The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-07-11
AID INDISCREET MURDERER
Capt. DawsOn's Widow Seeks Police Pro-
lection from Her Husbands Slayer.
How Mellow Received the Bruise He Said Was
Inflicted by DawSOn's Cane-The News and
Courier at Last Speaks of the Crime.


Special to the Indianapolis JournaLa
CHARLETTON, s. c., July 10.-The city is
full of rumors about the Mellow case to-
day. 1t is understood that most of the pas
tors of the leading churches will on Sunday
next preach ON the subject of the Mellow
verdict, adultery and murder. At the
meeting which adopted resolutions de-
nouncing the crime, the pastors of Metho-
dist, Baptist Presby yterian, Huguenot, Con-
gregational, Lutheran and Episcopal
churches were present. Rev. Z. L. Horne,
of st. Johns, the church at which Mellow
worships, and at which Mellow re-
ceived an ovation on the Sunday after
his acqulttal was absent. 1t is known
that Mrs. Dawson, the widow of editor
Dawson, had to appeal to the police last
night for protection, and policeman was
stationed on her premises. McDow's and
DawsOn's lots adjOin each other in the rear.
Persons on the rear piazzas of both houses
can converse. and Mellow can easily get
over the back fence into the Dawson
premises. 1t is said that yesterday after
noon Mellow endeavored to communicate
with the Swiss maid, who was on the
piazza with Captain Dawson's daughter,
and that the maid reported the fact to Mrs.
Dawson. 1t is also said that he repeated
the attempt later in the evening, when
Mrs Dawson appealed to the police for pro-
lection.
Another story is going the rounds to the
effect that one of the white jurymen. who
heard to boast In a bar-room that Mitchell,
counsel for the State. might have saved
himself the trouble of speaking on Satur-
day, as the jury had made up its verdict on
Friday.
Still another rumor is to the effect that
the bruise on McDow's head, to which his
friend, DR.. Forrest SO feelingly testified as
probably coming from DawsOn's five-Ounce
Malacca cane, can be accounted for in an
other way. The story is that it was re-
ceived on the morning of the murder in the
house of one of the Doctors lady patients,
with whom the Doctor had attempted one
of ''the little indiscretions" which he is so
confident his friends will overlook. 1t is
said that the affair leaked out too late to
be introduced during the trial, but that the
solicitor is in possession of the facts.
The News and Courier of this city, which
has preserved silence since the trial of Nc
Dow for the murder of editor Dawson COM
menced, is out In an editorial on the subject
to-day. The article says: g The News and
Courier kept silent after the murder of
Captain Dawson and before the trial of his
slayer, because it did not intend that there
should be the slightest grounds for the
charge that it had attempted in any way
to shape the course of public opinion. The
News and Courier has kept silence since
the trial because it was well aware that
whatever views it expressed would be at
tributed to personal feeling and individual
prejudice. 1t has preferred to await the
Judgment of the country, and To set up
against the verdict of the jury in the Court
of sessions the verdict of the larger Jury of
the country. We doubt that the verdict
would have been different if Captain
Dawson had been shot in the back
in the very presence of the court, and after
the frenzy of three hours waiting with his
silent guest the defendant had. with moist
ened towel. tenderly wiped away from the
cold. still face the white-wash and mold
from the grave In the closet underneath
the stairs. We doubt that, under the cir
cumstances, the result would have been
different if in his confession DR.. Mellow
had admitted he shot his victim in the
back as he was leaving the office. In view
of the result of the trial. the defendants
attorney might have saved the State the
unutterable shame of this judicial travesty
had they moved to quash the indictment
for murder upon the ground that there was
no statute of South Carolina providing
that the killing of 4. w. Dawson was 8
punishable offense