New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-07-19
A TRAVESTY OF JUSTICE.


THE EXPORTED CONFESSION OF A NEGRO.
INFAMOUS BRUTALITY WHICH LED 10 VERDICT
OF MURDgR-MANGLED BY BLoopBouNDs, TWICE.
HANGED, THREATENED WITH DEATH, AND FINALLY
SENT TO TnE cDAIS-GANG-A TRIAL WHICH Dis
GRAcyD GEORGIA
lFRoA AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT or THE TRIBUNE
ATLANTA, Ca, July 9.-The market value Of
the southern negro was not wholly destroyed by The
CHARACTERIZATION Act. There still exist IN the eouth In
situations where money made from the sale Of negro
flesh and blood and invariably tho brutality Of such
INSTITUTIONS more horrible than was that Of sayery
the legal and penal institutions OF the South
the Courts OF Justice and the Penltentary. trial has
lust closed In Atlanta In which guilt was not placed
against innoceDce but $500 against the liberty OF poor
ignorant negro. detailed statement Of the case win
show how q negro has been mansled by blOodboUn1s
twice banged. threatened with death. ana hnalT con-
ycted to tue Changing for life where net testimony
a reward OF $500 for the Apprehension OF murderer
was the ouly fact against him.
About a year ago an aged couple were murdered In
their beds within six miles OF Atlanta The nfir was
involved In mystery. reward OF $500 was offered Tor
The apprehension OF the murderer Win ths incentive
TO vigorous action ccw soon onnd 70 tAe crime la
the fact that the evening before ana on the morning
after the murder n strange negro Asa Gnnn' wa, seen
within mile OF the victims home. His tran was soon
found and the bloodhouod OF the Fulton County chain
gang were put IN pursuit. c5ase Of several hour,
ensned and finally the dogs closed 10 around straw
stack. indicating that the game had oeen run down.
The officers away the straw and pulled the negro
from his place Of concealment huge bloodhound.
Lee" leaped upon the prisoners back fastened his
teeth I'm hs neck and relinquished his hold only after
manoIing the negro terribly No sooner the negro
free from tie fangs Of the dog than he was ed to the
earth by spade in the bands OF one OF his Dursners
No better il ustraton of the trim ng value IN "hch
ncgros lie held IN Georgia can be found Than IN n"
fact that at the time that Asa Gum was being subjected
to this treatment there not one Jot 81 testimony
against him save that he had spent the night OF The
MURDER like dozens Of other men, somewhere In tho
yiciiytf the crime.
The officers turned back with their prsOhero"Wo
Atlanta But ere long the question must have arisen In
their mnds-are that this man Il the murderer
and will insure for the rewardi IL was an easy mat
ter for them to relieve their doubling minis Gum was
carried beueath tree a rope was fastened atou1 MS
rcck and instant death was threatened II he did not
con ess rho crime The terrified negro ala c0nIess-nOt
the crime but that he had held the lamp "Hie TWO
white men committed the deed and with TINS eNtorted
confession fresh his lips he was driven through
the streets capital Of Georgia IL was asus'ge
scene for the streets Of a city OF civilized land-a
n., b,tloss coatless with neck and shoulders man
gcd bv the teeth OF the bloodhound that followed at his
heels the rope st. about his neck driven exhausted
and terrified. before his mounted captois "unh "s
now in a strange city, aud without Iesh eouuse ora
friend 10 advise him. The poor negro NOT Only lR"oAn
but Of less than average Intelligence, wlthoat any case
ainsf MIN save his own extorted confession, wdiyeda
preliminary exarinatOn and was eoDmil'ed toJhL
IA soon as he was safe within the protection oil MS ceh
he denied ALI knowledge OF the crime. ana aVoWd tAa
he confessed only 10 save his life. This dena was ohy
q misiortune he was merely bringing upon himself tne
ordeal Of confession again
Ahont three weeks after his committal o)ali Ava
Gupn was taken out by the officers who arrested him
eofT
tbi illegal nroceeding was to obtain from MN some
revelation concerning murder Of which he had re-
Gently denied all knowledge The officers stare 'u' "
tween Atlanta their destination the prisoner "1"
under the influence OF no threats or probiseS-con
tossed compcity IN crime. 1t was this confession
that was admitted as testimony IN Ills trial. anu 'na'
couvic.ed him on tho grouni that II was yOdht
confession But let look further into the testimony
concerning this trip the scene OF the mufde As 500"
ne tne officers arrived upon tie scene, Gum was taken
fran them by several welknown persons ana ied "hee
Nv angular coiucidence-a scalOld had on that very
dav been erected. Upon the scahold was CONN ana
held. IL a grave. The prisoner was lea uIOh the
scaeold placed IT the coffin ITO see II II wolh NJ anu
the rome WIS placed around his neck the Dlra SERVICES
was read by chaplain, and the prisoner was asAoo ne
wished 10 MAKE O confession before the execution ~
rrotested that be was innocent OF the crime-sFdy
sinrular protesation for man to make under tue CIR
,,s+ouces II only an hour before he had voluntarily
confessed a cumuhcty IN the murder The rope was
tigbteued and the negro was swung gehly 'ne' say
from tho scatfd and let down. He st refused ~ 0o
s,se Ac,in he was swuns OFF toward eternity ahu
-, oaip H., dawn New, frightened almost 10 deatn NC
confessed again completely IN the crime ana the in'v
Restored HIM 10 the officers He was returned 10 HIS ecu
IN the Atlanta ilil u strong case had been mus
against him. ,.. ., .-,a,
Day before yesterday the negro was Drought 10 'r'
Tho only testimony of any significance whatever against
him was his own confession, voluntarily made ~
,icersyyho were seeking a reward for his conviction
while they were taking him 20 spot wheFe seaoN
had that very day been erected He protested IN open
Court that be was innocent No man has sworn tat Oh
his own knowledge he believed that this negro was ID
any way connected with the crime. Yet before JURY
90 ,velva white citizens OF Georgia Gum was fouhu
entity of murder first degree Tue Jury hoS 1900
recommended the prisoner 10 the merry "a -. - t,n
and fine sentence se al OF death, VIII be 10 Ine cha
gang for life. suppose mat ne - trstJa.ston
Olooded and mysterious murder IS tha' ,hai
for hanging him win OioouhOuhus h'e u ~ 49,,
sunDoson, are the arrestmg Oihcers Jusllneu III =
,ns MIN in order To CXtOrt confession from nm VI :"
rcmoying him from jail and, undoubtedly ny pIevou
c,red arran cement. turning MIN over 10 mo Nio h@
already erected scafOld Tor his execution oupp%so
thar Asa Gum is guilty OF this coldblOoded muucI.
| Why, then, does the Jury commit jim 70
lmDrl sopment in the chan-gang, mslean vi Va
nr death which, II guilty, ne so justly uo9c.,s
onserve what oppression the judicial and penal stu
lions heapng upon the cOioteu rae NV ~. IN bs
groe lives valued or valueiess oniy ss mVeS nns
made from their life o from their ceath Asa Quinn
life WAS worthless while $500 reward was AZ staAc w.
the apprehension OF murderer awe of dsau u ~ I.
though condemned OF most infamous er.me, I've e., me
SHARED because OF its value IN chaG-shhe' Du. .no
spnrosition that this negro is guilty Is merely suppO-
sIton fairly stated the case agalnst nun nu snn
impressiOn almost universally prevails thaI NC 10 A
cent.
DtSP fTT MOTIFS