The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-11-05
COUNCIL CERTAINLY GUILTY
SAYS SECRETARY PEARsALL
The Governors Private Secretary Gives Rea
sons For Refusing to Commute Death
Sentence

Sentence.
| Col. Z. M. Pearsall, the Private Secre-
tafy TO the Governor, was seen last night
with reference to the story of the dra
matte circumstances attending the exc
| cutlon OF Louis Council, and said:
Ihls case has given the Governor
much concern, and he carefully consid-
| ered the different phases in every pos
| slpie aspect. The Governor read very
| carefully all the evidence, talked freely
with many people from that section, re-
celved letters from many people in Cum
priand conversant with. the case and
talked with the victim, Mrs. West. More
over, ne selected ex-Judge T. B. Womack,
Wise, experienced and conservative man
| to go to Fayetteville and the immediate
| section to make full investigation. In
1act he did everything possible to get at
| the truth of the matter. After most
thorough investigation of the case. Gov
| crnor Aycock was of the conviction that
Council was guilty. That the poor wo-
| man was most brutally outraged there is
no doubt. There was not a suggestion
| that this was not true. The only ques-
tion presented was as to the identity of
man was positive and unequivocal in her
certainty as to the man. In her effort
| and struggle to release herself from the
| foul embrace of the brute, Mrs. West was
| positive that she placed her hand against
his clothing. Her hands were covered
with yellow clay. Her assailant wore a
| long black coat. This coat was found at
Councils home with the clay imprint of
woman's hand. The prisoner fled the
country as soon as the crime was COM
| mited. These circumstances besides
many others were clearly proven at the
| trial
Council was tried by jury and on
| conviction, sentenced as the law directs.
| While the judge and the jury recon-
mended Communication of the sentence,
nothing appeared to warrant such action
that did not appear at the trial. No one
suggested pardon, and he should either
have been pardoned outright, or allowed
to be hanged for there is no compromise
for SO heinous a crime as rape"
Continuing, Col Pearsall said: Il fail
to understand why special emphasis
should be given to, the prisoners decla-
ration Of innocence, as announced in the
dispatch because he had a cross in his
hand at the time. l am sure he would
have made the same declaration without
the cross. l notice that the priest said,
holding the cross aloft: Il hereby pro-
claim in spite of Governor Aycock and
that warrant that this man dies inno-
cent" Strange proceeding indeed! 1t
looks as if the priest attempts to make
the Governor responsible for the death
of an innocent man. 1t further appears
that he wishes to give some especial en-
phasis to the manner of his declaration
as carrying positive certainty as to its
truth | fail entirely to see how such
methods prove anything. Priests of
| most churches are no better nor can they
know more of the truth than ministers of
any other denominations. They are not
better nor wiser than the men of God of
other denominations. Some of the min
listers of other churches have said in a
modest way that they thought the man
guilty. e @
| Whether or not, the man may be limo
cent or guilty. am thoroughly convinced
that he is guilty and assert the same
with absolute positiveness. Governor
| Aycock is as wise, as honest, as conser-
vative, as conscientious a man, as good
a Christian as Father Marion is or can
be. He would ever save a man from an
unjust punishment as long as it is in his
power and is freed from ritual, church
dogma or superstition"
In concluding the interview Colonel
Pearsall said: 1.-THE Governor is out of
the city, and / desire you to state that
/ speak entirely on my own RESPONSE
bilty.'