Mississippi leader. (Jackson, Miss.) 1892-1895, 1893-05-16

my opinion of their conduct. They
knew that / abhorred their wicked
deed with every fibre of my soul.
EXTENUATlNG CIRCUMSTANCES.
First. beg to say these people are
ignorant not many of them read pa
pers or books. Their thoughts have
been given to their little farms and
home interests, and they have but
picked up such floating news as may
be picked up in neighborhood visit.
4 simple minded people, just the prey
the wicked. designing rascal delights
to draw into his snare to accomplish
his malicious purposes, are these peo-
pie. believe they have been victim
lied by some scoundrel yet unrevealed
but whose identity | devoutly hope the
process of time will bring to light and
the most condign punishment.
In my judgment this whole affair
lays tremendous emphasis upon the
Importance of the most enlightened
among us in cultivating broad-mind-
ed intelligent citizenship. May we have
the wisdom to heed the admonition.
Second, false and the most irrita-
ting reports were communicated to
these simple minded people. They were
told that their incarcerated friends
were arbitrarily held without authori-
ty of law; their witnesses were not ad-
mitted to the grand jury room, etc. All
this stirred their simple natures to
fury They have descended from the
stock that resisted the arbitrary sus-
pension of the writ of habeas corpus in
the years long gone.
Third, the poverty and helplessness
of their friends and their families
goaded them to madness. l appeal for
mercy because they solemnly promise
that they will henceforth live as be-
comes good citizens and support the
law and courts. Their dependent
wives and children need their services
in order to have living. To take
some of these men away from their
families means simply to put those
families upon stinted, charity. With
proper help and influences most. if not
all of of these defendants may be adj
ded to the rank of good citizenship.
Mississippi needs to have
HER GOOD CITIZENSHIP
very largely reinforced.
Finally, 1t has been said by some
that this whole trouble is the result of
political heresy. | feel authorized to
say that the whole affair is as innocent
of all political questions as monkey
is Of soul. | have little patience
with the man who will undertake to
turn the common troubles of a whole
people to his party advantage. Every
man arrested in this county charged
with White Capism by his own declar-
alton is lifelong Democrat.
"On the other hand of the eighteen
good and true men comprising the
grand jury that presented bills against
those arrested parties, but eight voted
the Democratic ticket last fall"
The portions of Mr.. Gambrell's
speech in which he depicted the
poverty and condition of many fami-
lies of the guilty were very pathetic
and moved many in the audience to
tears.
When Mr.. Gambrell concluded, Rev.
J. NJ Weems, pastor of the Brookhaven
Methodist Church, stepped forward
and addressed the court. He said all
of the defendants were personally
strangers to him. but so much depend
ed upon the treatment they received at
the hands of the court he did not feel
that he should remain silent. He made
a strong appeal for clemency. DR..
Weems paid a glowing tribute to Gen.
Grant, but for whose magnanimity in
the hour of victory he did not believe
there would be reconciliation between
North and South to this day. Grants
consideration for a defeated foe won
the hearts of Southern men, and
A MERCIFUL AND CONSERVATIVE POLICY
toward these men would redeem them
to good citizenship and prove the wis
est course.
DR.. Weems was followed by Rev. j.
L. Price, who is a neighbor of large
number of the men. He made spe-
cial plea for the young men.
At the conclusion of the speeches
Judge Chrisman said he had been
deeply impressed by the remarks of
the speakers. He entertained person
ally not the slightest ill-will toward
any living man on account of what
had occurred, and could, therefore. act
without personal prejudice He was
willing to lean as far to the side of
mercy in the case as just administra-
ton of law would allow, but could go
no further. He would, therefore,
adopt the suggestions that had been
made, and place each of the defend
ants under a 500 bond to keep the
peace one year and take the personal
recognizance Of eachin the sum of 800
! to appear at the next term of court to
answer indictments against them for
participating in the mob. The Judge