The comet. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1877-1882, 1880-07-24
THos. L. MORROW.

prominent man IN Kinds county upoI
it. In fact, we have yet to hea
of single refusal to recommend thi
pardon, from a man acquainted will
the facts and nature of the case
Vicksburg sends up Il similar petition
. with the endorsement of large mum
: Der OF her best men. There comes two
:, or three petitions from Louisiana, one
of which is signed by Governor
McEnery, and the leading merchants
! of New Orleans, several of whom have
had business relations with Mr.. Nor.
row, and endorse him as square
honorable and peaceable man; another
from the parish where Mr.. NJ. con-
Quoted Il plantation for the last foul
years, which certities to his quiet,
peaceable, non-beligerant character,
and amiable and just dealing with all.
From Alabama, the State of his resi-
dence before he removed to this State,
comes also number of petitions
signed by the first men of Shelby and
surrounding counties, all establishing
a character for peaceable department
and honorable dealing, which any
citizen of any State might be proud
to win.
We are informed that Mr.. Morrow
is Il poor man, and these large petit
tons coming up from so many diff
terent quarters, counties, and States,
are not the result of a paid interest.
Jealous friends of the unfortunate
man solicited signers. and men have
signed the recommendation for mercy
tor no other motive than the relief of
a fellow being from Il severe punish
ment which in their hearts they
believe he does not deserve.
Nevertheless, we are fully aware of
the fact that it is not the formidable
array of names, nor the clamOrs of
multitudes, which move the present
Governor of Mississippi to action.
We are sufficiently well acquainted
with the man to know that he must
be convinced of the right of any given
course before he will consent to pur-
sue it. But these petitions bring out
pregnant and most important and
influential fact in Mr.. Morrow's case.
They prove that he has justly won a
character wherever he lived, and With
all honorable persons with whom he
has dealt, which would make it inn
possible for him to rush into conflict
the most stubborn necessity. They
prove that he set value upon this
character, which could not fail to pre-
vent him from needlessly destroying
it in moment Of frenzy, or madness,
or folly.
Let us look at the prominent fea-
lures of this case. OF course, we do
not propose to argue it as lawyer
would. The testimony discloses the
fact that White, who was slain, was a
desperate, quarrelsome, overbearing
and dangerous man, and that this
character was well known to Morrow.
The parties had misunderstanding
about a mule few days before the
killing. White had, on the day before
the fatal rencountre threatened to kill
or whip Morrow, and this threat was
communicated to Morrow. Appa-
rent'y to carry out this threat, White
in MOrrow's front yard the
night before the fatal morning, and
called Morrow out. The latter de-
clined to go out, and White moved off
with muttered repetition, in Morrow's i
hearing, of his deadly purpose. This
shows that Morrow [
wanted to avoid the collision, and {
hat he even chose to submit to an 5
upon his own premises in {
order to avoid it, 1t also shows that |
lis life in peril. His was not the I
Onduct of a man who is quick to L
esent an insult and ready to kill upon #
light excuse. fl
The next morning he (MorrOw) went &
our hundred yards to a store, borrow II
d dOuble-barrel shot gun, openly. u
18th the purpose of protecting himself a
gainst the threatened murderous as ;,
lult of White he fired off the two ;,
arrels, and reloaded the gun in the :,
resence of two clerks at the store, and :.
lade no concealment of his move =,
tents. White came into his back ~
ard on the fatal morning, with =.
rye pistol, and called him out of his
rivate chamber. Morrow, it appears,
me out with his dOuble-barrel, and
dered White out of the yard, when
'hite attempted to use his pistol y. :,
orrow fired one barrel; White fell, =.
1t still tried to fire upon Morrow "
it'll the pistol, when Morrow dis al
arged the other barrel, killing him e'
most instantly. "
This is our version of the facts, III
avn from the evidence. No one saw LII
g shooting, and it has not been and ~
mot be clearly proven exactly how VI
was done, except from the circum-
lnces. W
We need not stop to argue the justi- tn
alton of this killing. The course of rel
? man upon whom this terrible ne D.
lsity was placed, before and since lo'
, catastrophe, has not been that of rec
Let any man put him un
in Morrow's place and ask him ma
+ how he would have acted under am
III prOvocation and peril. Let him ne
lsider the threats, the overt acts, nc
] the character Of the man who took tins
life in his hands, the time, place, adJ
I circumstances of the killing, and for
:, if he can say it, that he would VIII
have protected his house and his dea