The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-10-10
THE CASE OF MR.. MURRow.
Mr.. Scales Makes Strong Plea for Executive
Clemency In His Case

To the Editor: The article in your is
sue of today, in my opinion, does a seri-
Gus injustice to Mr.. Roscoe Murrow, and
demands in the interest of Justice, a re-
ply; however unpleasant it may be to
me to try these matters in newspapers.
make it a rule to try my cases in the
proper constitutional forum and have al
lowed many newspaper misrepresenta-
tions, unintentional though they may be,
to go unanswered, rather than try them
in the public prints
There are, however. a few persons in
terested in following up this young man
who have bounded him from the begin
ming, and I verify believe they are the
ones who are responsible for most of the
sentiment adverse to him, and this moves
me to say few words that the public
may not be m!sled.
Four years after the commission of the
alleged crime, and after Roscoe MurroW
had married pure, sweet young woman
of this county, and after trying to wiring
from young Murrows father the sum or
eight hundred dollars, the woman said
to have been SO cruelty wronged, has
him convicted for improper conduct with
her before she was fourteen years of age.
Cruelty handicapped by uncertainty as to
what date she would fix for the crime,
by the fact that even his father was eX-
cluded from the court room during her
evidence, and by the thoughtless and ig-
norant clamor, which is sometimes called
public opinion, and which is always with
the woman, young Murrow was convicted
and severely sentenced, though still given
the option of paying out. From the very
first he has emphatically declared his
innocence and has always forbidden his
father to pay a cent, preferring to suffer
the humiliation of the county roads
rather than purchase his freedom by
confessing his guilt. He went to the
county roads where his guards say he
has made as exemplary a record as they
have ever seen. His young wife and his
mother, confident of his innocence, and
of his final vindication. have faithfully
attended him, have made all of his
clothes and carried him his food and al
though heartbroken, they prefer with him
to serve his sentence to the end, even
ii it kills him and them rather than sub
nit to, such CALLING injustice. His
friends however, have not been inactive,
and they have accumulated a mass of
of the county and State, which proves to
my mind and believe to the mind of any
unprecedented person, that young Murrow
was not guilty of the crime of which he
was convicted, and that he is being most
unjustly punished
In addition to this he is rapidly going
blind, some of the best oculists in the
State having sworn that the vision OF
he ,;ohf l. oil nY16i
that the left eye is badly diseased. and
that the only hope of preventing total
destruction of his eyes, is to so regulate
his life that he may have the best of
medical treatment in dark rooms, ETC.,
and that every day he remains on the
roads makes it more impossible to check
the disease.
Mr.. Murrow's family stand high in this
section of the State as charitable, God
fearing people and excellent citizens, and
no stain has ever chung to their name,
and until this unreasonable charge, not
a suspicion of wrong doing ever rested
upon Roscoe. He had the best of repu-
tations and was known as a kind hearted
high toned, self respecting boy.
And in conclusion, l say that even il
he had been guilty which is strenuously
denied, he was nothing but child him.
self and would have been sufficiently
punished having already served over
thirteen months and suffered as much in
that time as some men would in hun
dred years. The policy Of the law is to
punish, not to MAIN and torture. few
more months will probably complete his
physical wreck.
People are beginning to see this mat
ter in a different light and there are
few who know the facts who do not be-
lieve that the Governor should act speed
lily in the matter. Thousands have sign
ed the petition asking for the pardon,
and it is doubtful if the Governor ever
received stronger letters than he is re-
ceving from the best citizens asking for
this bows freedom.
Yours truly
A. NJ SCALES.