The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-12-05
The REYNOLDS Cnsc.
CORRECTION IN THE STATEMENT OF IT
OTHER POINTS.

OTHER POINTS.
correspondence Of the Richmond Disla!eh.1
-. DANvILLE, VA, December 3. 1878.
One OF the officers of the Circuit Court OF
Patrick county informs me that there is a
material error in that part of the DiSpdtch'S
report of The Reynolds case (see Mondays
issue) wherein it is stated that in the Scutf1c
between Lee Reynolds and. Aaron Shelton
."Lec Reynolds fled, and Shelton pursued
him twelve or fifteen PAGES and struck him."
He SAYS that The certificate OF facts does not
show this, and that the certificate OF facts
proved on the first trial OF Lee Reynolds
saws that there was "a conflict Of testimony
as to whether he lice Reynold>) tried to
draw the gun on the deceased while retreat
ing and deceased was pursuing him." and
he thinks that there was evidence sufficient
to prove that Lee Reynolds retreated for the
purpose OF getting room to use bis gun, and
not to escape. ...- .- ~..s--.., i.
The decision OF Judge Rives, taken with
the remark made when pronouncing it, may
indicate belief that negroes do not or may
not get justice at the hands OF our iuries; ;
that there is hostility on the part OF the
whites towards the negroes which would
even interfere with the administration OF
Justice. 1t were 4 matter deeply to be re-
GREETED should this decision create that be-
lief. The records Of the courts do not show
that this belief exists amongst the negroes.
When JEFF. Conley, now in the peuitentialy
from Halifax county for murder, was put on
trial. his mother earnestly entreated Colonel
Flournoy, bis counsel, to see to it that he was
tried by n white Jury. Joe Clark was hung
at Chatham several years ago for murder on
the verdict of q white jury, but there never
has been the slightest suspicion that ne did
not get Justice, nor did he once init
mate that he wished to have some negroes
on the Jury. Girls. Craft, now in the peni-
Tertiary from Danvile for murder, was
twice tried and convicted, and at each trial
he specially begged that he might be tried
BIZ a white jury and although the evidence
against him was so strong that, sentence OF
death was unavoidable, The communication OF
sentence was due to the efforts of the white
people OF this city. Silas Hagerman.- who
was twice convicted by white .iuries in the
court at Chatham, did not at either trial ask
that negroes should be put upon the jury,
and he, like Craft, owes his Communication
of sentence Of deathto the humanity ofthe
white people. [ have 1t that on recent
visit to Richmond MIR. and Mrs. John L.
Pace, OF DanvilIe, called to see Silas, be
having been servant in the Pace family,
and by permission OF the authorities gave
sias some money and promised him some
other favors. ! may as we'll add that Mr.
E. M. Pace says he lost some negro votes IN
the recent election because OF his activity
in getting up the petition for the commut;-
ton of sentence for Silas. q.
Colonel Penn, OF Patrick, informs us that.
no action will be taken by the Patrick
authorities as TO the decision OF Judge Rlres
in the Reynolds case. Dir. Shelton, The
father of Aaron. is pecuniariy unable to
apply to the Supreme Court for redress, but
Governor Holiday has been written to and
requested to have writ of prohibition APP
piled for. 1 am also Informed that Judge
TTredway will present to the Executive Of
the State a full statement OF all the. particle
lars in the case, and will also publish his
opinion concerning all tue points about
which issue has been made. ALPHA. Z