The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1901-03-22
FRIDAY, MARCH %, 1901.
GOVERNOR AND JUDGE.

plauty county Democrat
The governor Of Kentucky and the ju- |
dietary have been attracting much atten-
ton during the past few days, owing To
the conviction Of gamblers, tn be after
wards pardoned by the chief executive Of
that commonwealth. Governor Beck
ham, like a good many other politicians,
talks to much at the wrong time, and al
lows prejudice, no doubt, 10 get the upper
hand OF his discretion. In his official en-
dorsement on pardon granted he used
this uneuarded language:
"This Is the most bare-faced and inexcuseable
case Of judicial and political persecution that
ever came before my notice. BY bold and
shameful conspiracy, this man has been selected
as helpless victim, while others equally guilty.
or more so, who seem to bask In the sunshine Of
official favor, are allowed absolute immunity
from prosecution in the jefferson criminal court
"Ihis warfare seems to have been inspired,
not by an intention to suppress gambling, but by
desire to destroy competition that business
The papers before me show beyond doubt that
this man was convicted upon evidence secured
by one Of the most infamous bargains ever toler-
ated in any court"
Judge Barker in replying to the strict
ures and sharp criticism, directed at both
the attorney for the prosecution and the
criminal court in which Ed Alvey, the
Louisville gambler, was convicted and
afterwards pardoned uttered the following
words Of burning truth, which should be
indelibly and impressively written upon
not only the memory OF the gamester, but
one and all alike:
II want to say to you, gentlemen, as Judge Of
this court, that have never known boy to 20
wrong, to default and rob his employer, to be
arragned for II at this bar, that gambling was
not the direct cause OF his downfall. You may
figure it up; the annals of this court will bear me
out, that every man who has deiauted and rob
bed his employer, let it be bank or a trust com
pany, a business house or a manufacturing con-
Germ, has been brought to that ruin by gambling
Therefore say that the commonwealth attor
ney exercised, in my opinion, a wise discretion
when he permitted these yonRg men, who were
but the hiTellngs and tools OF this master spirit
to go fres in order that the man who was behind
the game should be exposed aud brought to JUS
tice; and endorse that policy, and l shall GER
tainly adhere to it In the future If there be a
discrimination between gamblers it shall be in
favor OF the man who merely works for wages as
against the man who hires him and who sets up
the game; and If that be a crime let me hasten to
plead guilty and glory in my nfamy."
These words may have been uttered by
a Republican, and then again he may be
a Democrat-matters not which political
party that Judge belongs to-they are in
controyertible
Columbia and the country at large has
had the same and sad experience private
families have suffered untold want and
inexpressable misery, and the lives Of
once useful citizens blighted, and future
hope and former manly ambition shatter-
ed by such.
Gambling and whisky has been the
downfall of countless thousands, and ruin,
degradation, and wreck still await all who
unfortunately enslaves or thus recklessly
entangle themselves,
A word of advice, a caution Of beware
and writ of arrest of such dangers as
the above are always in timely season
and the above pertinent extracts should
and we hope will, meet the eye of some
to whom they may be beneficial The
history of evil aud the record Ofmsnlines'
and happiness are both forcibly illustrat
ed and shown in the contrast OF position
here cited by governor and Judge. Righ
and wrong, politics and justice, happi
ness and vice-which do you prefer?
May your road be the good one anC
your future creditable and manly.