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

VIC. - -. ~ on0 OAS oess ~
neither did intend to force him close
enough to burn him, / did not think of
burning him | did not bold him there |
either. | only carried him there to let |
him know he must obey when he was |
told anything. After he had stood there |
and turned around he said he was warm |
| told him to put on his clothes, he obeyed |
at once, saw then that he was not so
muleish but was willing TO obey when |
spoken TO, l then told him TO come 10 me
and ! would help him put on his clothes. |
| sat on a chair In front Of the fire and
helped him put on his shirt and then put
on his drawers and Judge there was no
burns on him then he did not scream
he did not complain a single time of
burning He did not know he was
burnt neither did or his Mother
know it. She was present all the
time, she saw all, and she lectured and
talked TO him rs much as | did. Neither
Of us had any idea of burning or injuTing
Jesse. would not have done it for ten
thousands worlds had | known it.
Judge, L am convicted and sentenced
for crime that | am innocent of CONF
hitting. God Is my judge had no idea
or intention Of Turning jesse Maynard,
neither did | know when it was done, for
he did not scream or show any signs of
being burned ut any time while | was cor,
recting him. Jesse in his statement to the
Court told the correct truth in every par
ticular except when he stated | put my
knee 70 his back and held him to the fire,
that | did not do, but all the balance of
his testimony is correct to letter When
| heard it ] ielt certain of All acqutal for
II was truth Mr.. Gage stated told him
| did burn jesse and would burn him
again under similar circumstances. did
not use these exact words TO Mr.. Gage /
told Mr., Gage that did whip jesse and
! that Jesse was burned, and that under
similar circumstances he would get burned
again We were each excited at the time
we were talking | believe Mr. Gage Is
considerations in his statement do not
believe he Intentionally made this mis-
I take, he had boon telling me how he had
raised his Daughter, he said he had
/ thum ped her once only in her whole life
with his finger snd showed me how he
done it then tod him that his daughter
was an exception, that he could not get
olong with Jesse in that way. He seemed
! W AhNnh NWl MiiDllth INrrt uIlill LlIt
poor little fellow did not have sense
enough IA 90 To the fire wren he was 10 d,
this excited me. for to think he should be
lieve that | had beaten Jesse so unreason.
sonable as to cause him TO lose his senses
when ! knew | had not whipped out of
reason, know did not whip him inhu.
namely or unreasonab.y, ! whipped Jesse
just exactly as my Father would have
whipped me.
Now Judge | wish you to ask yourself
this question, had you been in my place,
and knew Of Jesse's mienncss and bad
habits, and knew you had never attempt
cd 10 CONTROL him before, and knew his
disposition, and knew the common law of
the country held you personally response
be for his conduct, aud being appealed to
by his Mother, your wife in the manner
was appealed to. Would you not have
done just as / did?
Judge l am not Fiend, am
not Brute, did not treat Jesse
so inhunanely as represented All done
was through conscientious motives, for
his good and bis mother and myself pro-
lection. / did all in my power for the
best according to my judgment As TO
! burning jesse that was as purely acciden-
tai as any thing that ever occurred. As
to our not making the burn public talk,
| would ask what Mother or Father would
like TO have such an affair on every gos-
sipor's tongue. We did not keep It a pro-
| found secret. some of our neighbors knew
/ il, some of them visited Jesse, or his
Mother while lie was in bed. Mrs. Hilson
who lives at ga Union st. knew all about
IT, She was friend of my wifes and
| frequent visitor TO our house
The burning happened on the night of
18th Dec. and in the month Of Feb he
started TO school, he was sound and well
before We let him start TO school as It was
cold and bad weather we were efraid he
might take cold and be injured BY the
burn IL cold got into it. lfyou will refer
to Mrs McCains school books you will see
he was not out Of school exceeding dix or
sever weeks this ought 10 be evidence
that he was not injured as bad MS is repre-
sented or as the scars indicates. Judge
should man be prosecuted simply be-
cause an accident happens 10 him Is It
just that man should be punished for an
accident that Is liable 10 occur 10 any
one
Had / done this burning Intentionally
| ought 10 be tied 10 stake and roasted
myself this punishment is not the hun
dredth part severe enough for me did /
Intentionally commit the crime. If | bad
known / had committed such an horrible
crime, why did not take my family to
Mexico had time enough, from 10Th
Dec until 2nd July when was arrested
IN the shops while At work earning an
honest support for self and family by Mr.
Lane.
Ailer Was airt ated and before the trial
at the Magistrates Court why did not
forfeit my bond entirely. | did leave the
city and was not in the court room at the
appointed time, why did not be there,
because my wife and Mrs Baumann a
friend Of ours had learned thai there was a
mob who declared they would lynch me
as soon as | come TO the courthouse, they
got on their knees and begged me TO leave
the city. | went 10 Col Gantts house
waited until he came TO dinner and asked
his advice, he told me under the existing
circumstances that he thought il advis-
able 10 get out Of the way for a
month or two until the storm
somewhat abated. What did | do? |
went over 10 Hopefleld there TO await the
train 10 leave on, before the train crossed
the river l knew i was not guilty and /
made up my mind TO come back and fight
Il out did not like 10 run off from nv
family and home when | had done no
deed Of crime simply because / was ac-
cuscd Of it. Judge any man who loves
his family and respects hfs wife would
have acted just as ] did. came back
and as Il was the night for my Lodge to
meet ] did not have time 10 20 home be-
fore ] went 10 my Lodge but waited until
the Lodge opened and went In, | there
stated 10 the facts Of the case and what
had occurred, had no such idea as that
l was a criminal, But knew / was being
prosecuted and l naturally felt very in
dignant. When / started out OF the
Lodge room was met by some Of the
( brothers who informed me that there was
some officers waiting for me below and
told me 70 go quietly 10 the station house
and give myself up that ! would not be
arrested there " ] would give up ut the
station house, was perfectly willing 10
30 for ! wanted the protection Of the
officers against the mob which Intended
10 lynch mo knew ! could not defend
myself against mob therefore | was
willing " stay In the station house that
night 10 have protection the next day.
Tho next morning at court the crowd
began 70 gcther got frightened ana
asked 10 be takcn 10 Jail which was done.
The News Papers and Mr. Lane did not
lose one moment but continued 10 grind
! mo pf taaa Ifd Il "a fttula nauttaI .,,g