The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1895-07-08
THE GOVERNOR REVIEWED

Dy One Who Heard tho Mayer. Harrison
Cases Trlsd-t;Very Ono OF Hts Conoiu-
sions Not Sustained By tho Facts-Tho
Pardon n blot on Modern Civilization,
and n slap In tho Face Of Law and
Justice.
To he Editor OF he EHitltgeHeT.
siR:-I was present as q locker on at
the trial Of George Mayer aud William
Harrison, for tho murdorous assault
made upon Thomas o'Brien, IT,, q few
days before tho last November election.
/ gave strict attention to all Of the tcs.
tlmony presented by the state, and
made notes, which ! still have. After
tho parties were convicted by the jury |
heard limitations that the case had
been carried up TO tho governor, and
that it was believed he would pardon
the felons; but did not give the matter
q passing thought, for the reason that !
mad too much confidence Ia the good
sense and common honesty oil tho
governor to believe no would OK
fond clcmoncy to men whom tho tosti'
mony showed were midnight would.be
assaSsins. That Mr.. O'Brlen was not
killed outright was no fault oil tho as
saulters, for tho testimony showed that
they meant to kill, and wero only pro.
vented from accomplishing their, pur'
poso by the timely Intervention OF train
men and passengers.
/ read in to.day's papers tho gov.
errors reasons for clomoncy, aud, In all
candor, must say that his reasons"
arc rs void OF fact, as his act Is void oil
justiCo. Ho condemns tho newspapers
for misatatemonts OF tho facts, aud in
magnifying the character OF tho crime.
II no had carefully read the evidence,
he would not have mRdOany such stale.
mont as that; because the newspapers
simply stated tho case rs II was, and In
no instance misStatod facts-at least our
Wheeling papers arc not deserving Of
this accusation.
Tho ono single fact sot out In tho gov.
ornor'a explanation for granting the pat
don Is that politics was tho cause oil tho
attack on MIR. O'Brion. Ho was attack
cd because no had changed his politics,
and thereby caused Mayor, and perhaps
others, to ioao some money in betting
on how lie (O'BriOn) was going to vote,
and for this reason II was decided 10
"amash" him.
Tho judgo who tried tho case was
Democrat, and so wore n number OF tho
Jurors. No man can truthiully say TINT
Judge Ewing did not preside ably and
fmpartinlly from first to last Of tho trial,
and that tho Jurors did not perform
their duty impartiallY II Ia trno that
tho men wore indicted Tor iclonious No.
sault, and wore convicted OF unlawful
assault, but II Is not truO that tho SON
tonco Of tho law.brOakors to sixty dayA
In county jail was excessive punish.
mont for tho Crimo committed. The
statute allows tho judge TO commit TO
tho pOnltOntiRryi for MI unlawful assault,
and Judge llagans sent man to tho
penitcnliarY for two years Tor u similar
OnOnBc and under similar verdict since
William MnCCorklO has boon governor
OF this commonwealth.
Tho governor snyB Mayor did not lay
his hands on O'Brien, So Ito did not,
but tho testimony showed that ho
planned tho whole job, aud was on tho
train when Harrison did tho boating
with a "billy." No ono will charge tho
governor with bOing worry much Of a
lawyer, but ho ID lawyer enough 10
know that n Consplrator 10 equally
guilty with tho ono who uses tho
weapon. Bnt thorO Ia no evidence TO
show conspiracy Of any kind, says tho
governor. lilo Ia Ihumoiully Ignorant
Of tho facts, or no wnntonly lniS6tatcs
thOm.
Two witnesses BworO tlnt Mayor was
soon several times during tho evening
Of tho aluRgiug, hunting O'BfiOn. ono
man gwotn that hBBnw Mayor In buggy
NJ o'clock TINT night hunting O'lIrIOn.
Another Bworo hu heard Mayor way lo
CMagOD did not llayO ~ alug O'lifion,