Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1889-05-16

to the former two until April %. PREVIOUS ~
ing of the lower court in David Walkers case,
and had fixed May 10 as the Date OF ms eneoaI
ton About April II you sentence IMPOSED on
William Walker and John Mattnews' anu VIZ" NJ,
that was denied asked for respite until May
ene Of David walker This was granted
For the past four days have devotea moss
of my time and attention to consaaeaa' y, he
half Of the condemned men, ana 10 an invesu
cation OF the testimony given nj Ine triai %
their cases and now on file in the once OF Tue
clerk of the Supreme Court. have read care
fully the petition OF the trial luoge anu prose
cutting attorney for communication OF sen.cnou,
as well as YOUR many written appeals Tor mercy
made by letter and petition from djnerent sec
tions of the State. do not understand you 70
G G tne mo- rsry,ing attorney admit i'm
their communication that the condemned mSl
had fair trials, that they are unques tionao,y
guilty, and that ''their conviction was simply
the conclusion of the law from the evidence
These being admitted facts, 1t Is obviously
sented to justify executive interference. That
you have ably and ingeniously presented every
reasonable argument Tor your clients and
country in which they lived. their former
Knobber organization to which they belonged,
was not formed for the purpose OF pillage, put
through mistaken desire on me par rS Oh ,a avs
themselves-allt these mitigating facts you nave
carefully set forth IN forcible manner me
shape of affidavits from respected citizens and
officials, attacking the credibility OF promi-
nent witness in the case OF DAVID Wain srn mas
The testimony given at the trials. as shown IN
the record OF the case. presents few, II any.
ing OF a score or more of armed and hfdeously--
masked men was held on the night of the 1lth
of March, 1887, and that for two hours they con-
suited together; that the members OF the meet
ing departed from the place OF the assemoiage
in direction different from the one In which
lay the homes of the leaders and many OF the
men; that although preconcerted acton was
not proven upon their arrival at the home OF
c one t m narav tse house ana did
not turn away until it was ascertalneo
that the dwelling was unoccupied, that thence
their footsteps were directed toward the house
OF James Edens. father of said William Edens,
which was situated one-fourth Of a mile dis
railroad and of the main road: that when they
arrived there they fired into the only window
OF the tenement anu rear. aoms ind,scr
inately: tnat the efforts OF the inmates to pro-
tect themselves from this invasion were futile
against the over-powering number and arms OF
their assailants: that this family, not charged
with being other than harmless, honest ana
law-abiding, and whose only onense nad oeen
methods of the Bald Knobber organization, ana
which consisted of q father mother, son and
daughter-n-law, daughter and son-n-law, and
two grandchildren, was aroused from its SUM
beers at the dead of night and butchered over
law were murdered, the father felled and left
for dead: that the daughter only escaped with.
hor life by the alertness of her defense.
The theory of the trial judge advanced in his
plea for communication to the effect that these,
murders. although possessing the elements OF
deiberation IN a technical sense, were not pre-
medtated in moral sense, does not comport
with the fact that the distance between the
houses of William and James Edens OF one
quarter of a mile, required sufficient time in
traverSing to enable the participants in this
horrid deed to weigh the consequences as we'll
gagged in this attack were equally guilty can not
be denied, but the fact that the State was COM
peied to grant immunity to some of the accom-
plces in order to convict others if not more
guilty offenders, should not relieve from pun
ishment those who have been sentenced by the
courts. This was conspiracy, the parties to
which were masked and bound together by
terrifying oath attended by ceremonies calcu-
deep sense of the solemnty of his obi
CATION The new testimony which you have ad-
duced for the purpose of overthrowing the
made by one Of the States wit
nesscs against David Walker to the effect that
he not only encouraged but ordered the attack,
to the Counsel for the defense at the time of
the trial But even If such were not the case
the fact remains that David Walker was the
organizer and leader OF this band; that his au--
thority over the men was absolute IL not des-
potlc. and that by its timely exercise he could
youth Of William r Walker. which has been
urged as the reason for the extension of Glenn
ency to him, would in most cases be lustifiable
for merciful action, but in this one the testi-
mony shows him to have been leader rather
than q follower and establishes the fact that
he was the most daring and desperate of the
1t is wise provision that vests in the Gov
ernor the power of the respite or pardon OF
be established after their conviction in
courts of justice, or in whose behalf
such extenuating circumstances may be
presented as are calculated to soften
the asperity of justice But as interpret the
provision this power should never be exercised
when iuSticp demands
in hand the innocence of the accused is not as
serted, and the extenuating circumstances bal.
The courts have passed upon tho
law in the and their decisions agree as to
the justice of the punishment inflicted. l see
no reason why should interpose clemency:
and whilst appreciate the gravity of the situa-
ton, the tact that the crime must be expiated
by the lives of the three men, and many must
suffer on account thereof, discern many
sons why the sentence of the law should be
carried out.
The State guarantees protection to every
citizen. and under its Rgis the humblest as
well as the highest claims security from the in
which these men were found responsible were
not in the heat of passion, on the
judgment, in the solemn hours OF
the night and at the flreside of the
family. Tne sanctity OF home was invaded
and the blood of those who had lain down in
peaceful slumber shed within their dwelling
place. The attack had little provocation, and
no reasonable explanation of it has ever been
offered The executive authority of the State
can not be better employed than in throwing
about the homes of its children the mantle of
its protection. The epidemic of lawlessness
which has broken out in various parts of the
country in the guise of self-styled regulators,
and which in this State has found expression
in Bald Knobbersm. should be suppress ed, and
it is to the credit OF Missouri that she has so
promptly administered the punishment pre-
scrbed by law for the commission Of outrages
Of the nature of the Edens-Green murder. Be
ing sworn to support and uphold the law. to in
sure protection to peaceable citizens and TO as
sist in the punishment of offenders, can not
grant the communication desired.
With the highest respect and greatest per-
sonal esteem, am sir,
Your obedent servant
DAVID r. FRANCIS, Governor.