Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-03-11
CHARLES M. STEWART.
Final Action Upon HIS Case.
Ehe Governor says he Cannot Grant
the AppifeafiOu for Pardon


! nave been made to secure a pardon for
Charles N. Stewart, convicted of killing
his wife Oct. 20, 1859, and who, after sew
erai re-hearings of his case, was sentenced
10 ten years confinement in the peniten-
tlary. The following petitions have been
presented the Governor by NJ. NJ. Brien,
Mr.. Stewards counsel, since the final de-
elslon In the case by the Supreme Court:
SWORN STATEMENT OF MR.. STEWART
10 the Hon. Supreme Court of Tennessee:
l, Charies NJ. Stewart, appeal to God, the
aFenger OF falSehoOd and awarder of truth
70 witness my solemn declaration to man.
On that fatal morn, the 10Th of October.
lo0v, as said, L have no recollection of
being in the presence of my wife; that did,
without the least provOcation, shoot and
Kill her then can be no doubt. But as God
IS my judge, it was the act of the body ard
not OF sound mind and discretion. All of
that terrible tragedy is as a blank piece of
paper before me.
LOVED MY WIFE
and do now revere her memory. Once
L was prosperous but adversely came and
made me victim to intoxicating drinks.
Ina bit acknowledgement or delirum tremers.
l slew her. l feel that my time here on
earth is Of but short duration. l have been
confined in prison since that unfortunate
event. have had opportunities time and
again to escape, but feeling consciously that
my defence was true and genuine, L
awaited the Judgment Of my peers. For
my conduct since my confinement L refer
to the keepers Of the Jail; before that time
your hOnOrs have the records. As to NV
health | refer to the physicians, certificates.
Now that can speak, pray the Honorable
-. /.
Jno. @. Brown, Governor of the State, a
pardon be granted me, for / know not
what did, and now swear eternal absti-
hence from strong drink. For sympathy |
refer 30 the petition of my friends and ac-
quaintances. c. NJ. STEWART
Sworn and subscribed to before me
Feb. 10, 1874. J.H. BRANTLEY, J.P.
WHAT HIS JAILoRs SAY.
The following are the representations |
made by the present ia lOt and his immedi- |
ate predecessor, with reference to the con-
duct Of Mr.. Stewart during his long term |
of confinement in the county Jail.
/, John Shelton, former jailor of David |
son county, state that | was the clerk of
the Jail when Charles NJ. Stewart, on the
10th of October, 1869, was brought TO the
p-ison,and afterwards the jailor. 1, as tailor,
had charge Of him from that time until nv
successor, Robert Patterson, took charge.
On one or two occasions a mutiny broke !
out among the prisoners. The prisoners |
got out into the yard, and would have es-
capped had il not been for prisoner, Charles
NJ. Stewart. He closed the door that leads
from thei yard, and Immediately gave the
alarm, whereby all the prisoners were Sc
cured. He could have easily escaped-but
as he said then, and ever has so cOntended.
that he was not conscious of the crime for
which he was charged, and he would never
leave the prison until the law give him
liberty to go. He always conducted him ! ;
self, while under my charge, in the most !
manner. He arrested the es-
cape, when he himself had been convicted
and sentenced 10 the penitentia-y. on his {
first trial. lie has suffered much, and l | !
earnestly hope that his sentence will be 1
committed by pardon. His conduct and {
condition, in my opinion, merits pardon.
JOHN NJ. SHELTON,
Late Tailor Of Davidson county.
Subscribed and sworn to before me, this,
Inc 10th day Of February, 1874.
L. ID. CASSETTY, j. 2.
For Davidson county.
JAILOR PATTERSON. .
/, Robert Patterson, the present tailor of !
Davidson county, state that have known
he prisoner for number of years. Since
us confinement under my charge, his con-
iuct has been, everything considered, most =
emarkable-fOr exemplary kindness and -
Experiment. Through his means, the :
'Elson, on one occasion, was made safe
gainst an outbreak Of the priSoners-he = =
ave the alarm. He has had, while under y
ny keeping, more than a hundred oppor-
unities to escape. For over year, when u
Re was able, he has been my turnkey. In
ny opinion nothing could have induced him v
o leave but averdict Ofaequittal. Ihave had .
mi still have every confidence in him. While
N trial before the Honorable Court, | sent | a
inI in carriage by himSelfbackwarLls and Il
Drwards. He has'been in bad health ever >
ince last spring, with the heart disease, or "a
like it. Since then he has not "
cen in close confinement. believe il PI
-Ould have killed him. He mas enioyed ol
he Of my family rooms connected with the ~
III, and has had full liberty to move around ii'
'henever he desired about the Jail prem ne
les. His two little bows occupied the III
pom with him. He is a kind. warm III
earted man-fIee from LIQUOR a perfect III
in my opinion. He has been
Dber and free from liquor since he has 70
cen with me. | earnestly hope, for his 81
Ike and that Of his two BOYS, Robert and 10
harlie, the Honorable Supreme Court can ~! ~
nd 1t n their power to recommend his ~
lrdOn by the Governor. If confined in NJ
ie penitentiary he cannot live long. All 81
us present winter he has had fire in his '"
'om and been made comfortable, and if '"
mined In cell he certainly cannot last III
NC, TO the best Of my belief; therefore ., 80
ay his pardon. X. :. PATTERSON, IA
Jailer Davidson county. r.
Subscribed and sworn 10 before me.
L. d. CAsSETTY, J. p. ~
The following IN
STATEMENT OF HIS PHYSICIANS +!
lows the present condition of Mr.. Stew ou
is health:
On the evening Of the 16th-of February, cit
"a, in company with DIR. Menees, we ex- all
mined said Stewart and found him IN the ut
flowing condition.: First, his left lung, mi
e lower lobe in an almost complete hepa- Iii
lied state, and the right lung was effected Eel
a greater or less extent. This is the re- grS
1t of virulent attack of pneumonia, be
lich began last April, and prOStituted
m for eight long weeks. And We believe Dr
at it will almost certainly excite phthisiS all
lmOnalis. tai
He has had pericarditis, or in fro
nnatlOn OF the sack surrounding the | OIL
art, which lefC that membrane in a dis me
sed state. neS
Thirdly. He also had during last year drl
Iritis, which left an effuSion in the left wi
lral cavity, which has been audible near Law
ever since the attack. The patient has me
EN- remarked "he could hear water splash Diet
: in him." an,
FOurthly. His heart greatly sympathises enl
IN its diseased neighbOrs. The pulse be- eau
: at l2O per minute while sitting quietly, has
d l34 while standing. He is very much cha
laciated in person, only weighing So me
lnds. AT times has complete loss of l
petite. Being fully satisfied that he is sat
a critical condition, and by close CON cat
ement death would be inevitable. I'm san
5 his constitution will rally he will not eou
e long any way. in
w. G. MCAIURRAY, ciet
Physician ID. c Jail. feel
concur with DR.. McAIurray In the tina
niOn that bIr. Stewart is in a very criti- lost
condition, and that his lungs are very shO
iously involved, and that close cOnfine- pre-
mt would most likely soon prove fatal to we
n. Without a change in the present
dencies Of his case, he will not live long ref
der the most favorable surroundinoS