Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1880-06-03

was innocent, and began to get
everything ready to have him re-
ceiye proper defense before the
SupremeCourt. Wrote toMessrs.
Frierson &Whitscll TO inform me
when the case would come on for
hearing in the Supreme Court.
They answered it would be heard
in June. i began TO get ready to
go to Arkansas after our April
term Of Court. Tony surprise on
March 80 | received intelligence
that the case had been disposed
Of by the Supreme Court in Feb
ruary, by affirming the judgment
below and that the Governor had
fixed the day OF his execution for
the 10th of April. at once, in
the name of Holman a. Holman,
addressed a communication to
Gov.Marks setting forththe facts
and asked him to request the Gov
ernor of Arkansas to pardon,res
pite or commute the sentence--do
something to stay proceedings till
properinyestigation could be had.
Gov. Marks promptly endorsed
the communication i'll the strong
est and most emphatic terms
asked the Governor of Arkansas
to grant the request and showed
that nothing could be lost but all
gained by delay. The family and
friends OF Ford became greatly
moved at this unexpected news
from the Supreme Court of Ar
kansas and the near approach of
the day of execution. Petitions
were circulated and our people
freely signed them. Some of our
citizens wrote letters to their
friends in Little Rock. On the
9th of April / started for Little
Rock; Gov. Marks met me at
the depot in Nashville with an
other communication to Coy. Mil
Ter urging favorable action. : AT
Memphis Twas furnished with a
great number Of letters from lead
ing citizens urging fhe, necessity
Of Executive cIemency. Col. j.
M. Heating ofthe Appeal wrote
a most excellent letter which was
not only strong but very touch
ing. i prevailed on Col. 0. p.
Lyles, a lawyer of ability and a
personal friend of the Governor,
to accompany me to Little Rock.
After presenting our papers and
making statement of certain facts
not shown by the papers,the Gov
ernor read us a most affecting let
ter from a lady in Ford's behalf.
Though an entire stranger and
she had never seen him but the
one time in Jail, she was positive
that he was innocent. She said,
"Governor, no man who looks as
he does and talks as he does can
be guilty." She gave the sub
stance of the conversation, tried
to detect guilt but could find none
and was thoroughly convinced
of his innocence. 1t would have
been difficult for any one to have
read the letter without shedding
tears. After some further CONVEX
sation the Governor said to us in
substance: +" With all these. facts
before me, If L should permit him
to be erecuted aooU I qcould feel
like I qcas has naomdererw' Said
he would respite the sentence till
after the trial of Huey and JEFF
fries at Osceola, Mississippi coun-
| ty, Ark, in May. 1t was de-
termined to be improper to ex-
ecute Ford under the facts of
the case till after they were
tried, for. it might turn out that
they would be cleared, and if so
| it was concluded that they could
not be innocent and Ford guilty.
The Governor suggested that he
would respite till the 18th of May.
BY that time the trial of Huey
and Jeffries would have taken
place and we would know the re-
suit and developments of that tri-
al. We suggested to him that.
it would be better to give further.
time, reminding, him that we
wished to make thorough inYes-
tigation of the case, and that it
would be better to give us more
time than would intervene be-
tween the trial at Osceola and
the 28th of May. The Governor
replied in substance that "this
made no difference, he would give
us more time if it was necessary"
II procured a certified copy Of
the opinion Of the Supreme Court
in the case, the Governor deli9-
cred US the respite, and we has
tened to Marion, Ark, to, stop
the execution Of tho sentence.
We delivered it to the Sheriff on
the 18th of April. He said he
was glad to see it for he was on
his way to Memphis then to get
the burial clothes. / then found
that Potter, the accomplice, had
run away and could no where be
found. His wife and step-daugh- |
ter, who still remained in Marion,
could or would give no account
of him. Col. Frierson and my
self called to see these women.
We asked them a number Of