Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-11-02


am not the first Innocent man that has
been convicted and pardoned.
Judge l have thought and spoke of try
ing TO make my escape but have never
made any attempt for / see clearly Il
would be useless
But supposing was successful | would
be ruined for life. Icould not live in anv
city IN peace. ! would be in state Of
continual anxiety and uneaslness. Pcould
not even wear my own name Besides /
DO not wish TO have to leave this CITY since
have been so badly abused and disgrac.
ed, l want to stay here and by my good
conduct l hope | may merit the esteem
OF some of those who are now against me
Were l guilty Of the crime and had no
better chance for my liberty than | now
nave would rather die than live Judge
l have been very badly and incorrectIv
represented all through this case The
News Papers & Mr. Lane has done IL I'D
nothing but truths had been published /
would not have been sentenced at all. but
u Is TO late now, My only hopes now are
IN your relenting Judge / am not guilty
OF any Intentional crime. | have been
IN TINS prison now since the 9th of july
and Judge 1t is driving me crazy. Were
guilty TINS punishment is not half severe
enough ought to be tied TO stake and
burned but as God is my witness | SOL
elmnly vow that / did not burn little
jesse Maynard on purpose did not know
he was burnt until quite an hour after he
bad gone Ia hlg room, il was always nv
duty TO split Ending wood that / bTought
from the shops to start fires with in the
mornings. After he sat on my knee andl
heipeu Nun put on his upper clothes and
ne went 20 bed My Wife and / sat in our
room talking for an hour | suppose then
went through Jesses room toward the
kilchen TO prepair the kindling wood
When entered his room with lamp in
my hand | heard him co hplain, went
4 70 MIN asked what allied him he told me
MS stomach hurt him, raised the bed
coiyerand saw to my horror that his stom-
ach was blistered, ran back to hisMother
told her. She came with me held the
lamp. took Jesse in my arms carried
MN INTO our room and put him in our
ped there we examined the extent of the
burns. We did not know what to do. 40
we put some oil on ut first then went TO
inc Drug store got some Vassilne and we
used that. A few days after Nv Wife
sent me note to the shop for me 10 20
sitter DIR Henning ! went he came.
and stated jesse had moi anv
fever, asked what we were doing for
the burns we told him, he said Il was as
good as we could do, he gave MS A pre-
scrlption. took it to the drug store. had
1t filled and used il according 10 bis Al
rectlons. He asked how the accident
happened, we told him the whole truth.
lie said y was not serious burn or in
any way dangerous but it would leave an
ugly scar, a day or two later he came
again, and week or more he came the
last time, he only came three times and
did not change his prescription. Judge /
done everything in my power for that
child, / dressed his sores all the time ms
he preferred me to his mother, or his
mother slept by his side every night. we
gave him every attention we could. we
denied him nothing, gave him everything
he asked for, never felt such simpathY
! for anything before. Judge ! have told
you the truth of this case only, | am not
Fiend or Brute, ] had no more idea of
burning Jesse than you had, neither did
know il was done for an hour afterward,
/ know to look at those scars one could
not believe he could be burned so without
screaming, but such is the facts, he did
not scream neither did he show any signs
of being to hot by the fire at any time that
! saw or know Of
Judge Greer l am limo ent Of any and
all intentions ofburning or injuring Jesse
1 in the least could not burn any living
creature II knew it.
As to what have done and said about
my making or trying 10 make my escape
| wish TO state have made no attempt
yet but have talked with some OF the
other prisoners about il, and / did write
me letters TO get some money from my
brothers, am here without any, am
| begging my tobacco, and everything l
get l have it TO beg except my food the
Jail me. | tried to excite my brother
sympathy to got him to send me so, but
the letters was interrupted. | meant no
meant no harm TO any of the officers over
me, but Judge Greer if you was prisoner
and knew you was not guilty would you
not try TO escape If you had five years of
misery and hell on earth before you.
l have not dollar, i have
some land but can not
get anything for it. My brother will not
help me, have no possible way of pay
ing the fine after the IL months and 20
days is out have understood that you
said you would not remit one hour of my
sentence or one dime of my fine. Under
this circumstance / would be poor fool
If did not escape IL had chance. Do
you blame me for thinking Of III
have not made any attempt and now
It would be useless to try for / am watch
ed too close, besides were / 10 try and be
successful | would have TO live the life
Of a hunted rabbit; life would be no
pleasure to me. would have TO be con-
tinually running and lodging. l would
haveto give up my trade. would have Ia
go at hard work, l could never show my
face among respectable men any more, /
always have been an honest man, have
never yet left place that was ashamed
or afraid 10 60 back TO IL had any bust.
ness or wanted 10, would be an honest
and upright citizen hero In this city IL |
were allowed to be. No one can bring
aught against my character as regards
honesty industry &c. IL is true used 10
be very wild, ] drinked some whiskey be.
fore | was married, and | always spent
all that earned, but / spent Il honestly.
paid all my debts and then If had any
money | thought had a right TO spend 4
as pleased.
But after / married quit all my Wild
ness. gave my wife every dollar that
could earn, / spent nothing or nearly
nothing, she done all the buying and pay.
ing of bills made all the money could
amp gave her all she managed much bet
ter than | could. loved those two little
children, II they had been my own !
could not loved them any better, l loved
my wife and l believed she loved me
Our family had plenty to cat and wear.
and think we was as happy rs any poor
family in this city, but now we are torn "a
pieces. II was the shame and disgrace
heaped on my poor wife that caused her
10 act as she did toward me, the poor
woman Is quito insane. God pity her
hope you win take this 10 your own
Preside and read i and reflect on H. ]
am certain you will see that instead Of
Justice being done me, you will find that
| am badly prosecuted man, Not only
me but my family is prosecuted
Very Respect ully
lSignedl WRIqHT NJ. ALBRITTog.
-
=. LEVY,
Trunk manufacturer,
33 Monroe street. An