Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1894-11-01
THAT PRISONERS STORY.
a onse With Two sides--,fccIoud
Was Wen Treated.

Weatherford. Tex, Oct. 3l,-To the
Gazette: l see in the Gazette OF Tues.
day communication written by one
J. %. Mccloud. prisoner in the jail OF
Tarrant county. Such communications
az rule attract but little attention.
for the reason that they are generally
given to the public for the purpose Of
manufacturing sympathy, for personal
ends, at the expense of the officers OF
the law. This man Mccioud presents
MS case strongly, but not correctly. az
is well known to many citizens OF
Motley and Baylor counties. Haying
been employed to assist District Attor-
ney L. s. Kinder in the prosecution OF
McCloud. / am familiar with many OF
the facts OF this case as developed
since my connection therewith. and in
justice to Judge McGill. Sheriff suttle-
miTe and other officers connected
herewith desire to correct some OF
the remarkable statements made BY
McCloud's letter.
In the first place, the killing OF JEFF
warner by McCloud was deliberate,
premeditated murder. McCloud shot
AOMH Nlln winchester Ilile
when Warner was unarmed and de-
fenseiess. Warner made no effort to
injure McCloud or to defend himself
as the attack was sudden and wholly
unexpected by Warner and by-stand-
ers who witnessed the affair. Judge
w. X. McGlll had the case transferred
from Motley county for two reasons,
TO give McCloud a speedy trial and to
insure fair one. Motley county being
gfau 80 1f .
been impossible to secure jury not
prejudiced by some knowledge OF the
facts OF the murder The change was
for the good of McCloud and greatly
announcement TO the states witnesses.
In short time after McCloud was car
ried to Fort Worth for safe keeping
and after he had been visited by his
brother and n prominent Fort Worth
attorney, he began to play the crazy
role" and so successfully did he per-
form, Tailor Elliott and some others
including several prominent physic-
ians. testified that he was mentally I'M
sound, hereditary insanity" and not
''self-defense." was defendants only
plea.
had not been employed and was
not present at the FIRST trial, when the
jury failed to agree. Several OF the
states best witnesses were also alb
after an able defense made by his at
torney. Byron Johnson. Esq, convicted
OF murder and his punishment assessed
&c mn eoer1ont N thn pr~t'autinrv FOR
life. An appeal was taken and the
cause reversed Tor an alleged error in
the admission OF certain evidence. The
reason the case has not been retired Ii
because of the contention of McCloud's
attorney, relatives and friends that he
tffa no and tho do airq also of me
prosecution to be thorduhgly satisfied
on this point. To this end both the
state and defendants attorneys CO.
operated to have McCloud sent to the
asylum, Just why he was never ad-
mltted do not know, but that his
treatment has been kind and humane,
both at Fort Worth by Mr. Elliott and
by Mr.. Suttlemire at Seymour, / have
not a doubt. l know from a visit 10
the Jail in Seymour that the sympathy
OF his attendants had been deeply en-
listed by McCloud. who had thoroughly
convinced one or more OF them that he
was in fact insane.
am glad to know that he has grown
tired OF deception and will with pleas
ure use my efforts TO give him speedy
trial, to the end that Justice may he
done and the law vlndicated.
McCloud has influential relatlyeSS--Td
friends who have stood hS-i-nr nobly,
and I feel sure th&s--Helther they nor
his able EoSS-~0rth attorney have de,
serte5-sf'i and his plea of poverty ana
rlplessness should not cause the pub
lie to give too much credence to this
man, who begins TO realize that the
way OF the transgressor Is hard. and
that In some cases the friends and rela-
lives OF murdered men do not forget
them as soon as their bodies begin TO
moulder in their graves.
]. NJ. RICHARDS,