The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-09-02
His Companion. Finch. viii
Hang To-Day as Sentenced
STATES ATTORNEY
ASKED INTERFERENCE
Governor Reached Him Over Telephone
After Having Midnight Talk with
Counsel for Bacon, Also Over
'Phone-Wired Sheriff to
Stay Execution Of Bacon q.
Until Friday.

Doc Bacon, the .Mccklenburg negro. who
Ia now lying In the jail OF Mecklenburg
county under the shadow OF the gallows
on which. up to an early hour this morn
Ing it was considered inevitable that he
was to be hanged to-day, along with an
other negro, Anderson finch, convicted
OF attempted criminal assault has been
granted few more days OF life. The
Governor, half an hour after midnight,
dispatched telegram to the sheriff Of
Meckcn burg county which will have
the effect Of staying the execution OF the
death sentence until Friday, at least.
j may be that the events and disclosures
1 OF the ensuing two days will be such
as TO warrant commutation of sentence
or full pardon. II n
The action of the Governor is,Sto large
extent, the result OF the energetic efforts
OF ]. r. Rahily, a Petersburg attorney,
to save the life of his client, Bacon.
Lawyer Rahilly last night called up the
Governor by long distance telephone. and,
In the course Of the conversation. In
formed him that Commemorative Attor.
sney y. c.. Cioode, Of Mecklenbu burg county
had asked for a respite for4 the condemfle
NEGRO. The Governor, 1t is understood.
asked Mr.. Rahllly why Mr.. Goode had
! (the Governor) in order that he might
himself hear the statement OF the COM
monwcalths attorney. Mr.. Rahilly re.
piled that he had not thought OF that.
The Governor; later succeeded In estap-
fishing communication with Common
5wealth's Attorney Goode. and being POSI-
lively assured that it was his wish TO
have the doomed negro respited. the
Governor determined to extend the lie
OF the man until Friday. He accordingly
sent d telegram to the sheriff Of Neck
lenburg, Informing that officer that upon
the Recommendation OF commonwealth
Attorney Goode he had granted Bacon
respite until Friday.
a FINCH WILL HANG TO-DAY.
4 Tho sentence OF death to be executed
upon Anderson Finch. the other negro
condemned for the same crime. was not
interfcrcd with, and Finch Will be hanged
to-day at Boydton.
It Is understood that the reason Tor the
respite OF Bacon Is the statement OF Finch
that Bacon had nothing to do with the
crime for which both were sentenced
to death. Even Of this alleged confession
the Governor had no official information.
The only appeals for respite or clemency
for Bacon were those made by the nesrc
himself through his counsel. ana Cover
nor Montague did not deem these sutfi-
Client ground for setting aside or de.
laying the execution Of the sentence enc o.
the court. Now that Commoh" wealth
Attorney Goode, the official who prose
cuted the negroes. has asked for post
ponemcnt OF the sentence. the Governor o.
has granted the brief respite purely upor
that officers responsibility &
M There is IA prevalent Impression thai
Finch. who is to be hanged to-day may
upon the scaftold and In the very pres
ence az death, make a full statement o
the crime, and in the event that Bacor
is exonerated by the doomed man In III
last hours, n reprieye and pardon ma!
follow, There is no guarantee OF this
Naturally. the Governor and the Common
wealth's Attorney OF Mecklenburg' do no
wish an innocent man to SO to the scaf
fold, and the delay Is merely a precautiot
to prevent such possible miscarriage Q
Justice or such judicial murder. It 4
believed that II Finch's last statemen
leads to the conviction that Bacon wa!