The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1898-09-01
COMMONWEALTH lISIY @I.S1N III.
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Bladder" Eg #MUuuua spus6" 81 AlgenFlHe fVe-"eh AtAA wv @
LauHa e DOT otndviee ~ DE proper eoadut With regard e ho amer M (
a-u oJ S Mcdonald, andalsa we notice the Common"salh adds 4nems
.ysr fn8 not Tie Commonwealth assured The governor that these several
windy papers ar dead right in their verdict Idoaht not that the governor
waul have Investigated the case for himself 70 The bitter end thereby arriving
I. ~ Hs rgrd at a last determination n 70 his duty in this case which would
enable HIM 40 aa justice 10 both Miller and poor Mcdonald who never in MS
5asrsfrais he Commonwealth has spoken and settled she veadOus question for
He governor and no matter what bis own views may b. who can doubt but
tat he wilt carry ont his usual policy Of setting uponadyioe from that wonderful
-g,r Hatasa consistently been governed By Is advIss that it would appear
like ma3uea 90 dTart from and spum tt this late day
Now viii someone inform s Whist th@s great eihoutron star know Of tas
case Have they taken snch great interest In al a. either 70 come o aend 70
G5ecawa1d e reporter unbiased in his opinions since the hndngo . true pA
Jg8f7 body i men. representing dl the parts o. this county and who are 2
Tened as gentlemen Of the highest orier Of integrity % return an Indictment
for murder without single dissenting vote Do they believe Lsnore county
has sunk So low. and is 20 depmved and debased a. not to Justify a man for STAY
ing ODE destroyer ibis home y or are they just babbng to b. nohT
What Hey dep tkuow aboutthscae in question woudbraE hlersneck
and doubtless by their own verdict and what the present editor Of the Com.
mouwgaHh don't know about gubematohl duties would furnish enough hght %
enable governors for generations 'ocone to'es their way clear 'n'oasu 'e mus
When eners Of MoDonalds death was flashed abroad and the alleged
cansa thereof people al the mle in uh cases credited ts report Without Z
question Ia this counts. and especially in Greenwood, popular indignation an
10 the highest pitch against Mcdonald Thisfealing % intense Wa'tahsamo
frenzy by few Of the more influential parisans Of Miller until every ofSsZe
bar scent over The ttlp city bore away upon is breath Ell kinds Of wild sian
de1 against the man whose lips were closed In death, who could inter no ""a
in hs defense and thus poisoned thopubtc ear
The preliminary trial Of Miller was conducted a. once with > sweep that i
unusual m ordinary criminals and be was dismissed on the testimony wemight
4gmy te friends who knew Mcdonald well and Intimately men and women
vino tnav the kindness and charity thatiaY beneath an apparent at inesl gTnh
against themselves These friends were not men who oondoned . faults such a
was eaarsedt5 Mcdonald. They would have lent viling hands to have helped
UWAs HanEGH. u3 kuty HfA CaNAA FAe A OAf4N#1
knew their man asked for proof other than the simple and himsy story OF these
strangers whose characters coul5 not Be vouched for and time ana testimony
Tho Then editor tie Commonwealth. theeneem1d :. X Yaraaman' inpul
syeIy ssfaased aa eaase oiAr Miller Some time ho hisgntisman left here
knows nothing ts presumed IF me tssimay Wtlch has thrown such light
upon ads eovaray assassination and doubtless when be i apPised Of all te
tsas Ne win be surprised At what tumble his hero hes taken ! supPosa me
present incumbent il trying 70 carry ont what he imagned to be the policy Of
ha paper ana g bundy Fadma paths which 70 him apPear % have been mark
M fTe eFtar friends II w. mner would do him a Kindness they will not
stir hs nle pile Of infamy or twin uEuis such odosastothO the governor
sBa ID 6em not forgsttat there s jusaest to hsdaad HMoDonaidv was
inu5,rntl let justice be done
Remember % Judge fairly 70 ii parties Mcdonald bs mothers and fond
gea8ves Would Ct mot bs more manly 10 anOW simple justice o be melted out
ana uus aar hh name f the stain which was TINS fouHy and falsely hurled
upon f ny hs man who dared not face twelve men with the faeathat he knew
voad ts aafolaad end that he could not niu'e a men na,efa =, mercy !"
wasa ay atr md appropriated reader oi The Commonwealth scans over
p aJoye article heisa ones impressed with is many mtsstatsmens made by
ms man who hides himsaf behind Bis pssudonym OF u f." But as this IS no
doubt hs aTt attempt We vim comphmenth bis literary feat e Il certainly took
abnn taatwtl dance IN Che shell Of mustard seed u gstitup Had we known
Hbat tms gentleman had desired the remaining o. the state papers We could have
mo doubt furnished him at least thirty more giving the governor advice az to his
dutyn thecass Of Io Miller But now to facts
We day dim d ans one else to point to issue Of the Commonwealth since
tho FIRST tual and release OF Miller that has ever discussed the case much less
since That tme wasa statement Of the last trial without comment
Again the Commonwealth did not add, mbe aaya to the articles referred to-
.Iheus MY continents They are our sentiments but Y s the hst time We
have aid g IN print for we full well knew that our influence with McLauHn
was Of such d nature that with pleading on our knees for Miller before him it
would do no good, and this man no matter who he Is hhe hvas In Greenwood
knows the same to be tme
Again. while we were not personally acquainted with Mr. Mcdonald, we
cannot endorse the assertion that he never n hha life, by word OF act harmed
womans fair name but on the contrary must say our information has always
been that he he was continually saying something ahghhngy about ladies' who
would pass and many OF orr iuf0rmos are today living IN Greenwood, who
will. Il desired, produce the proof that such are facts
Asst rushing this case through Mayor Mnera court AZ he a@erta we will
state that the preliminary hearing was several days after the killing time
enough nal there been any doubt as to the justice OF Mlers act brthi5or 9th
err defenders Of Mcdonald to have brought evidences TO hold him. But the truth
s the people then with the exception of number OF Mcdonald personal friends
knew me man, they believed hun guilty, aud the large petition gotten Mp here
in theiast few weeks for Mnlers pardon, proves that they have n no way chang
ed their mind
five do moi mistake our mar, he has pretended to Capt yardaman, the for
NOR editor Of tho Commonwealth. to be his warm personal friend, and the little
nsnuatng cuts he thrusts at hin In this article proves him a twoIaoed being
liza such ia true, and for the good Of McDonalds relatives and for 'the good Of
hs country, this first attempt at newspaper writing should make him an eim.
mune.
we wu farther state that Mr. Vardaman, before he left Tor Santiago, was
told oe the evidence that was brought before the grand Jury aRddenounced nm
untrue and only regretted he was not here to prove it as such before hs people
1.-THE protection Of the southern woman h carrying out the policy Of the
paper we ae guilty Of the charge and will say to our friend, as long a. we are
ue editor we will always be found upholdng their virtue and honor snd dc
mandug the pardon on their aFenger
The dead mans friends ard name should have Justice but not that Justice
which ros the blghed life Of the outraged woman BY money or perlu Of the
true character which She has borne We sympathiia with the mother and rda.
iveso 81 Mcdonald and for their own feelings hope that the curtain on the ter
rle tragedy wflsoon godown forever
fbnot our intention Of influencing the governor n his verdict bt hope
Inc viii take me case a it is presented, and lei demands pardon extend t Is
Yes lot simple handed Justice be melted out ht the evidence Of the court
the secrets Of the grand jury, boaid before the governor and asiudge and jury,
with unbiased opinion decide the cas-. a. the testimony demands
b IRF history G IF I'M MlIR GlT