The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-01-31
The LoWndesvllIc Prisoners.

case tDaC mas ever Deeu lIlcu Icle ii'
elected from our people greater inter
est. Although ten men have beef
Justly convicted there are at large
still others who are more guilty if pos
sible. One arch-scoundrel, and it il
believed the prime mover and instiga
tor of the whole outrage is one
Rhodes, a Struggling Georgia negro
who is now in Jail. It is likely thai
the law or a committee of citizens vii,
yet give him his dues.
On Monday after the conviction o.
ten of the murderers the foreman
wrote the following letter to General
MCGOWAN, the senior counsel for the
defence:
LETTER FROM TIE FOREMAN OF TILL
JURY.
GEN. MCGowAN-Dcar Sir: Before
leaving for home l drop you this note,
t % express to you, and thoryounS gentle
men engaged with YOU in defence of the
LowndcSville prisoners, my unqallflcd
admiration Of your and their devotion to
the cause of justice and humanity. Your
noble efforts could elicit no other res
ponse in the minds Of right thinking pco-
pie.
Whilst discharging the defined duties
and obligations of 4 juror, l felt that my
duty was plain, and that duty l have dis
charged. I would however chcerfully
ioin in a prayer to the Court for clemcn-
cv. hoping that IT may see grounds for its
,.n,;o In tbiS 7 tan1 1SsI1rHI that all
of those who sat with me on the jury
would join. Very respectfully,
G. G. LAW.
A~bbeville, Monday, Jan. Is, 1877.
LETTER FROM COLONEL J. 7. ROBERT
AsDEv1LLE, S. C. January II, 1877.
Mr.. j. NJ. LATIMER-Dcar Sir: The
of Capers Allen who was convicted as
one of the murdcrcrs of Clayton Allen,
has applied to me in the interest OF his
brother, ard while I know nothing as to
the character of Capers, and indeed moth
ing of the character of any of the unfor-
tunate men. l will say that it was the
conclusion of the entire jury whose duty
il was to render the verdict, that we would
Join with the people of your section and
community, in signing a petition for OK
ecutiive clemency in behalf of any OF
them, who i'll your Judgment from cir
cumstanccs known to you, nHy be more
entitled to your consideration. Such cir
cumstanccs as previous character, tenn
per, and conduct, and tho temptations to
which they were subjected, DC.
The jury thought the execution OF a
number less than ton, would have an ex-
80, ,1o v,- off,.t r,,ttn ~ rood IT nor h.tf1r
than the execution of all. In this
view it would be fortunate if such cir.
| cumstanccs of mitigation could he found
i'm Il number of them-and your people
would ask that the sentences of those
should he committed. 1t ought to origi-
nate with yovW people, and if so, the jury
J. T. ROBERTSON,
One of the Jury.
I concur in the above.
II. P. QUARLES.
After the reception OF the above let
ter from Col. Robertson, a meeting Of
the citizens of L0wndesville was call.
cd. it seems under a misapprehen
sion of the facts as their resolutions
Indicate. There is no one as far as we
know, presenting a petition to gu
citizens for signatures praying eXecu-
tive clemency. The jury merely init
mated that they were ready to secont
any motion the citizens of Lowndes
Vile might make. The following arc
THE LowNDESvILLE RESOLUTIONS.
- .la ,...o,., ,,1,t{n ,,,I
cp!orcd-of LOwndcsville and vicinity,
held at L~owndesvillc January 20, Col. II
Ii. Harper was called to the chair and J
B. RcIsoy was requested to act as Sccrc
tarv. Col. Harper explained tho object
of the meeting. After which the follow
lug preamble and resolutions were unani
moJsly adopted:
Whereas, we have heard that certain
parties have drawn up a petition, and arr
assisting in the circulation of the same
praving for executive clcmency towards
The murderers of Clayton S. Allen,
Resolved list, That we, the citizens o
L~owndcsvillc, do solemnly and indig
nantly protest against any interference
with the course of the law.
Resolved, ID, That it is the sense O
this community, that such action, If /
should be successful, would be subver
sive of the public good, and destroy tn
respect of the people for the majesty o
the aw.
Resolved, Sd, That these resolutions b
published in the Abbeville papers.
II. ii. HARPER, Chairman.
J. i. LEROY, Sccy.
On yesterday after the reception o
the above resolutions we addressed
note TO Judge Cooke, of which the fol
lowing is a copy:
A LETTER OF INQUIRY.
OFFICE Press AND BANNER,
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