The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1885-09-12
DIR. WILLIAM NJ. GNIN.
| NatcheZ Democrat. |

DIR. WILLIAM NJ. GWIN.
NatcheZ Democratic
Few persons now living in Natchey
remember the portly form and massive
frame Of VIM. NJ. Gwin, who held the
Office of U. S. marshal for Mississippi
when tho banks Of the State We're all
topping and ruin followed the collapse
Of the inflated currency Of the country.
The announcement of his death in New
York on the Sd inst, in hriefdispatch
of few lines, is all that tells of a life of
prominence aud full of incident.
DIR. Gwin came from his native State,
Tennessee, to Natchcz, about the year
1886, just before the paper money sys-
tenn which had flooded the State with
irredcemable promises to pay, had
reached its eliminating point. Missis-
sippi was then the Ell Dorado of adven-
turous mon, and it was not long before
the energetic and speculative character
of DIR. Gwin made him conspicuous
among the energetic carpet-bagsers of
the day, to whom Mississippi, by tho
way, is indebted for much of her pros.
perity. An ardent democrat from the
State where Gen. Jackson lived, his
energetic craftsmanship secured for him
from Van Buren, the appointment of
marshal of the State. Tho wreck of
large estates and tho large amount of
litigation in the federal courts made
the Office a very profitable one and dur
ing his term there was probably no
more lOrdly marshal in the employ of
the United States. The political intlu-
ence he acquired as marshal secured for
him the democratic nomination for rep
resentative in congress, to which he
was twice reelected.
After a residence for n short time in
New Orleans, DR.. Gwin went among
tho earliest immigrants to tho newly
acquired territory of California, from
which he was twice elected senator
after it became State. When the
South seeded from the Union DR..
Gwin took the side of his native Sec
ton, and had to undergo his share OF
tho troubles that fell upon tho South.
An unreconstructcd rebel he went from
the prison into which he had been
thrust by Federal tyranny, to Mexico
where he cast his lot with the French
intruder MaXimillian. Here it was
said to have been arranged that he
should be made Duke OF the Mexican
province of Sonora, but the failure OF
Maximillian to establish an imperial
throne destroyed tho plans which he
designed to carry into existence, and
DIR. Gwin returned to California, and
has there displayed the same dashing
energy and enterprise that character
lied his earlier life, up to the period OF
fourscorr years, his age when he died.
Many oppose the death penalty part
ly because they think it wrong to take
human life rs Il punishment for crime
and partly because the innocent may
sometimes be executed, and, when
their innocence has been made mani.
fest, no reparation eau be done for the
wrong committed. For many years
the State of Michigan has substituted
imprisonment for life for the death
penalty. a case has lately been dcvc-
lOped in that State which furnishes a
strong argument in favor OF her action
in this respect. Ia September, 1870, a
man was brutally murdered, and one
Curgan and his wife were convicted of
the crime. lie was sentenced to the
pcnctentiary for life, and she to the
Detroit house ofcorrcction. They were
convicted on the testimony of the wife
of the murdered man and of a young
man living in the family. Now she
has just confessed upon her death bed
that her entire testimony against Car
gan and his wife was false, and that
she and the young man were pcrjurcd
witnesses. During all the time of their
long Imprisonment Cargan and his wife
havo corrcspondcd, and he has had full
faith that some day their innocence
would he shown. IIc is said to be a
man of unusual intelligence, and APP
pears truthful and honest. aftor so long
and cruel a separation, he and his wife
will soon he reunited. Certainly this
case staifics Onc' in favor Of the aboii-
ton of the death penalty, and substitute
ing for il life imprisonment.
The September number OF DcmorC ST.
illustrated Monthly Magazine is dccid
edly one OF the best we have had. Thu
story, "Bryanstonc,,apd Wife," b,
Philip Bourko TTiarston, is capita
one, and "Ordcr5 Of * nightIIood," 3,
illustrated article, ga Happy Island,
"Thc Story of Ludwig Spohr," 81
Maid of Honor of the Last Century,
and "An Old Italian CITY" are wei
worth reading, The various depart
mcnt3 are carefully filed, and contain
much that is useful in the household
The frontispiecc is "a fine oil picture
called "Goci Bye"