The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1893-05-18
Els NECK SAVED.
GOVERNOR HoGG COMMUrEs TaE SEN
TENCE OF A NEGRO RAPIsT.
The Man Being Isaac Bruce Of Hill, and the
Evidence Adducsd at the Trial Not Be-
ing, in the Governors Estimation,
Sufficient to Warrant His Death.

received communication from num-
Der of the re putahle citizens of Hill
county in which they say they do not
believe the evidence justified the sen-
tence.
The State of Texas VS.. Isaac Bruce:
Ia many respects this is Iemarka-
BILE case. Its gravity demands more
than ordinary notice. rhe defend.
ant, negro, was convicted in the
district court of Hill county at the fall
term, 1892, of the rape of Miss Ella
Sheriff., a white girl; was sentenced
to death, and the court of criminal
on investigation, affirmed
the judgment. The condemned man,
Bruce, now in the Waxahachie Jail
for safe keeping, applies to me for eX-
ecutive clemency. No one represents
him or offers assistance in his behalf.
The only written application made to
me was by himself, in an illegible
hand but of marked simplicity and
force, as follows:
"WAXAHACHIE, Tex, April II, 1893.
Mr.. J. S. Hogg:
HIGHNY HONcRED STR am here
in Jail and sentenced to hang and now
L has come to you for mercy. Dear gov.
ernor, L don't think 1 had fair trial
at all. proved where was at every
hour in the day and proved where L
was that night when they said the
crime was committed, and she said
the man that done it had knife and
pistol, and the sheriff arrested
another man with knife and pis-
toll, and he was muddy and wet and
suited the description the woman give
in to tee. And when he was arrest
ed he ran from the officers and tried
to get away. And there was man
got on the stand and sw0re they saw
the other man with the woman's
father the same evening and they was
drinking whisky together. And there
was a man said the girl shuddered
when she came in. at me, but dear
governor the girl did not shudder
when she came in, at me, but she did
shudder when she seen all OF the men
standing in row. She looked up
and down the row OF men was in
and looked at me and said
the negro had on white shirt,
and l think she said it was me
because l had on a white shirt. Dear
governor you know it is hard upon
me to give up my life for nothing. |
say myself the man that committed
the crime ought to be punished for it,
but l say punish the right man.
Some OF the same men that wanted to
mob me was on my jury Now do
you think that was fair trial? Now
dear governor please help me for am
no more guilty than you are, and
why should my life be taken from
me? If it was so that God could
bone down here He would tell you
the same. So please master help me
if it is in your power. 1 will close.
Your humble servant.
ISAAC BRUCE
| have obtained and carefully eX-
amined the statement of facts on
which this negro was convicted and
sentenced to be executed.
There is no doubt that some negro
committed the rape on the young
lady, Miss Ella Sheriff., at the time
stated in the bill of indict-
ment; and there is no question that
whoever did it deserves and should
receive the death penalty legally ap-
piled. While it is possible that the
negro, Bruce, may have committed
the offense. 1 entertain serious doubts
of it. In fact, believe it hardly prob
able that he committed the crime.
The whole case turns on the question
of personal identity. No one denies
that the offense was committed by
brutal, outrageous methods.
The proof shows that man by the
name of G. l.. Sheriff. with his two
Ella, aged II, and Ola,
aged 13, on Sunday morning in June
camped out half mile northeast of
Hillsboro. He went to town in the
procured whisky, drank it
freely, returned to the camp, took din.
ner, slept an hour or so, and on awak-
ing returned to town, leaving his two
alone. About shutdown of
that day he started back to the camp,
but lost his route. He met a
negro, whom he got FOL
show him the way. Arriving at
the camp, he ordered his eldest
daughter to give the negro some
thing to eat, which she did. After
eating his supper, consisting of a
oeice of beef and bread, the negro
asked Sheriff. for peice of Tobacco
[t was given to him. He remained al
he camp not longer than fifteen min
ties and departed,
Between and o'clock that night
his same negro returned to the camp,
md by the use of drawn knife and
pistol drove Sheriff. off and raped |
he young lady. There is no ques-
ion in my mind that the negro who
piloted Sheriff. home and shared his
Is the same that COM
nitted the deed. The night was
lark, the clouds heavy and low, the
lightning vivid, and by It's flashes
Miss Ella identified the negro A
tronger incident occurred however
hat more conclusively established
lis Identification. Before driving
Sheriff. from the camp, the negro
sked him for some more of "that
obacco." This, more than the ability
# the young lady, by sight in
he dark, even by the
ightning's flash, to identify
he culprit, convinces me that the one
whom they had seen about sundown
9 the criminal that ravished her. I'm.
nediately after she was released from
he fiendish hands, she made her way,