The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-09-20
oUr OF THE II

W48 VIZ
Court Reeord-Gov. Russell Promtfy
Pardons . Negro Politician. Sem
tened for q Hefuous Onencc and
Purely for PoIitics.
(Goidsboro Argus. September isth.D
Are pardons granted by Governor
Russell for political reasons. and does
he turn loose ~convicts In order that
they may perform party service?
These questions are asked because
a pardon has just been granted which
has not e made public and which.
1t would seem. cannot be explained up
on any other ground.
We refer 10 the pardon OF Freeman
Davis.
Freeman Davis Is a negro school
teacher and republican politician %
Duplin county.
He was tried in the December term.
1897. OF Duplin superior court. upon an
Indictment charging the seduction ~
a girl. who was going to school To him.
Judge Robinson. a republican, pre-
sided. and Mr.. NJ. G. Richardson. "A
populist, prosecuted as solicitor. and
Mr.. w. Il. Allen assisted the solicitor
in the prosecution.
Davis was examined as a witness In
his own behalf and admitted improper
relations with the girl. but denied the
promise OF marriage. A jury convicted
him and Judge Robinson sentenced him
to serve A term OF two years in the
penitentiary. Before judgment was
pronounced an effort was made 70 in
duce the judge no; to scnd him To the
penitentiary upon the OF a
certain sum to the proseCutriN. but the
judge refused to agree to this and said
the defendant ought to go to the peni-
tertiary If any one should be- sent
there.
An appeal was taken from this
judgment and the defendant gave a
bono for his appearance, and although
the appeal was never perfected, the de-
fendant vas not taken into CUSTODY
until the August term. 1895. OF Duplin
court. At that term, 1t being rumorcd
that an effort would be made To Sc
ure a pardon. a letter signed by NJ. e.
Richardson. solicitor. and w. r. Allen.
assistant prosecuting attorney, was
mailed. addressed to Governor Russell,
and asking him to notify w. r. Allen.
at Goldsboro, before acting upon the
application for pardon.
No notice was given Ia Mr.. Allen and
on August 30th. 1895, within twenty-one
days after he was sent to the peniten-
tiary, Freeman Davis was. p~ardoned.
After the pardon was granted Mr..
p. NJ. Pearsall, OF the New Bern bar.
at the request of Mr.. Allen. called at
the executive office and asked permis-
sion TO see the papers upon which the
pardon was granted, when he was told
that the papers were not public records
and he was not permitted to see them.
The one redeeming trait for which
W. have hitherto given Governor Rus
sell credit in u OF the man..
with his vagaries. viciousness and al
together reprehensibleness. was, that
he had no Synnathv for thnSa Whn
made assaults upon virtue-the virtue
OF women; that he would fifty punish
all such outrages, whether the same
were insidiously perpetrated. as in the
instance above, or violently carried
out. as in cases where lynchings most
~ follow; but now eve this oasis in
the desert Of his upas reign is swept
away. n another shocking incident
is added to his official acts, already suf-
fciently cumbersome in odiousness -
sink him into eternal infamy.
Is further comment necessary Read
this article over again. Take in all the
features Of the case. The same polit-
ical influences that accomplished Da-
Wis pardon were at work to thwart his
conviction, but he was convicted in
spite OF them. An attempt was then
made to palliate his punishment. but
this was rejected by the indignant
judge, who passed sentence upon him
to the satisfaction OF the righteous
sentiment Of the community. An ap-
peal was then taken-for what purpose
the sequel illustrates.
Full notice was served upon the gov
ernor by the state not to pardon this
man without a hearing from other than
the politicians-without a hearing from
the outraged community. without n
heed to the rights OF the betrayed wo-
man ruthleSsly robbed of the priceless
jewel Of her life. But all in vain.
Surely. surely Impeachment is not
punishment sufficient for such a gov
rnori