The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1882-03-09

q SENTENCE.
"W. w. Rea alias Wm. Rea, you
have been found guilty, by a jury
? of your county. of the crime o.
5 murder in the first degree without
Q mitigating circumstances, and we
discovered no error in the proceed
ings. II becomes our duty to pro-
: nounce upon you the judgment oil
the law. That judgment is that
you be remanded to Jail, and to be
taken thence to the county of Giles,
and there securely confined until
Friday, the 21st of April, 1882, on
which day, between the hours of
two and four o'clock in the after
noon, and on a gallows to be cree
ted for the purpose, within one
mile of the courthouse, you be
hanged by the neck until you
are dead"
REA's APPEAL TO THE COURT.
Rising from his seat and step
ping a few PAGES forward, Rea
said:
al would like to say a few words
if the court has no objection"
Chief Justice Deaderick told
the prisoner the court had no OBJ
jecticn.
|, Rea then continued:
81 was not aware of the facts of
these circumstances as brought
against me. My attorneys do not
know these circumstances. If l
only were granted a new trial l
could have shown how these cir
cumstances were. l have had to
appeal to you for protection of my
life. To be jerked away from my
family when there is nothing 10
charge against me, it is horrible
it is horrible. AS | stated to you,
1 was not aware Of these facts; am
innocent of them. In order to
know how properly to defend my
self, | would like to ask the court
to reconsider its opinion, for Gods
sake, and give me a chance for my
life. This is my last chance, and,
if you will only grant it can show,
according to my judgment, how the
circumstances were. Before you
and my God, 1 was in lay house
the very night that man was killed.
| would consider it q favor to me,
and feel that you would be dis
charging your duty, by granting me
a new trial"
Chief Justice Deaderick stated
the court had reached their decis-
ion on the facts contained in the
record. He desired to know wheth-
er Rea's lawyer was 10 the court
room.
Rea remarked that his lawyer
was OF here, and FOR that reason
he had spoken in his own behalf.
Chief Justice Deaderick stated
that Rea might consult his lawyer.
Rea showed considerable EN-
barrassment during his speech
which was spoken spasmodically.
On leaving the court room and get
ting in the clerks office Rea ex-
claimed in an agonizing tone, My
God, l can't understand it."
REAs ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE.
He next attempted to make his
exit out the door but it had been
locked. He was seized, handcuffed
and taken to the jail with other
prisoners. On the way to the Jail
Rea made an effort to relieve him
self of his handouts but without
avail. He seemed to be in a state
of desperation and had nothing to
say from the time he left the clerks
office until he got within the doors
of his cell.
During the hearing of his case
Rea picked up his hat on seeing a
mao 60 out of the court room door
as if he intended to escape, but
when he found the eye of the
bailifr upon him he gave up that
idea.
A feeling of intense interest was
manifested by our people upon the
reception of the news. 1t was gen
orally thought that he would get
new trial because the evidence is
totally circum stantial and the
court would seek opportunity to
give him another chance. Our read
ers are already acquainted with the
facts of the murder of Goodrom
and the details of the long trial.
1t is a sad ending indeed to a man
who is so well connected and who
less than one year ago was in con
dition to be happy and useful, but
now brought to terrible and dis
graceful death. Since the decision
Rea has been interviewed by repor-
tiers and he strongly and earnestly
urges his innocence and his ability
to explain away the fearful facts
that came out on trial and made
his convection inevitable. He says
he can prove he was at home when
the shot was fired and that he never
had a copy of the Banner or CITIZEN
of the dates of those from which
the wadding was taken, and he has
not given up hopes that he will
have a new trial or be respited by
the governor.
1t adds infinite sadness to the
matter that Mrs. Rea was made a
mother again only day or two be-
fore the decision. He has sue
, ceeded by his earnest protestations
: in impressing the reporters with
the idea that he may be innocent,
and being right there where such
impressions can be easily commu
Dicated to Gov. Hawkins it will not
be surprising if his sentence is
commuted to life imprisonmen
Petitions are in circulation and be-
ing signed 1--WE do not know TO
what extent) asking the governor
,, to commute the sentence. Moth
ing can be coniectured as to the
success of the effort. 1t is proba
bly, that he will be held in the
Nashville jail until near the day OF
execution and will then be brought
to Pulaski and hanged in some
,, public place. The reports Of a pri-
| vate execution have no foundation.
> Sheriff Arrowsmith, though the du-
ty will be terrible one, will not del
5 egate nor shirk it. When the news
l came and it flashed upon him thai
be would be called upon to do the