The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-05-11
EMMA MOLLoY'S DEFENSE.
George Z. Graham's Charges of Immo-
rality Taken Up and Refuted.
Affidayits Fully and Conclusively Showing
the Falsity of the Statements Made by the
Man Who Was Lynched at Springfield.


Speciai to the Indianapolis Sournai.
SpRINGFIELD Mo-, May 10. Mrs. Emma Mol
10y has for some time been engaged in collecting
and preparing proofs refuting the statements
made by George e. Graham, who was recently
lynched at this place. The work was completed
to day, and is now given to the press. The state
mont is as follows;
To the Public:
For several weeks my friends all over the
United States have been implorng me for the
refutation of the slanderous charges made by
George E. Graham in his statement which was
launched upon the world while we were in the
midst of a preliminary examination, under
charge of crime which was committed when l
was three hundred miles away, and of which
had not the slightest knowledge until read 1t
in the newspapers. Did believe that Cora Lee
Graham was capable OF participation in so hor-
rbe an affair." or that she could ever have con-
nived at, or consented to, or ever known of, and
concealed so unnatural crime, should never
set pen to paper in her defense In any way; but
do believe in her innocence, not only of tho
crime charged by the courts, but the knowledge
that she was an unlawful wife, OF the SANDER
Gus assertions of Graham, who in one breath
declares her to be the one woman of all the
world to him. and In the next charges her with
criminallty such as could only be practlced by
the vilest woman
/ have always believed and still believe her to
be one of the most conscientious of women, and
had she been as his statement represents-so
loose in all her ideas of morality and virtue-there
had been no need for George Graham TO have
rsked Imprisonment to make her his wife. am
aware that 1t is impossible In brief newspaper
article to present anything like lucid history of
the connection of Graham with my family. This
would require the relation of details and the pub
fishing of correspondence that would fill a vol
ume. expect, if spared. soon to issue history
of my prison and reform work. which will read
like romance and will present quite another side
of the case than has Oeen given to the public
The world may then perhaps not wonder so much
that we were deceived, for the public has been
made aware that this man had no ordinary brain.
l know how unwise any lengthy statement
would be at this stage of affairs. fully realize
the delicacy of my position, and my only apol-
ogy for intruding myself upon the public in this
defense is that owe it to the cause of Christ,
which these charges SHOW that fouly dshon-
ored, were they true; owe 1t to my children,
who in my public assassination, have suffered
untold agony, for it has smitten down their sole
protectors to the noble and true friends who
have never wavered in their allegiance to me,
though to some who have stood closely by me it
has been like carrying their own regulations
down into the valley and shadow of death: lastly,
to myself for regard my life as holy trust
not to be carelessly thrown away, else 1t would
have been blessed relief during the past few
weeks to have laid aside the weary burden and
the merciless storm of persecution which has
been waged upon 1t is seldom human
being is called upon to go through such fire as
has been kindled about me.
1t takes a lifetime to build character. 1t Is
the work of years to establish good name, aud
for woman. thrust by hfe's emergencies into q
public position have been, it is battle inch
by inch, with the odds all against her, and such
is the structure of society that the breath OF
SANDER from the lips of never so characterless
man may in an hour demolish the work Of all
the years, or at least go impair it that she is tor
ever crippled. / cannot wonder, stranger as |
was to the people of Springfield, that the horri-
BILE occurrences of the past few months have
made the public severe in its denunciations and
dealings with me, or that those who were my
friends have silently stood aloof waiting to see
the outcome and demanding an explanation and
refutation of all the base charges made against
myself and Cora Lee. | rather marvel at the
pure gold of the true and unwavering friendship
of the noble mon and women who, knowing so
little as they did in the beginning of this trial OF
my real inner life. have stood bravely by me in
good and evil report. TO Judge Baker and his
dear wife, who have in their courageous defense
been so unfinching, l owe debt of gratitude
that all eternity can scarcely repay.
T.. u, and other lady friends who
in the trying scenes in the courtroom stood
like wall of iron around me while cold, gray
eyes, steel bladed were piercing me through,
and was hunted to the death; when it took the
courage Of their convictions to show me sympa-
thy, and the sneers of the thoughtless rabble.
and sensational press made it literal cruel
fixion; IL can only say they have proven that our
legion Of the pledge and the cross is composed
of the noblest specimens of womanhood, and have
forever given the lie to the oft-repeated SANDER
that women never stand by women when they
are slandered and prosecuted"
To the gentlemen who, like brothers, rallied to
my rescue, signing my bond because convinced
of my innocence of the crime with which was
charged and to whom l owe a lifelong debt OF
gratitude; to those, and to hundreds of loyal
friends at whose hearthstones | have been O
welcome guest, and whose letters have come to
me like benediction, it is due that now, as
wished to do the day following the publication
of the slanderous statement OF George Graham,
positively deny the truth OF all his sanderous
allegations. was then met with the argument
''you must establish the truth Of your de-
niai beyond your mere assertions. 1t must
be done By affdavits, positively proving your
whereabouts on the dates in which he charges
the criminal intimacy TO have occurred" and
WAS silehced, for | remembered that there ara
no two classes OF people whom the world, espe-
cialy the vicious part of it, are so ready to believe
q scandal about as a minister OF the gospel and a
woman; but when the two characters are COM
bined, and scandal can be concocted suf-
ficiently ingenious for the public to swallow,
however nauseating and polluting it may be, it is
devoured with an ecstacy of delight 1t mat
tiers not that hearts may break or lives 90
ciety may fatten upon the slain regulations OF
others.
Graham did not need give to the world his
assertions that. by putting forth that state
ment ca he made no pretensions of being actu-
ated by high and holy impulse desire to inn
prove society or raise the tone Of public moralS"
The man who could thus publicly acknowledge
to his children his shame, had his confession
been true, could never be suspected OF
any such motives He further re-
veals part Of his purpose It
was a cowardly desire to shift some of the moral
responsibility of his crime on others, and at the
same time to give vent to the petty spitefuness Of
his nature. because did not at his CALL two weeks
before, hasten home and secure him bail when
he was charged with biganly feltif he was
innocent he could soon prove himself to beso; ii he
had committed the double crime of slanderine
and wronging his lawful wits and deceiving q
trusting girl he ought to suffer for it