The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-10-10
PARDON FOR LONGLEY.
Governor Tyler Grants the Young Man His
Liberty.


Governor Tyler Lest night granted g. par
don to Edmund LonSley, the young man
from Washington county who was serv-
ing a term of thirteen years in the pen
itentiary for the killing Of Walter Cate
Broils.
The mans mother has been here in
teceding in his behalf. She submitted to
the Governor a lengthy petition.
Governor Tyler was convinced that the
shooting was not Intentional He gives
his reasons as follows:
II approached the consideration of the
case with no idea / would find ground to
justify executive interference. My i'm
pressions had been formed from first pub
lished statements of the occurrence and
these were anything else than favorable
to the prisoner. I. however, gave faithful
consideration to the evidence and papers
in the case and am convinced it is very
different from the first published reports
There is only the slightest possibility
Of doubt that the prisoner committed the
oifense and deserved punishment; but
how much, is the question. He was ably
prosecuted by the Commemorative At
so;ney and a distinguished assistant Both
Of these gentlemen and the jurors I'M
hesltatingly unite in requesting his par
don, and express the opinion he has been
sufficiently punished.
The young man had unfortunately at
tunes been under the influence of drink
and when in such a condition easily be-
came maudlin and even unconscious
He left home early on the morning of
the murder. He put a small pistol in his
pocket, stating that a. certain dog on the
way had annoyed him, and if it did so
again. he would shoot it. He went to the
town of SaltviIle and drank heavily of
different kinds of intoxicants, and in a
drunken and helpless condition was put
on his horse. This was about z P NJ
!sbout an hour afterwards. when it was
very dark, his horse carried him through
AZ open gate into a lot leading UP to g
house. Dogs rushed out and bayed him.
He pulled out tie pistol Of he did the
shooting) and fired twice. Three boys
were coming towards him. They said to
their father, who was in the barn. that
somebody was hallooing out there The
father came out al one end of the stable
whilst the boys were at the other end.
Just at this time and Immediately after
the firing, one Of the young men, about
the age of young Longley, said: I am
shotv
.'EIe was carried to the house. 1t was
very evident it was not known who cid
the shooting, but, young Longley was
found about twenty minutes afterwards
sitting on his horse that had strayed to
a far corner OF the lot. He mutte1ed
something about wanting to find gate,
and the person he spoke to conducted
him to the gate. He also wanted to
know if he would be allowed to spend
the night He requested the person to
break his pistol, and that man said it
had nothing but one empty shell in 1t,
and that had to be gotten out by the use
Of q nail. Longley rode on for three
quarters of a mile and stopped at one
of the neighbours houses, and was lmme-
diatey put to bed. When aroused three
or four hours later by an officer, ne
was maudlin drunk and protested he
had not shot anybody and declares to
tbs day he did not. If he was respon-
sble for firing the unfortunate and fatal
shot, he evidently did not do 1t with
malice or evil intent. He did not even
know the murdered boy. The impress
sion fixed on his brain in the morning
about shooting at a dog that annoyed
him may have caused him to shoot when
attacked by the dogs.
'Of course, drunkenness is no excuse
for crime, and by this unfortunate oc-
currence a vacant seat is made in an
other home circle, but does young Long
ley deserve to spend thirteen years in
prison cell for this terrible accident for
which he and his loved ones have suffered
anguish equal to that borne by the family
of the unfortunate victim?
I'VE do not think he does
so says the attorney for the county
and the jury The application for par
don is supported by tn, largest number
of splendidly written letters from promi-
nent men in Washington and adjoining
counties ! have ever had presented tc
me. His fond and loving mother has
labored with faith unfalterinG and sub
lime. and her pleadings and prayers are
too earnest to be unheeded. / believe
young Longley has suffered enough. The
ends of justice have been met, and |,
therefore, pardon him, praying and be-
lieving that it will be for the best