Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1880-03-05
kILGORE NO FOOL,

Spes.ial from ,ieiferson Cltv
JEFFERSON CITY, March 2-For
some days the governor has been in
receipt of numerous applications and
petitions Tor the communication of the
sentence of-A1771EetN Kiigore, to he
. nanged next Friday for the murder of
l.. ID. Willingham, to imprisonment
IN the penltenliary. About six hun
dred Signatures appear to the peti-
tons, A number of the signers state
that they sign the application not be-
cause they think kilgore was unjustlv
sentenced, but because another per
son, Hartley, received penitentjary
sentence for murder which was AS
aggravated as that of kilgore's. Since
bis condemnation kligore has been
converted to the Catholic faith. His
pastor, in recommending a commu,a-
ton, insists that kilgore Is a person
dwaited IN intellect as well as person ;
entirely uneducatcd and not capable
II understanding moral obligations,
and more 'nKeiy 10 ne made tool OF
by designing parties than to be the
principh III crime, etc This view
Of his mental capacity is also taken
by prominent minister Of another
denomination, residing in Mexico,
who has interviewed the condemned
man. He believes him to be mere
child in intellect, and not responsible
for his acts; Il man in years alone :;
one that an ordinary child of eight
years of age could instruct; without
moral responsibility, in fact a moral
imbecile.
These statements are not borne out
entirely 10y other evidence. True
kiigoIe is without education, vet Is
not afool, and has always been known
as having good deal of shrewdness,
and was an industrious, thrifty little
fellow of average sense, who while
understood was yet of compact build
and strong enough to earn a good
living.
The confession made by Kilgore to
r. NJ. White, and published in the
Mexico LEDGER is not in accordance
with the testimony. The statement
that he was standing by the fence
when Willingham got off his wagon
and came towards hun, disregarding
his warning, and that then he fired
upon him with gun, is controyerted
hy the proof made that blood in con-
siderable Quantity was found on top
of the load of fodder, showing that at
least one Slot had been fired and
taken effect while Willingham was
still on top o. the load.
After careul examination of all
the evidence ah the facts in the case
there remains bit one plea on which
the petitioners SEN to rely-that is,
that o.her malefttors equally guilty
of similar crimes ave been sentenced
to the penitentiarsin lieu of being
hanged. This is brthy of no con-
sideration whatevei AS to the plea
of moral insanity, omoraI imbecility,
set up in this case, lis not supported
by facts sufficient togarrant consid-
Grafton. Were suchlaims admitted
and deemed sufficiently would lead
to the attempt to scree. from punish
; ment in this state utherriminals not
a whit more intelligent AN Ki,eore
eff he is so deficient in moral
sense as not to know sght from
wrong, how can he be eable of en-
bracing any religious faits"
All the facts in the case ID all the
evidence presented hav.ngseceiyed
due consideration, the govern finds
no good reason for the exaise of
executive clemency, and tlefore
declines to interfere with the science
of the court. \