The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-02-27

stable at exactly Il o'clock by Tom OF
stable at exactly q o'clock by town or
railroad time, fifteen MINUTES faster IMAM
factory time, II would have been ehsg
for Evans 10 have been at the scene ~
the crime by five minutes of o'clock py
Factory time, this would have gwen nun
/ (1o) minutes to have gone distance "
by close estimate, Of -four hundred yardS'
do not believe Mr.. watkins saw
John Evans at the Livery stable }
think II must have been Wni llilnaab,
but II he did see Evans ] thlnk u Gear
chat by accounting for the dlherehee pc
tween Factory and Town or Rallroad
time Evans could have committed the
crime. There was evidence tehdlhg 70
prove Mr. Watkins mistaken as To the
time he went to the stable, ana showing
that he went earlier than he Thought.
But ms view his testimony 1T is utterly
destructive 20 John Evans's alhbi
Mr.. Dockery's fourth ground for be-
Iieving Evans innocence. THE unrea-
condolences OF John Evans. country
negro and stranger in Rockingham,
committing such n crime at that place
and at that time Of fine morning" Mr..
James Dockery, q first cousin Of Mr..
Uockerys, was placed on the stand by
Iilt uPItHhuHN W DIbFt IFuiS NItuE-
acter for short period Mr.. Dockery
said Evans worked with him two OF
three years ago, and drove his wagon to|
Town almost every Saturday while he
was in his employment. Mr.. DOckery
manages Il farm about five miles from
town. Henry McRae, n cOlored man,
testified as to Evans having worked with
him II week or so in last September;
T.. = 81, Gu fvay
town. John Evans himself denied hav-
ing been here more than two or three
times, and on cross examination, / be-
ieve, did admit having been here as
much as once q year for n few years,
but just in passing through most Of the
time; a brother Of the owner of the
livery stable at which he slept, has
sister cooking at Mr.. VI. L. Hinson's.
MIR. HinsOn's kitchen is right across the
field from where the crime was COM
mitted, ] do not think mere than a hun
bred yards from it. John Evans denied
all knowledge Of where his sister was
cooking, hut admitted knowing that she
lived in town somewhere, but did not
know where His sister was offered by
him as witness: she admitted having
commenced cooking at Mr.. Hinson's
about the first of last year; she said she
saw John III July or August, but did not
tell him where she was cooking Even
f Evans did not know when he reached
town the night before the crime. where
his sister lived, is it not reasonable and
natural, being a stranger and knowing
he had a sister living in town to have
enquired for her. Where would he have
been more certain to have learned her
whereabouts, if he had enquired than
from the servants and employees of the
brother of the gentleman for whom she
cooked: it is not unreasonable to sup
pose that he did enquire and learned
whore she lived. it is reasonable and
natural that having learned he would
have gone to where his sister was. both
to see her and get something to eat. He
was certainly walked up in time that
morning. first by Mr.. HalCs. at about ;
o'clock, then according to his contention
by Mr.. Ingram, at about $50 o'clock,
then by Mr.. Watkins at o'clock, by
town time.
| believe that lie left this room i'm the
livery stable, and that either on his way
to Mr. Hinson's to see his sister, or hav-
ing gone there and been given something
to eat, on his way back he saw these
IllDIOlttltu SiIiS anu liIfiuSS TIT assault
upon Miss Lille. do not think it was
planned or premiditated, but decided
upon in a lustful impulse.
You ask me in your favor what you
ought to do about it, Until the commits
sion of this crime l entertained doubts
whether it was necessary for human
society to take the life of criminals for
it's protection; in my limited practice at
hoY I HnIlinn1 an tHxyn
sions to prosecute in capital cases where
| was offered reasonable pay, because
Of my doubt of the necessity for the
death penalty, but when / saw unfor-
tunate Miss Lille Cole only few
minutes after this brutal assault, with
great prints of the brutes nails going
deep into her delicate, and as I believe,
pure neck, with n rising back Of her ear.
produced by the intense choking; and
having already viewed the scene of the
struggle between the frail girl and her
lustful and brutal assaiant, and thought
Of her shame and misery through life, /
felt that it was necessary for the Gov
ernment to take the life OF such brutes
as her assailant, for the proper prOtec-
ton of the mothers, sisters and daugh-
tiers of the State.
1t is unpleasant to make an argu-
ment and an appeal to the States
Throne OF mercy against this unfor-
tunate man, but the representations
made to your eXcellencg by Evans's
counsel, made it the duty Of some At
torney for the State to fearlessly present
the States view OF the case to you, /
have endeavored to do so.
In my opinion You should not inter
fere further with the action of the law.
Evans had as fair trial as it is possible
under our civilization to give man for
this crime. His counsel speak of the
intense feeling against Evans and the
excitement of the people who were a.
gainst him; there was some of this and
there will be in all cases of this nature,
but l will say that do not believe any
negro charged with this crime in u
Southern State had as many defenders
and watchers for his rights as John
Evans had his race were as much ex.
cited in his behalf as they could we'll
have been, and a number of influential
white men exerted themselves to see, at
least that no injustice was done him.
The better element of the people of the
community realized that the StIfasf Vrn "