The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1889-07-05

the killing w W the papers, or tho testi.
Charleston; and, We may ssfsfysussad
verdict ever created greater sstonishment.
But few, II any, from the first, with all the
exciting and conflicting reports current i'm
mediately after tho killing, believed that
MoDow would be found guilty Of murder /;
but after reading the testimony and the,
very able speeches Of Counsel on both
sides, we doubt if another twelve men
could be found in the State whs would have
rendered q unanimous and unconditional
verdict Of "not guilty" Manslaughter or q
mistrial was confidently expected by every
body: But the old adage was fully verified
in that case There's no counting on the
verdict Of q Petit Jury"
Take McDow's own testimony as to tho
killing, coupled with his statement to the
reporter Of one Of the city newspapers, that
he took tho pistol from drawer on the other
side Of the room, but changed it afterward,
! at the suggestion Of the reporter, by stating
| that no took the pistol from his hip pocket
and what does that testimony disclossi
Why, either that the pistol was the veri-
table Irishman's gun that would shoot
round corner, or that Dawson Was shot
with his back towards Mellow, and at some
distance from his slayer, for there were no
marks of powder on his clothes, or any
thing else t. indicate that Dawson was
| standing over him, in the act Of striking
him while lying on the lounge. Mellow
says he shot Dawson while they were in
| that position, which must have placed
Dawson squarely in front Of Mellow when
the latter fired; but strange us it may ap-
| pear the ball entered Dawson's body on
line with the side seam Of his pantaloons,
and went directly inward. And what
makes McDow's story still more improbable
is the fact that, shooting with his right hand,
| he could not have shot Dawson on the right
side. There are other points in the testi-
mony fully as inconsistent with the verdict
Of mot guilty." but we have not the room,
nor do VIC think it necessary to show them.
Our individual theory of the killing of
Capt Dawson is that he went to McDow's
| office and unarmed threatened him with pub
| posure, and acted in n domineering manner
| toward him, which caused McDow to order
him out of the office, and when Dawson
turned TO leave Mellow ran to the drawer on
the other side Of the room, took from it neU
pistol and shot Dawson as he was near the
door, which would place the two men pre-
csely III the position indicated by the range
| Of the ball.
The Jury was composed of five white
and seven colorcd men. From the begin
| ming Of the terrible affair thore has been
veil Of mystery over almost every step ;
but the scene in the court room when the
verdict was announced, and tho ovations
given Mellow by tho negro republicans,
and their whito allies of Charleston after
ward, convinccs ali that an outside pressure
me P eUSreu memDsrs poi The july '''.." Y..
what influence or motive brought all the
five white jurors to the feet of their seven
colorcd colleagues is q mystery that may
never be known TO the -publie.-But- the
Jurors upon their oaths do say. not guilty.
and the world bows in abject submission
to the oft-repcated judicial decree that hui
man life is cheap, and justice is dethroncd
by envy, prejudice and vindictiveness.
There is more behind the murder of Capt
Dawson than has been brought to light,
AMI we predict that tho crime will recoil
than two years.
But to us, one Of the saddcst features in
this whole sad affair WAS tho reported un-
| scsmly eagerness of a numberof Charleston
acquittal. lie is married man, and tho law
full father of one child but his conduct to
ward the Swiss servant Of Mrs. Dawson, anu
his own confession that women was his be-
setting sin marked him as a dangerous libsr.
tine who would sacrifice the honor of any
person or family to crafty his lustful ms
J'on, auu Wnen cxpostulated with and
threatened with public exposure, he added
the crime Of murder to his catalogue
of sins. And yet it appears that
numbers Of white Ladies in Charles
ton We'd with the negroes Of that
city in their haste to express to him their
delight at his escape from punishment
Such ovations TO such men, under such
circumstances, are not calculated TO inn
press the virtuous and gooi citizens of our
country with n very high opinion Of the
standard Of moral conduct governing
Charleston ladies'.
The verdict Of mot guilty" satisfied tho
law, but it has not sat ,-fcd the people and
1t will take more than The congratulations
of any number of Charleston Ladies to
make four-6fths of the peop'e believe that
Mellow is not guilty.