Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-12-11
NO HOPE FOR HANCOCK
ur WILL ALMOST CERTAINLY BE
HANGED DECEMBER GOTH.
LYuCHDURGERS OPPOSE 4 PARDON.
prominent Citizens Write |" s'ro"s
Protest 10 Governor T'ies-'
Character of Witnesses p'''
or visit. the state Farm

1,-....,,or ,rvler has not yet reach-
aec,sion In the case Oh 'o"''
,s.nooor the negro who is to De h"hseU
~snrro december SOth' ana VINO
,s ,nnlyinc for pardon YET '"e - ~.
,r,,ies are that the negro VIII p"'
peralty Of his crime -, vet
,r,eras Of Hancock have not So'
~,,od their argument. but the Wv
80 has received from seNerai $50 49,.
onh,,r,, protests against ciemehcS
being extended. ,o,rsrs
Following is one of these ie.'e's'
hv several well-known LyhchOu'
I'VE understand that the reprieVe
..r,lv granted by your EXce'en.'
- hancock. convicted OF assault '''N
...ucod % death in the Corport''o''
-, - the city of Lynchours' VIII NC
'.a nv an application for eonlmu-
-, ~ his sentence. This man was
49, NV able counsel. tried by an
,ronartjal jury Of unusual inteihseh0s o.
oonsarvatism. before judge Oh ma
.An,,v who jealousy guarded ms
,rhe iury found him sul.'y anu
80 his punishment at dea'h' ""'O''
,,or.,ic, the trial judge reiuseu
"a case was reviewed by 'he
..cor,re Court Il Appeals, having De'0' Z
pUo.' >..,aorca from which he was con
,,,o,ea and the ruling OF the ui"'
a,a a writ of error was prompts -, IS
-, determined by every Juul0ie' -
re could take cosnizahCe Va
oons,6ering the question OF EAso.,lst
n.,.rc, we think you snould know nc 20
r. NOT only ruined Rosa CohS", con
s.ears for which he was trleu anu 80
s,Sctsd This being the case DelO40 49,
E,xceueuc,; but he committee w
diabolicaI crime against Berue 80
ger. aged years, Tor "hleh nc ~ tried
snaicted. but for which he was not eii 60,
lhuI0 80, ,.,,-o ,he sentence of death in tue
frst case rendered 'il"' 80
necessary. ,.,~,>-
IN MERIToRIoUS CONFEDERATION
&C., there be any merIorious consider
a,,on nv which to justify eXtra-JuuiC Ia
actio, In preventing the execution oA 10
sootance9 We infer from the correspoilu-
snce between your EXcellency anu 80
counsel. az published In the News CIV l-
ADVANCE OF I.ynchbuTg, our only -ouiC eS
of information, that TWO giOutiIS a.
urged-uamely. That ne Is heH.aH -
resronsible for his crime; secohI' ln1' e,o
aSar.1,or ~ tbe girls or their family are
such as 10 render unJusunaole thS -,
,shment imposed by the judicial tllouIdI.
GAS TO the first ground alleseu' We
fwatvina the question of his duty 20 ma.
defence on his trial or under seCooll 1Oo 4
end AGO of the code), beg leave 10 submit
herewith the written statements OF OiAi'
GERS OF the law OF the city OF LyAchDui =,
which establish his responsibility peSonu
q reasonable doubt. .,,t,,,
<our Excellency should know that po'h
of these little girls live with Mr.. y. Mes
eneer and his wife parents OF the one
and uncle and aunt OF the other)'
..While we believe that his charactei
and that OF the adult members OF ne
household, even though II were pdu' CouIo
NOT affect the right OF these Dru'es 10 as
ss,,lt these innocent children. we express
The oninion that the character of MI enc
Mrs Messenger cannot be successfully a.
tackled Mr. Messenger is small Her'
chant of Lynchburg, ana his chaIdctel
was doubtless well known TO me 'uuS'
and every member of the jury, ana as
well to every attorney in tne case bu
were il a fact that these intahls "ei'
surrounded by influences that were ohlS
vile. would the Governor OF Virginia Sc
tbe urecedent. never as yet made by an!
tribunal of justice, that such children az
M subjects of prudsn RIGHTEOUSNESS, pro
per victims Of violent lust?
1T WOULD BE MOCKERY.
1--WE understand it to be basic prln
cIple of law. as good conscience, tina
the weak and exposed most need II
nrotection. In Wits case, Sd Virginia
page 1919. Judge Harrison says:
would be but mOckery TO extend IL
Che laws protecting care only 10 thos
who have no need Of its assistance.
should be here and ever the refuge an
support of those who most need Its Pre-
lection. ,,o
eve know not what sort OF evidenc
may be produced TO your EXcellehc!
but we beg leave TO suggest the GAINS
of relying upon eX-parte evidence, an
10 remind YOU that the verdict OF Juf
sustained by the trial judge ana al
proved by the Supreme Court Oh al
ueals whose peculiar province IL 10
ascertain the guilt and 10 fix the puhisi
ment. should no. be disturbed, eAcel
for the most imperative reasons.
1T Is with gIauhcauon that IaV
abiding citizens have noted the grow
ing tendency - subnit T. lawful trla
~ c,llprits guilty of such heinous crime
and your Excelency will permit us
svnress the belief that a continuance
such n desirable co.-7e " very much q
nendent upon a continued confidence
The Drompt execution of judicial SCI
fences free from ex-parte and extra Jud
cisl influences and interference