Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1896-04-18
THOSE HELPLESS WOMEN


gin Monday, prii 20, 1896
Judge ]. NJ. CRUrE will preside. As
TO his ruling. the public and the legal
fraternity viii be left to Judge He
stands high and it is asserted that he
has heart, despite his intention to
rigidly enforce the law. lie is known
to have the courage of his convictions
and it is believed that he viii fearless
ly administer the law as he sees it.
They all are in Gods hands and to
Him we shall look for succor in this
time of need
1t was a cowardly, cruel, murderous
act which sent poor Mrs. POLLARD to
her death.
Punishment should be melted the
guilty parties. but it would be crime
worse than murder to make mistake
and send to the gallows these innocent
women.
Can a jury be secured in Prince Ed
ward County, Can the prejudices of
people be cast aside and the acquittal
of these women be declared should the
prosecution fail to establish their guilt
beyond a reasonable doubt?
It has been laid down as principle
of law, too well known to be gainsaid
or denied that there is not sufficient
evidence upon which to secure the con
viction of these women.
Had they have been in the neighbor-
hood. how would this be proof that
they had assisted in the murder of Mrs
Pollard2
But what are we to expect in Prince
Edward County, Would jury which
would convict man upon his own un-
corroborated confession which confess
sion he declared to be untrue, and
which if it were true would only prove
him guilty of murder in the second de.
gree acquit the women who are not
guilty at all?
A conservative estimate places the
number of lies told by SOLOMON MARA
BILE at forty. Which of these are to b,
accepted, or are any of them to be be
lieved. He declares now that he will
lie no more, that he will go to the gal
lows with the truth upon his lips
With solemn mien and bowed hea,
: he declares theinnocence of the VIC
> men. All efforts to cause him to var
thss statement have failed.
Not even the promise of life has ha
: the slightest impression upon him.
= The day before he was carried to th
place of execution during the mont
=. of September. '95, he was equally {
emphatic. No one who looked upo
e his countenance as he begged these "
men to forgive him for the terribl
,s wrong he had done them will doul
. that at last he has told the truth
- We wish at times we were free I
- speak, to tell the terrible experien,
we have had with this case, the effor
made to arrive at the truth, the who
truth and nothing but the truth, Il
details of the heavy expense to whiC
I" ourselves and the public have been ST
jected, how we became convinced tn
: the women were innocent, long befo
~ MARABLE had under another oath d
- c1areO tnem so 10 De.
y, But the termination of the case w
10 permit free expression, a recital
all the facts and the world will be a
y? founded at the remarkable achiev
ly ments in this truly celebrated case.
e. Many are the enquiries as to the fin
It? result. To all of these we can but So
lis we have the ablest legal ability, pi
tn of facts and a jury from Prince E
st. ward County.
all The women cannot be legally co
CIV victed. There is no evidence to su
e. port it. On the other hand the wom
ol- must be either convicted of murder
CHI the first degree or acquitted.
mr. Whoever killed Mrs. Pollard shou
49,, be executed, but MARY Alternate
= PoKEY BARNES, and MARY BARNES h
- no part in the murder. In few she
years we shall all be sleeping our |,
sleep. We shall all have gone to I'll
bourne from which no traveller eN
returneth,"
The Judge, the commonwealth
torney and the jury will take up tn
- abode in the narrow halls of dealt
there to remain until the judgeme
~ God grant that the blood OF MARY 4
RRNATHY and PoKEY BARNES may
III be upon their heads. that the respor
bility for the execution of these pt
innocent creatures may not rest VI
any of them.
MARY ABERNATHY's husband and cl
US dren are longing for her return to the
% PoKEY BARNES father, mother and
us tiers are praying to God for her de
ing erance, while a sympathetic popul
20 is sending financial help to bring
bout change in her present conditi
ion and a vindication of them all in
ace courts of the land.
e of When the end comes, let US hope
ors. will be one of rejoicing rather {
'on- sorrow and that the atonement of
red ONION MARABLE may serve as a bea
heir light to others, a warning to the W
the ward.
s of These women are weary. The nj
beat has been long, the dawn is at hand
prejudice will melt away before
hole truth and justice like frost befo
in summers sun. Lynch-law must g
Nc
NJ