Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-09-24
MIR. GREGORY'S PLAN.
EXPECTED TO SECURE A CONFESS
SION FROM THE NEGROES.
Upon Disclosing the Hiding Place OF
the Money Efforts Would Have
ucen Nade to Save Their Lives
The Deputies Were Always sworn.
SUMTER. 8. C.. September q, 1886.

SUMTER, s. c., September q, 1875.
To the Editor OF the Dispatch:
I saw in your issue OF the 10Th instant
an article headed "Critcising Mr..
Gregory" I am not at all surprised AZ
the criticism considering the forsetfui-
ness Of Captain Cunningham ana the
comments In your paper on my message
10 him. On the Wednesday after the
prisoners were taken to Richmond saw
CAPTAIN Cunningham at the jail, and
walked with him to his office In the CITY
Hall. | told him that l came TO hicn-
mond with plan by which l believed
we might get confession OF the truth
from the women. The plan was 10 assure
the women that II they would confess 10
the mart they took In the murder ana
robbery. and restore to Mr.. Pollard all
Of the goods and money stolen from
him. we would get up petition 10 the
Governor for commutation OF sentence
from death TO imprisonment; that
would take said petition in person TO 'he
Judge. Attorney for the Commonwealth
and each OF the Jurors, and give all an
onnortunity 10 sign who wished 10 do so.
Cantain CUNNINGHAM advised making the
effort at once. | replied that the peopie
~ Richmond had knocked that plan
higher than kite for the present by
hlllng their Ohe prisoners) minds with
the idea Of new trial; that IT couid sue
coed only after every other hope was
relinquished. and possibly not then, for |
knew something Of the nerve possessed
by these prisoners: that we would Try II
only as last resort
When | saw in your columns that Judge
Coleman had refused TO interfere In their
behalf. and that the women were much
broken down. and knowing that only four
days remained before the day Of eXecu-
ton. | then wired Captain Cunningham
10 try the plan suggested.
WHERE Is THE MONEY?
Many OF the people of Lunenburg be-
lieve that the stolen money was carried
away from the county by the militia,
and nothing will change that opinion but
the disclosure OF its real whereabouts i
have differed with the people OF the
county upon this point, and have been
severely censured for so doing ana /
wished. II possible 10 settle this ques-
ton before the condemned were executed
With this end in view I made the enort'
and the result has been that with the
forgetfulness OF Captain Cunningham ana
the comments OF the press / have sue
ceeded not In lifting any suspicion
from the shoulders of the militia. but In
creating I'm the minds OF many a suspicion
that | am "A partner in the deal
We'll OF one thing the stakeholder
(whoever he may be) is certain, and that Is
that II. C. Gregory has not yet drawn
his part Of the funds. Testing aside, l
DO believe that some white man Is
handling the stolen money, ana II So
ne may look out, for If life and health
and strength last | mean TO know VINO
he Is.
NV attention has been called 10 an in
terview with Pokey Barnes. as published
in the Times OF the 18th instant. l never
read the Times and since we babe II a
long farewell at Lunenburg Courthouse
have never noticed any OF its articles.
In this interview. however 1t has Kept
up it's record frst-class. There IS nearly
a whole line Of what II says | said which
is true. The balance of the sixteen INES
IS untrue Every line and every word
# what 1t says Pokey said Is true. she
knows her lesson perfectly.
In this plan suggested 10 Captain cum
ningham / intended faithfully 70 carry
ont my part, and give every juror, TO-
gether with the judge and Common
wealth's Attorney an opportunity 10
sign a petition, but whether all or any
one OF them would have done so was
another question.
THE DEPUTIES WERE SWORN.
noticed In the application for writ
Of error before Judge Coleman that the
| point was made that the record aid not
show that the officers In charge or the
Jurors when out of the courtroom were
sworn. etc, land in point OF fact. were
not sworn" They were sworn In every
single instance. Our Judge was very par
ticular on this point. and every person
present knows that they were sworn
| Yet upon such work as this murderers
are 10 be loosed upon the people Of Nir-
| ginta again Let not those who have beeh
| instrumental In this work rejoice over
much until they have seen the fun fruits
| az their labor. Lunenburg has been
taught a lesson that she will be slow 10
forget-the lesson that TO her own sons she
must look for protection from thieves ana
assassins-and mark you. she VIII no'
| look In vain. H. - uNi-pO"''
We are very sorry that Mr.. Gregory
has incurred any suspicion that he Is "a
mariner in the deal' az to the possession
Of the money taken from Mr.. Pollard
Indeed. he must be joking In what he
| saws as to this. Certain II Is that The
inslnuations against the Richmond mill
tary thrown out from time to time md
no Judgment with the Virginia pubic
our soldiers could refer to the letters OF
commentator written them at the close
of the trials by the Judge and Sheriff OF
the county. If any testimony as to theif
behavior in Lunenburg were needed, but
| IL IS not
We incline TO the opinion that the stolen
money is hidden in Lunenburg county
and we know Of no reason TO believe that
II has ever been in the hands OF any
white man since IL left Mr.. Pollards.
TO SAVE POE's HOME.