The leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1895-1905, 1899-08-23
Whose Mother-in-Law Helped state
Onicisl Out of imprisonment"

pointed by State Superintr ndent Whit
field for the teachers attending county
institutes. Quite batch of these ques-
tions were submitted TO the editor of
this department. The following very
interesting sketch answers this par
ticular question. 1t was written by
a jackson Boy" for The Common
we alth, in 1890, and rcpublished by Mr..
Wilson in his.Current Comment, in July,
1897.
Richard 5. Graves was elected State
treasurer in November, 1s4l. He
skipped in February. 1s43:
THE quiet little city OF jackson was stirred
from center to circumference when 1t was made
known that Treasurer Graves was short in his
accounts, and that the governor had appointed
a committee to examine his books. he treas
urer was at once put under arrest, and the COM
mttee set to work to investigate the accounts
OF his Office As II was not deemed expedient to
confine him In prison during the examination, a
number OF citizens were appointed to guard him.
"In the ante belum days there stood on the
corner in the rear OF what Is now known as the
government building at Jackson, a famous
boarding establishment known as the Dickson
House; kept by the widow OF General David
Dickson, a man In his day OF considerable poltl-
cal influence, but not more renowned through
the length and breadth of the State than his
widow. 1t was the rendezvous Of all the high
political cockalorums Of whatever cast who
gathered at Jackson In those days, either
dancing attendance upon the supreme court or
attracted hlther by the sessions of the legsla-
ture or of some political gathering for Jackson
was a mighty place in those times for these con-
hpr q arn man M tn or a N A. fpF
himself or some dearly beloved. These were the
days of Searscnt 5 Prentiss and Shocko Jones
and Hiram q. Runnels and host OF those bril-
liant lights that shed halo over the far
fame of Mississippi 1t was such characters as
those mentioned who were to be found at this
celebrated hosiery.
"To this house Graves was carried on the
morning OF the escape, and where he had rooms
for himself and family. The night previous
Graves, worn with care and weary with the
burdens that he had heaped upon himself, was
conveyed by his guards to his room, and with
windows fastened was left with his family, with
the guard of citizens at his door. 1t was the
last night for years that he was to spend with
his devoted wife. The next morning about !
O'Clock one OF the guards knocked at the door.
with request that Mr.. Graves would dress
himself and come out. The summons was an
swered by his wife, who stated that her husband
was in a deep sleep, and pleaded that he might
not be disturbed. Soon thereafter the mother
OF Mrs. Graves passed the guards and entered
the room, bearing in her hands cup OF coffee,
and wearing on her head an old-fashioned sun
bonnet. Remaining in the room short time,
she passed out.
Zone of the guards at the door was Mr.. James
Kerr, man whose devotion TO duty was not to
be exceeded by any one.
lao adj tha lou he
suspicious of Mr.. Kerr were aroused that all
might not be right and rising, he approached
the door and knocking, called for Graves. Again
the pleading voice Of the wife was heard be-
seeching for more rest for the weary husband,
but the guard was not to be put of, and push
ing the door open, lie approached the bed and
threw the spread from oil the recumbent form
of the treasurer
Great Scott! What a sight was then and
there presented to these vgilants of the honor
Of their beloved Stale and of her welfare.
"The much abused mother law had per-
formed her duty well, and while she occupied
the bed the husband of her daughter had put on
her gown and sunbonnet, and taking the empty
cup in his hand had passed the guards and
mounting a horse hitched behind the garden
and forever bidding adieu to his guards, in
yestieatng committee and the governor, HE'D
himself away as fast as the nmbe steed lie
strobe could carry him.
What the thoughts of Graves were that beau
tful morning as his steei bore him away from
his home his friends and his devoted wife can
only be cOnjectured. 1t may have been as his
horse breathing hard from the rapid flight and
the familiar scenes one by one passed from his
sight forever that the injunction unheedei-
The way OF the transgreSsor is hard'-cOntin
ually fitted across his mind and filled it with
gloomy forebodinss as to his future. There
were no railroads or telegraph wires bearing
swift messages across the country in those days,
and Graves made his way out of the State and
went to Canada.
"In 1882 Governor Henry 5. Foote received a
letter from Graves stating that II permitted to
return he would refund TO the State the amount
of his detaication. Now grown old, and with
the increased burdens OF years resting on his
shoulders his mind and heart turned to the land
of his nativity, and longing desire to be once
more with his friends and abide among the
familiar scenes of his childhood so took posses
sion of his very nature that he earnestly plead
to be permitted once more to return and spend
the evening of his evcntful life at his old home.
He was at that time at Toronto Canada Gov
ernor Foote sent a gentleman by the name Of
Hugh l.. French to Canada and had him arrest
ed. Having no extradition treaty bearing on
~.
me"'' INC "u'noii''es feie"Sou MN anu MI
French returned home.
at was said that the friends OF the treasurer,
when 1t was first whispered that his accounts
were not correct, made an effort to replace the
funds In the treasury before the committee was
appointed to make the investigation.
mir. Shelton, who had been president Of that
famous bank at the county seat of Rankin and
known "a I'M. brandon Rank it was said had
an appointment with the friends of Mr.. Grave.
TO meet them at the Parish BRIDGE on the pike
leading 10 branaon, ana receive lhe money 70
tr,snds h.con,ina frIan,ansd faiIed 70 meet the
appointment and Mr.. shelton, in his despair,
rode up the river about half mile, and hitch
Ing his horse and pulling on MS nat ana coat,
m,1,,r e"mina m ms,ors %, ,ns bea",'tn, Pearl
river II 10 said that there ia in IN. wants of
the treasury at Washington a brown wooden
box. Is inches long, foot wide and inches
oeep, wn,ch contains paper 70 'l'e Nominal s"u.