The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-05-21
A BATTLE FOR LIFE.
Kate Southern's Appeal for
Executive Clemency.
WAS 1T A MURDER ?
The Georgia Tragedy in q
New Light.
ATLANTA, Ga. May 20, Is

ATLANTA, Ca, May 20 1878.
As predicted in my last letter. tho OF Kate
Southern, who is sentenced hang the 2Ist OF
June. has been taken from and put fairly
before tho Governor. The battle for her life 10 now
being hotly wagcd within the walls OF the Capitol
There to pc littlc doubt that Mrs. South
ern's conviction tho lnck OF concert among
her lawyers AS prominent citizen said TO mo in
Jasper last week, III was judicial murder. The
counsel for Kate never consulted before tho case
opened. Thoy knew nothing Of tho Witnesses nor
what each OF them expected TO swear. Conse-
quen,ly they avoided exposing their ignorance by m
PRODUCING no witnesses. They did not know the weak
points of the witnesses for the Stato and consequently
the prosecution mado out precisely the case that u
wanted, unembarrasscd by any fear OF cross
examination The defending lawyers halted In
their and proposed plea OF insanity in open
court and then Withdrew it amid tho jccrs OF tho
prosecution without trying It at all At another time
they tried TO withdraw the plea Of mot guilty
that they might plead guilty to manslaushter. Tho
whole defence series OF false starts, retreats and
confessions In making the arguments the counsel
disagreed and really believe II there had boon no
lawyers for the defence Kate would havc been
cleared" Much OF this ineilicency was duo 10 tho
that lawyers were not promptly employed and
could proper consultation. Either OF them,
he placed in control OF the case, could have
done better than tho whole OF thcm Since tho trial,
however, tho lawyers, and especially Colonel Corny
W. Styles probably tho ablest OF them all, have boon
busy in collecting testimony for the Governors con-
sheraton, and have succeeded in making a good
show Indeed hard believe that the jury could
have convicted Kate Southern at all II this testimony
had boon placed before tho jury.
Colonel Styles reached the city some days ago with
a largo number OF afIdavits, which he deposited with
the Governor None OF these afidavits. or anything
ike tho matter contained in them. has ever been
published in the Georgia papers given to the pub
lie IN any way. They arc very essential to proper
understanding OF the case, however, and having Sc
cured look at them forward you tho substance OF
what thoy contain. The first step taken by these am
davis is to prove that Miss Narcissa Fowler the
man who was killed. was a woman OF bad character.
To provo this aldavits are procured from Miss Ann
Conort, who swsars that Miss Fowler frequently
spent the night alone in the room with men In her
Miss Conort's) house, and that she has positive
knowledge OF the fact that she only unchnse,
but grossly go; that she knows Of her having cohab
tied with at least three four Mrs BurtisoD,
respect able lady, swcars that Miss Fowler was
woman OF VIGOROUSLY lcwd character Various other
afadavts bearing upon the subject, and making
the matter very clear have been secured. Tho tact
was also In aldavts that Miss Fowler had do
serted hcr husband. who lad in turn abandoned her.
FRESH REVELATIONS.
Tho unchaste character OF Miss Fowler being estab
lished, ailidavits then prepared TO prove that
Southern had Illicit intercourse with her. This point
is sustained FIRST by Bob Southern's own affidavit
hc that he frequently had criminal int rcoursc
with MISS Fowler notably one occasion just three
days before his marriage with Kate Hombrick. Ho
swears that no met her In tho road, when began
to upbraid him for not having married her She
oNxt.
with Kate Hombrck, and with threats and cntreaties
tried TO got him go TO her house and spend the day
with her He positively refused DO this. but finally
agreed 10 GO with Miss Ann Conort's where they
had al guilty meetings before. He then went with
nor; they took q room to themselves and remained
together that night. Southerns affidavit docs not
cover he had with Miss Fowler the fourth
day after his marriage. An affidavit is produced
from Miss Ann Conort. who swcars that Narcissa
did spend the night at her house with Southern
on tho night Indicated his affidavit. Mr. Southern
also swears that 'Bobn lived his farm. and that IL
was quite a common occurrence for Miss Narcissa to
come 10 the place and solicit interview with him.
that she would frequently take him of and keep him
away the whole night; that when he left with her he
usually spent the night away from home, and that IL
well known that he was living In adultery with
Miss Narcissa. Other afuavits are introduced this
point Tho afidavits then go TO show that Mrs.
Southern acquainted both before and aftor her
marriage with the fact OF her husbands criminal in
tercourse with Miss Fowler This is shown directly ny
an afldavit OF "Bob' southern, In which no swcars
that his VITO acquainted xth tho true state OF
affairs, and very much unsettled and annoyed by
tho knowledge. Various incidental nnidavits are
produced to stronghold this one. II is then
shown by several andavits that MISC Fowler threat
cncd tho domestic peace, tho chastc reputation and
the Lie OF Mrs. Southern. An AFFIDAVIT to by
sister OF Bob Southern, In which q most desperate
course Is detailed TINS lady says that Narcssa Fow-
Ter visited hor constantly, and was In the habit OF
talking about Boo's marriage TO Kate Hombrck. Sho
would tho most scandaous language concerning
Kate, aud told Bobs sister that kato had been
detected in criminal intimacy with nogbbor In the
big swamp and asked Miss Southern to tell Klte abe
had told hcr this Miss Southern carried this story
TO Kato Miss Fowler further said TO Miss southern
that Bob ought not marry her, and SHOULD not aud
that IL he did thcy shond have no peace or satIsac
ton as long sho (Aiiss Fowlcr) Iived.n Another
AFFIDAVIT Is TO the effect that Narcssl said that II Kate
married Southern she "would Kill her." Two or
throe other Witnesses TO the fact that
Narcissa talked violently abusvely and unjusty ABOUT
Kate, ana threatened TO pursue her ami perseculc
her to tho end Of life II IS strange TACT that each
OF the witnesses that no she carried Mrs.
southern the abugiye or threatening remarks made
In their presence concerning hor; SO that she was
fully advised OF tho violent and desperate course
adopted by hor rival
WAS III MrRDER2
Alidavi,s are then produced to change tho gen.
orally conceived character Of tho fatal rcnconirc,