Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-08-30
PRAY FOR CLEMENCY
TALr. HALLS FRIENDS ASK THE
GOVERNOR TO SPARE HIS LIFE.
The Papers 20 BE Presented 10 Hts Excel
ienoy M Bloc Ridge springs This
Morninr--The sfgners.

Petitions bearing some 800 or more sig
natures will be presented TO Governor Me-
Kinney at the Blue Ridge Springs this
morning asking him TO spare the life Of
Talton Hall, who Is under sentence TO
DO hanged at Wise Courthouse on Friday
next.
The papers are in the hands of Hon.
james b. Richmond. of Scott county, who
formerly represented the Ninth District in
Congress. Mir. Richmond defended Hall
on his trial in Wise county and took the
case up TO the Supreme Court, which tri-
bunal, during its last session, at Wythe-
Vile. rendered a decision affirming
the Judgment of the lower court.
The ex.CongressInan spent yesterday IN
TO make a final and earnest plea for his
client. in whose behalf be seems deeply IN
terested. He was under the impression
that the Governor had returned 10 the
city, or he might have stopped over at
Blue Ridge SUNDAY night. The prominent
Southwestern Democrat put IN tue best
part Of the day, though. attending to
other business, and left on the 1890 tram
last night for the Blue Ridge, where he
expects to call upon the Governor imne-
diately upon his arrival this morning.
The LhhthLi oApNAbs
A representative Of the DISPATCH called
upon Mr. Richmond ct Murphy's yester-
dav afternoon and had very pleasant talk
with him about this case which has at
tracted such widespread interest. Dir.
Richmond very courteously invited the
scribe up 10 his room and allowed him TO
examine the large batch Of papers bearing
on this matter.
Besides the full record of the trial which
e. -. IoTirf
are petitions gotten mp in Lynchbnrg, IN
Matt and Letcher counties. KY, where the
prisoner spent his earlier life in Memphis,
Tenn, and in Wise county. where the crime
was committed and the celebrated outlaw
tried and convicted. There are also four
affidavits containing statements III heiFs
behalf which were not available during
the trial. il is alleged. because these men
were afraid 10 remain in the place and
testify, as feeling ran high and there were
threats from sources not friendly TO Hall.
In addition to all of these papers. Mr..
Richmond was preparing short state
ment Of facts 10 be laid before bis Excel
leucv. This will also contain summary
OF the reasons why he thinks clemency
should be extended TO the man whom he
represents.
THE LYNcHBURG PETITION.
This is the way the Lynchburg petition
ItduH, anu bLO ObhOAo ~
same:
The undersigned citizens Of Lynchburg, Va,
respectfully beg your Excellency 10 commute
the sentence OF Tslton Hall, lately convicted IN
the County Court OF Wise county. Va, and SEN
fenced 70 DO hanged on the I'd day OF Septeru-
Der, 1892, 20 Imprisonment for life In the state
penitentiary. We are moved TO ask this OF your
Excellency:
/. Because we fear that a possible injustice
may have been done him by convicting him OF
murder in the first degree, as the killing seems
20 have occurred upon sudden quarrel enc
there was much evidence tending TO show that
he acted In self-defence.
9. Because one OF the judges Of the Supreme
Court Of Appeals vigorously dissented from the
majority, holding that ifthe evidence did not show
a case Of solf-defence, IL at most only showed
case OF murder In the second degree, where
there was no premeditation or deliberation-
3. TaltOn Han was sent 20 the jail at Lynch
burg for safe keeping. where he remained many
months. and the people OF this CITY iaued 70 hhu
in him any Of the elements which go 70 max
up the desperate pictured In such glowing terms
by the newspapers, which doubtless had great
deal 10 do with bis conviction.
TIE sIGSERs.
There are some 400 or more signatures
TO the Lynchburg petition. among them
those of Mayor Yancey, the Police Justice.
Chief Of Police Irwin. and six members OF
the force, several members OF the bar,
Clerk Mauzey. of the Corporation Court,
Citv-Auditor Otey, CLAYTON North, in
SOectOT OF WtlEHlHs I1lku-COAl9hhbAp
Seabury; Carter Glass, proprietor and edi-
tor of the Netos three physicians, ABOUT
fiftv merchants, thirty-odd Chesapeake
and Ohio employees, Rev. L. Nj. Carson,
rector of St. Paul's churchi. Rev. j.. j.
McGurk, pastor. and Rev. 4. J. Lueke,
assistant pastor of the Church OF the Holy
Cross; Postmaster James Mclaughlin,
Collector of Internal Revenue 7. H. Nc
Caull. President w. A. Carpenter, OF the
Lynchburg National Bank, and several
other bank officers.
The petitions from Kentucky bear about
800 names including those OF several
magistrates. There are about 200 sigma
lures in Wise county. but there are no OIL
GERS embraced in the list.
AARON pINsoN's AFFIDAVIT.
The two Kentucky witnesses who left
WISE Courthouse before testifying were
John NJ. Hall and Aaron Pinson. Their
aifidavits are practically to the same effect.
That of Pinson Is as follows:
was in the town OF Norton on the day Enos
Il. Hylton Was shot by Tat Hall, andswas at the
depot with John NJ. Hall when he came up and
spoke 10 a fellow didn't know, and told him he
had started to arrest Miles Bates, and that TAFT.
Hall, he had been told, was with him, and be
said II he was be would arrest him or Kill him
one Of the two, and that he would as live XIII
him rs not.
In a few minutes he got 10 whore they were
standing ana arrested Miles Bates and took his
pistol from him. he then turned on TAFT Hall
and drew his pistol on him and Hall knocked II
of and shot Hylton. They all seemed then TO get
into rath or kind Of scuie, but IN very lew mo
ments they separated and Hylton staggered 70
the ground. They had some words between
them, but wasn't close enough to hear what was
paid There we're two shots fred by Hall. but
the second shot thought went into the ground.
! was witness for Talt. Hall, and went from
here 10 Wise to testify IN tho case, but lett
without telling what knew about IT. for IN
hx,u ~ " beiDQ tlreat-
eued and they advised me 70 leave and said II
didnt do so / would likely be Killed, as strong
threats had been made against some OF US by
HyitOn's friends | aid leave that night ana
went back to Kentucky, and never testified in
ths case. From the movements that we're being
made / considered VIC w9re IN danger II We
stayed longer.
NEVER KILLED PoR MONEY.
Mr.. Richmond says most of the reports
sent ont about this case from beginning to
end have been highly colored. and that the
excitement prevailing in that section has
been exaggerated greatly. The prisoners
friends. he asserts, have never made any
movement looking to releasing him from
prison. Hall, his counsel says, has not
been the desperate that he IS represented
TO be. and never killed any one for money
or was accused of stealing cent. lie has,
however, been always ready TO hold up ms
end of Quarrel, and has killed seven men
besides Hylton. He was tried for six of
these acts and always acquitted. He was
brave Confederate soldier and was
wounded in Ohio while with General Nor
gan, and was with Morgan when the latter
was killed.
The affdavits of Dave Pannill and his
brother, which were not gotten until some
time after the trial, give about the same
account Of the killing that Prison and
Hall do in their sworn statements.