Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1899-03-30
published by Request.)
The Mcdowell Case.
LEETowN, w. VA,

OF NAVE DCSi
reading the House Journal of the last
Legislature. and find there some rare
statements in regard to Rob Mcdowell
and the officers of the court and jury. l
must say there are some OF the most
sweeping statements and with as little
regard to truth as | ever read AS most
of the readers of the REGISTER know,
Nc Dowell was the man who received
life sentence for burning the dwelling OF
my father in the night time, March 5,
1895. This man had two trials: the first
a hung Jury was the result; some say
nine for conviction and some eleven. |
will say nine Six of the nine on that
Jury were for hanging. The next trial
resulted in a verdict Of guilty and rec
commended life sentence in the penl-
Tertiary, which was given him. These
twenty-One men were as fair samples OF
honor and integrity as jefferson can pro-
duce. aud they were sworn TO give YER
dict according 10 the law and evidence
in the case Still Mr.. {. h. Jones writes
the Governor that, There would net be
SIX men IN Jefferson county make any
complaint whatever DIETER OF No
VEN Der s. 1870 Still in his letter OF
December ~, 1891, You will never get
the State ; attorney, Judge and jury TO
ask for pardon, as they are the crowd
that sent him there have seen a great
many of these men personally, and lind
them of the same opinion that am IN
regard TO the statements In some Of these
letters. Jones said, He (McD.) had no
show in any court whatever, as the
States attorney and Ialler were under
the sheriff, who accused Bob OF burning
his home, made a strong com blnatIon
that sent him to Moundsville for life.
| never knew before that State ; attOr-
new was under sheriff have always
thought it was the other way, and |
think most anyone OF ordinary sense
knows it 10 be 50. but when a man goes
TO work and makes statements regardless
of facts, what more can you expect than
such glaring mistakes. ! am sorry not
TO be able to give you the whole OF Mr.
Jones correspondence, as ii IS rare
composition, but can only take up the
parts that most interest me. There Is
Slight tIugc of guilty conscience IN one
Of Mr. Jones letters, when he says, Il
feel pretty well assured that Mr.. Baker
has tried TO show me up IN this case, as
SO many letters nave been wrlttcIi.' But
not one line IN these printed or written
about him from Mr.. Baker (my father.
In fact think my father made very llt-
tie effort 10 have Mcdowell kept III the
pcuileutiary. Certainly no such I'M
founded statements have been made
from the side OF the prosecution as from
some Of the SO-CaIied friends OF the de-
Tense Jones says, This poor man has
been political hatred TO Mr. Baker Tor
years. When his house was burned he
was very glad to put 1t on Boo. no"
can Mr.. Jones reconcile such statement
to his conscience as a Christian (as he
appeals To the Governor rs suchl when
he was the first man 10 go TO my father,
IN the presence of my mother, and tell
them how Bob hated him (Baker), that
he (Jones) had had a talk with Bob and
that he was undoubtedly guilty of the
crime? Can he be so devoid OF honor
and integrity to flop around 50, when
twenty-one representative citizens OF
jefferson, sworn to give fair and I'M
partial trial, after hearing all the evil
dence on both sides arrive at the same
verdict as Mr.. Jones, who had not heard
the evidence, but from natural sudden
ness and tact discovered that Rob Nc
Dowel was the man that burned my
fathers house, and made statements to
that effect in the presence of my father
and mother, +. Z. Dunaway and wife
and w. r. d. Moncure. Jones says,
when he got him 10 the Charlestown
iail the taller, under Mr.. Baker, put in
his cell a boy from Winchester, Va, a
proven forger and a thief (He refers !
to Deshon). Mr. S. c. Young, who is
taller now and was at that time, says he |
is ready to make affidavit at any time |
that there never was anyone in Bobs |
cell from the time he was first confined !
there until he went TO serve his sentence, |
which was just one: so said twenty |
one representative citizens and the judge |
of the court, against whom | never heard |
anything until read these letters. From |
their standpoint he certainly is UNI |
worthy of the position he occupies, but |
| am glad to say those who pass sentence |
upon MIN are greatly in the minority, |
Jones saws, "Mr Bakers house was |
burned, no one was hurt, and the prop |
erty was covered by insurance, and to-
day he is better fixed than ever. ~ do |
not know how Mr.. Jones got this infor-
nation, as the statement is certainly |
false from start to finish. My mother |
mas oetn u"ueI '''e 0"It VI " p'tS s,C.''''
Tor uerNo"s',''S' "lI'O't vas D''"5 5 ~
aoou' from ,.'L s''G' n ~, ga. ''J
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Id" '''%' IL,''',''3 YOU, 'l',u - 5, 1uJ,' -
o'i"'' a. t''T guy ~. i",,''"'' 'i'o. -
p"i''''' ~, ~ ',''''' $3.50, ~ fn,,ncii
loss sustained. thought they were
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ou' "-"''S' SUI IL o'.''',' W I'E
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ana lor 'le safety "' her C'''"e"s' rs
Tor myself, "heh Twelve representative
Ci'!%e"S' chosen d. J"'o'S @'Iu s"oit -
90 lhG'r "u'S' near inc ~ 'ueICt, ".i"t
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