Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-08-10
A CoNvICT's PARDON.
Executive Clemency Interposed in a
Singular Case of Injustice.

Executive Clemency InterpOsed in "A
Singular Case of Injustice.
Al5any ~. ~ Special, 9th.
Governor Cleveland has signed the par
don of James McDOugaH. who was sem
fenced to confinement in Auburn State
Prison for term of ten years, on October
II, 1871, upon conviction of burglary in
the nrst degree. The reasons given by
the Governor for his exercise of cIemency
outlined very romantic case, and inves-
tlgatiOn of the facts reveals a singular
chapter OF human experience.
James McDougall came to America
when young, from Ireland and settled i'm
Brooklyn with his parents. He worked in
that city Tor fifteen years as a laborer, and
was noted for industry and sobriety. He
fell in love with a young woman of his ma
tlonality whose religious belief was
Catholic, while he was Protestant Her
position in the social scale was lower than
his, and her associations were not of the
best. Ihey were married. She turned
out 10 be Yerltable virago and was con-
tlnually quarreling with her husband and
nelghbors. However, McDougan was
completely infatuated with his wife. and.
save occasional resorts to the saloon, which
ne sought as an ASYLUM from her
tongue, remained a steady man They
lived together several years. and a son
was porn: FINALLY, in fit resulting from
a quarrel, the wife secretly sold ouf their
hOusehOuld goods, and taking the child
disappeared. McDougalPs love for his
wife had not been cooled by her viXenish
ways, and he set out to find her where
aDouts. lie heard, through a friend, that
she had returned to her native place in
Oneida county, in the central part of fine
State, and FASTENED there. He found her
! living at the house of a farmer named
William NJ. Brown, in Verona township
as domestic he was told. Brown was
rich, though his habits were irregular
ana his wife was hopeless lunatic in
confinement in State institution. TWAS
al!eSed that BroWns treatment of his
wife had made her insane.
McDougall met his wife and tearmIIv
| begged her to return to BROOKLYN with
him. She refused. In order to be near
her and his child, at this time a bright
and healthy lad, McDOugall engaged as n
laborer in the vicinity. He had not been
there long before he heard wbispers of i'm
proper proceedings between his wife and
Brown. He did not at first believe the
rumOrs, but finally visited Browns resi-
dence. Brown refused to let McDougall
see ms Wlie unless he might be present
McDOugall consented to this. Ueentered
the house, but Brown persisted in sitting
between Mr.. and Mrs. McDOugall through
out the interview, which was thus an nm
satisfactory one to the visitor. The next
time he called the situation was the
same. with an added aggrayation. Brown
not only sat between the husband and
VIE, but called the little boy to him and
schooled the child to call him 'Spapa. :"
rms was more than McDOugall could
bear, and he left the house a despairing
man.
At IL O'Clock one night, when he had
become intoxicated after broOdinp over his
troubles, McDOugall went to the house of
Brown, unarmed. Opening the rear door
winch was untaStened. he proceeded TO
his Wite'S bedroom, the location of which
he had learned, and, turning the button
which held the door shut, entered. He
walked to the bedside, and, putting his
nan4 upon ms Wlfe's shoulder, said: ''DO
not be afraid, it is me-James."
He quickly asked her to rise and 90 to
Brooklyn with him. She asked him if he
had nome prepared for her, and he re-
pied that, as he always had, he would
furnish her with good home. While
they were talking Brown. i'm his night
clothes, arose and fired from a revolver at
McDOugall. The ball struck a buckle ON
McDOugalfs braces and glanced harm
lessly off. The men clinched. Brown
hred a second shot, which took effect in
McDOugall's right side. He fell. and was
r.
ried out upon the front stOop of the house
He remained in an unconscious condition
until morning, when aneghbOr discovered
him and gave the alarm. A physician
was summoned, it is alleged. and said the
wound was fatal, yet upon Browns com
plant the wounded man was handcufT.d
and conveyed to the Rome Jail. where he
fingered IN critical condition for some
time. Before his full recovery he was in
dicted for burglary in the first degree by
the grand jury, and committed for trial
The evidence against him. il is alleged
was mainly given by Brown and his hired
men. On the trial the wife was added Ia
the witnesses for the prosecution. and her
testimony was especially damaging. The
prisoner had no money and was not de-
Tended.
1t IS claimed that since the trial, in re-
pentlng moments, she has Frequently
stated that she injured herself, but that
her fear OF Brown was paramount. There
had been several burglaries i'm the yicini-
~. and, in the excitement Occasioned by
their preparation, McDougall was easily
convicted Some years ago, when the
facts in the case began to devotion
movement to secure the unfor-
tunate mans pardon was started.
Governors Robinson and Cornell
were IN turn petitiOned, but nothing re-
suited. The conduct of the heartIess wo-
man who caused the trouble finally grew
so bad, and her connection with Brown so
hagrant, that people in the neighborhood
seconded long and fruitless effort begun
by McDougalPs relatives in BROOKLYN for
executive clemency. The District Attor-
ney who prosecuted the Indictment. the
Judge before whom the trial was had
clergymen and others took up the case.
with the good result reached.
McDougalPs full term would not have
expired until October y, 1887. With
combinations for good conduct it would
nave expired April II, 1884. His behavior
IN prison has been good, but be is a pre-
, maturely old and broken hearted man.