Il,