The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1889-07-11
THE MACDOW VERDICT.
SCORCHING DENUNCIATION OF
THE JURY


THE JURY
That Acquitted Him, BY South Car
olina Paper-McDUw q Lechsrous
Libertins, A Perjured Liar sand
Cowardly Assassin.
lFrom the Sparta,.6urg Herald]
Mellow has been acquitted, and the
infamy of the verdict casts disgrace
upon South Carolina.
1t was pitched fight between T. B.
Mellow, as the representative of per-
fidy and treachery and murder and
perjury backed by money, against the
State of South Carolina, representing
law and justice and manhood and
honor and truth, and the State has
failed at every point.
It failed to have an honest Jury
commissioner-they say he was a ne
gro-and no such jury panel has been
drawn since the days of radical rule.
1t failed to project itself by its laws
against having a packed jury of seven
negroes to five white men, and one at
least of these white men, we are in
formed was q Republican. It failed
to have Solicitor capable Of conduct
ing the case. In the words of the New
York World mo case was ever more
badly managed even in South Caro-
lima"
But what the State failed to prove
Mellow with a reckless audacity
which proved his confidence in the
jury which he had packed, boldly and
f1ippantly confessed.
He confessed that he had deliber-
ately planned the ruin of an innocent
girl who had no protector but Capt.
Dawson; that he had even followed
her into Capt. Dawson's library and
attempted to pollute that gentleman 8
home by making it house of prosti-
tuition; that Capt. Dawson came to his
office to protest against such conduct;
that he was unarmed save with a six
ounce cane; that he even had on his
gloves and overcoat; that Capt: Daw-
son made no threats against him for
his past conduct; that Capt. Dawson
made no threats of violence even if he
continued his conduct; that he only
threatened to expose it; that in reply
he insulted his visitor and called him
Gan internal scoundrel;" that Capt.
Dawson resented it by striking him
with his hand and knocking his hat
off with his cane; that he thereupon
drew his pistol and shot Capt. Dawson
dead-and he claimed that he was
acting in self: defense.
The jury cannot justify their YER
dict, or the felon, by the fact that the
murder occurred in McDow's Office.
The judge plainly charged the jury as
matter of law that mans office diff.
fered from his home; that it was his
place of business, and that all who had
business with the owner had a rig ght to
come there, and that Dawson's bust.
ness with Mellow gave him the right
to go there. Should Dawson have in
veigled Mellow into the Ne,cs and
Courier building? Should he have
waylaid him on the streets to discuss
this matter? McDow's office was the
place to discuss it. If McDow's con
duct drew Dawson there, Mellow had
no more right to slay him there than
to shoot him on the street. Judged by
his own words and his own standards
he was not without fault" was
guilty of manslaughter.
He could concoct any story and
swear to it. There was none to dis
pute it-none save the gaping wouno
in Capt. Dawson's side. McDov
swore that Dawson was standing ovel
him that he drew the pistol from
his right pocket and fired. The wounC
was in Dawson's right side toward
the back and ranged forward. Tht
doctors disputed about theoretical de
ffections of balls. There was no dis
pute where that ball entered Dawson
side. Mellow swears that Dawso.
was standing over him in the act o
striking him. At that distance ans
in that position a right handed mai
could never have put bullet in hi
opponents right side, unless he hat
been behind him, never. And tina
testimony of the dead proves tha
Mellow is both perjured liar and I
/ SOW0AuAy 0SoSS0Ah "S AAS" oSAOA
that he is a treacherous, lecherou
libertine. The first tale he told wa
true. He got the pistol from tn
desk, he shot Dawson as he was goin,
out, he shot him deliberately ant
that is why he told Policeman Hogan
that ''he shot to kill, and he kne,
where to shoot; his profession ha,
taught him that" and he did not dar
to deny on the stand that he said il
although he was asked to do so.
| The jury who, under such evidence
declare that this felon was justifabl
in this matter that he was guilty Q
no offence; that he was "withou
fault" either stultify themselves, o
have deliberately violated their oath
| in order to abet murderer. The jur
has brought reproach on this Stat
and the foreman has disgraced th
name of Middleton.
Buckien's Arnica Saive.
The Best Salve in the world for Cuts, Bruise