The Port Gibson reveille. [volume] (Port Gibson, Miss.) 1890-current, 1895-08-22
THE DINKINS MURDER.
MARSHALL, COLEMAN AND FOX
PLEAD GUILTY.
BY Agreement They Are Sentenced tc
the Penitentiary for Life.

BRANDON, MISS "A most unexpected
termination was had in the proceed
ings against the murderers Of r. T..
Dinkins, an account Of which has here
tofore appeared in the dispatches from
this place, when, Thursday morning, T..
Dabney Marshall, Harry Coleman and
X. @. Fox were brought into court and
arraigned, and it was announced that
by agreement between the State and
defendants counsel that a plea of
guilty and a verdict for life imprison-
ment should be entered.
When the defendants we're called be-
fore the bar for sentence, the court
asked the usual question, if they had
anything to say why the sentence OF
the law should not be imposed. After
a slight pause, and in the midst of pro-
found silence, I. Dabney Marshall
moved slightly forward and addressed
the court. He is of frail stature and
delicate, pale features. He spoke in a
simple, modest way and in an unusually
gentle voice, which made the scene
quite pathetic. He said:
MAY it please the court: am not
accustomed to speak in my own behalf,
but / desire to say few words. Our
case has been in the hands Of our
counsel, and we have followed their adj
vice. Their action and that of the
court we accept without complaint or
question. No one can regret more
than the whole deplorable affair, and
1 would to heaven / had been spared
the occurrence. Through all the years
of my life have cherished the sanctity
of the law and the sacredness of human
lifes II has been my endeayor to be
worthy of the State that gave me birsh
and to merit the esteem of the people
among whom / live.
''The report, which you have heard,
was circulated among my friends and
neighbors, and there was an over
whelming sentiment entertained and
expressed by them that / could not
live under such an accusation. / was
50 averse to violence and bloodshed
that thought and hoped to procure a
retraction without resort to it, and for
this purpose a letter was got from Mr..
Dinkins' brother Henry, who has al
ways been my friend, aud is one of the
noblest of men. With this letter, and
accompanied by friends, / came over
here to seek the retraction, but with
no murder premeditated in our hearts.
When / met Mr.. Dinkins at the depot
the encounter was Unexpectedly pre-
cipitated and the killing took place,
the details OF which it is now needless
to mention, further than to state that
my friends we're notpresent until after
the firing began and did not interfere
until was practically disarmed. i
beg indulgence to remark that it is Of
ten said that when one is down his
friends forsake him. In this hour Of
my trouble / have not found it so.
From my friends in Vicksburg, Bran
don and everywhere have come words
Of sympathy. / desire also to sincere
thank the officers for kindness shown
me. In conclusion, / repeat that the
affair is one of deep sorrow to me-"
The remarks Of Marhall deeply
moved the large crowd in the court
house, and elected many expressions
of sympathy. A touching feature Of
the occasion was when Mr.. Paul Dink
ins, brother Of the deceased, walked
over and shook hands with each of the
defendants just before the arraign-
ment.
II seems to be fact that Coleman
and Fox we're on the north side Of the
depot and not in sight of Marshall
when he met Dinkins on the east side
of the depot and the firing began.
Marshall, during all the consideration
of the case by his friends and counsel,
has insisted that everything possible
should be done for Fox and Coleman,
without any regard for his case.
All three of the young men belong
to as fine families as the State boasts
of, and up to ten days ago bore prom
ise OF being useful and prominent.
Marshall has served term in the legis-
lature and had just been nominated for
the senate from Kinds and Warren
counties. He had always been thought
an exceedingly bright young man.
Now the future Of all three is as dark
as could be pictured.
Friday morning they we're carried to
jackson and placed behind the strong
walls of the State penitentiary to com
mence their sentences. A morbidly
curious crowd of five or fix hundred
assembled at the depot at Jackson to
see the prisoners when they left the
car. The prisoners bowed to a few ac-
quaintances and then, under control OF
Seargent Parker, started for the peni-
tentiary.