Arkansas weekly mansion., 1884-01-26
HOWARD COUNTY RIOT
AFFAIR.
AN APPEAL GRANTED.

inson of Pine Bluff. came up on a
telegram from Judge NJ. w. Gibbs
and brought up two attorneys and
met Col. Grace here, who had
been spending a week or ten days
in Howard county, working up
the matter at the expense of the
Jefferson county committee. Coils.
Conway, Jones, aud others, from
Washington, Hampstead county,
met with the other attorneys
and waited on the Governor
and could net effect anything,
but he thought the Judges
might do something: on waiting
on the Judges majority of them
concluded to give the matter a
hearing; the cause will be argued
before the supreme court next
Saturday, and if reversed the
case will he referred back to the
Howard county circuit court, to
be tried after the heat of passion
has cooled down and All impartial
trial possible. 1t they affirm the
decision Of the court below the
Governor will only have to set
the time of execution of the three
that We're to he hung on the 25th
instant, providing he refuses
to extend executive clenency,
and those in the pen to re-
main there; but it is to be hoped
that mercy and justice will abound
in the hearts of the Judges and
they will conclude that the facts
are that it was only a riot and
punishment should be assessed
accordingly.
The attorneys, Coils A b Grace
and Met l. Jones of Jeferson:
Jones and Conway of Hampstead,
and Col X G. Newton of Pulaski.
as attorneys for the victims saw
Governor Berry and he said he
wished it announced that an az
peal had been granted, and the ex-
ecution would be stayed. He
wrote the following telegraIns
which were Immediately sent to
hrkadelphia. to stop the removal
OF the prisoners from that place
LITTLE Rock, Jan. %, 1854.
Henry Briggs. Sheriff of Howard county:
care }. +. llulsey, Arkadelphia:
Supreme court has granted All appeal in
all the cases. This by law stays the execu-
tion. Do not move the prisoners. Answer
aud let me know this is received.
JAMES ii. BERRY, Governor.
LITTLE Rock, Jan. %, 1854.
Joe p. Hulsey, Arkaielphia, Ark:
Tell Henry Briggs the supreme court has
granted an appeal in the cases of Charley
Wright, Lige Thompson and Henry Carr,
which supercedes execution. Answer you
have received.
JAMES H. BERRY, Governor.
In connection with the matter
it may be of interest to give the
petition which Was circulated in
our city last Wednesday by Col
Jones, Hon J ID Conway and Mr.
A R Grace. 1t is given as tol-
lows, with the signatures Oh
tanned:
To HIS Exc y, James II Berry,
GovernO rkansas:
The undersigned citizons of tho
state of Arkansas, feeling an inter
est in the welfare, prosperity and
good name uf the state, would res
pectfully pray for executive elem.
ency in the case Of "Lige" Thomp-
son, Henry Carr and Charlie
Wright, now under sentence of
death tor the murder of Thomas
Wyatt, in Howard county.
While it may ke true that in the
Illustration OF abstract Justice
these men are deserving of the pen-
atty imposed upon them, yet, when
it is remembered that for the killing
of Wyatt five men have already
been killed, thirty-three sentenced
10 imprisonment in tho reritcntia
ry for long terms, there arc now un
der sentence OF death and several
others indicted for murder in the
first degree, it will appear that the
ends OF justicc havc already been
satit fled, aud that farther punish
ment will produce 40 bcncii nj ei
feet.
1t is also true that these cases have
attracted nationa! attention and
that the reputation OF tho state has
suffered from the apparently whole
sale and severe character Of the pun
ishment mcted ont to those colOred
men for the k,lii' & Of one man in
what is popularity supposed to have
been 4 rior, end We believe that II
con.mutation Of The death penalty
to term OF imprisonment in the
cases OF Carr, Thompson and Wright
is dictated by wise public policy
as we'll AS by sentiments of comm IN
humanity.
John N. Moore, w s Curran, J y
Smithee, Frederick Kramer, mayor
Of Little Rock, W J Probst, S r
Cockrill, b Battle, Charles e Wa
ters, Henry c Caldwell, John G
Fletcher, W r Miller, James Mitch
ell, W F Henderson, Robert A How
ard Logan H Roots, II & Allis.
John F Boyle, Geo W Caruth, W s