The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1886-11-25
ghe Case Of clnverius.

An effort is being made to induce Coy.
Lee to commute the sentence of Clu-
yerius. condemned to be hanged ON the
10th of December, to Imprisonment for
life. Nunerously signed petitions will be
presented to sustains the application and
among the siguers Will be several of the
Jurors who sat in the case. Carter Harri-
son. of Richmond, the only lawyer among
the Jurors ,favors Communication. ard is re-
ported assayiDg that if the jury had known
that verdict of murder in the second de-
gree could have been brought in. that
would have been the rendition OF Il q Jul
nv The jury thought it was either ac-
auttal or murder in the first degree
While the evidence in the case strongly
pointed to The prisoner as the murderer
of his cousin. Lillian Madison, it was by
no means conclusive, al d left doubt
upon the minds of a large number OF those
who read il. such as would have modified
the verdict Public feeling had been SO
wrought upon in Richmond. too. by the
persistent forts Of the press OF that city
TO convict the accused before his trial,
that 1t was next to impossible that the
Jury should not 10 il greater or less drgree
have been influenced ly it. The dead body
of the young lady had been found III the
Old Reservoir Cluverius was known to
have been intimate with her. and as a
victim W as demanded to atone for the
supposed murder, and there being no 9th.
er upon whom suspicion rested. the con-
centrated vengeance of the population cen
tired upon him. The evidence was clrcum
stantial. There was no deadly weapon
found and no marks of violence upon the
body sufficient 10 cause death discovered.
There was no fact adduced to prove thai
CluveIius actually killed the girl, nor to
disprove TIE theory that she made way
with her own life. Iet a chain of circum-
stances and incidents wtre woven which
strongly Indicated that Clnverlus knew
something of the tragedy. if he was not a
principal in its enactment. But that such
evilcEre wasad'!uced as tofasten the crime
upon him. We did no. think at the time
the evidence WAS published. nor do we
think so now It, is possible that discoy
cries may Vel he made. Ur confessions
given that VIII clear up the mystery. hut
whcthtr so OF io., modification OF the
sentence to Imprisonment for life could do
no harm To tfke man 8 lie upon cir
cumstantial evidence is a serious thing
There have been so many fearful mistakes
made in his respect. that the utmost eau
ton and The most patient forsearahce
should be observed in determining the
issue of life ard death to ar accused per
son. We have no doubt he Governor
will We the whole sutj ct the most care
full con>ideral ion. and in the light of all
the facts developed by the evidence, as
we'll us the judicial Investigations which
have been invoked since the trial, make
his award from conscientious motives,
and with a du. sense of the IT spOnshili y
which " i'll attach TO his action. He will.
We ARE sare. do so. re gardIess Of the public
Sent iment, stiln.tla. ed 10 excess by publ
cations pr. rtdiag the trial, and with an
honest purpose To reach the ends of JUS
tice, tempered by mercy. boil To the pris-
oner and the commonwealth.