The sea coast echo. [volume] (Bay Saint Louis, Miss.) 1892-current, 1894-04-21
THE HEMINGWAY CASE.

PO'i'io' iOl puruon SlBneu DY
VIM. L. Hemingway, the defaultlng
ex-treasurer Of Mississippi, aud ad.
dressed to Governor Stone, was
given publication last Saturday to
which the original copy shows the
longest list Of names ever presented
Tor executive clemency. Editorially
the Vicksburg Post prints the follow
Ing, which are the exact sentiment of
The Echo on this important case:
The petition occupies nearly a col.
umn OF space in small type. The
ex-Treasurer asserts that he is inno-
cent OF ever taking cent from the
Treasury and innocent Of any knowl-
edge OF any one else dong so. He
also refers TO his record for honesty
and integrity, and TO the record Of his
ancestors. He further. says he was
not convicted Of any personal use Of
public money. Mr.. Hemingway
goes on to say that since the trial,
ut has transpired that there was a
knowledge of the lock combination
by another and there was the possi-
Dility OF his access to the public
moneys, and also that receipts for
moneys paid, valuable to me only as
vouchers have disappeared from the
vault" Also "mistakcs against N.Y.
self were discovered of several thous-
and dollars, which had escaped the
gentlemen OF the investigating com
mlttee."
Col. Hemingway claims that he
was convicted Of" technical grounds"
and with no scintilla Of proof of mis-
appropriation, and that his punish
ment is already "dlsproportioned to
q technical conviction"
While Col. Hemlngway's plea will
appeal to the sympathy Of all who
read 1t, We do nos see that it throws
any light on the mystery Of the dis
appearance of the 1915, 900 from the
State Treasury, or that it relieves
him from the responsibility Of ac-
counting for IL.
II IL be true that some other per-
SON had knowledge of the combina-
tion that person should be found and
prosecuted. And IL 1t developes
that some one else took the money i,
the Legislature should appropriate o
generous amount of damages to Col.
Hemingway for false imprisonment.
But in the meantime, the State is
compelled to hold the ex-Treasarer
responsible.
Probably no man was ever let off
with ligA cr punishment for even
similar technical offense although
the shortage in the Treasury was
real and not technical. No mans
friends even stood by him closer than
those of Col. Hemingway, up 10 the
time OF his trial when be virtually
made no defense and left his friends
no ground TO stand on.
1t is natural that Col. Hemingway
should desire to be released, and it Is
not strange that number Of names
should be signed to his petition.
But perhaps he has made a mistake
IN sending in the petition, unless he
has proof and evidence that win
place upon some one else The responr
slbility for thu missing money.
| Governor Stone viii assume q
responsibility II he issues the pardon ;
and we feel certain he will be guided
by high sense Of duty II be with
holds it.
The Governor no doubt deeply
gympathizes with the unfortunate ex-
Treasurer, bat in a weighty case like
this, where so muchsis involved, and
where such a precedent viii be es-
tablished, the Governor must even
take cognizance Of the "technicap
circumstances mentioned In the petit
tion. t8sfrH