Hattiesburg daily progress. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 18??-1909, 1903-07-17
EXPLANATIONS
FROM LONGING
Regarding Attacks of
Opponents.
THE PARDON OF A RAPIST
Is Fully and Satisfactorily Explain
ed by the Governor.
APPOINTMENT OF A NEGRO NOTARY
Made on Recommendation of the
Best Citizens of Community
Other Reports Declared
False.

AT some OF his recent appointments
Gov. Longino has referred in no IN
certain terms to a scurrilous attack
made upon him by the editor of the
Okolona Messenger, entitled Lon
gino's Negro Record" which is be-
ing circulated throughout the states
in circular form. Without mincing
matters or qualifying words, the gov
ernor denounces the publication as
campaign lie; and takes up the sew
eral charges and answers them spe-
officially.
He Gays that b. Q. Branch, whom
he had appointed notary public at
Vicksburg, had been recommended by
the best citizens of that city, includ-
ing the circuit judge and mayor, and
that he did not know that Branch
was a negro until after the appoint
ment had been made.
In regard to the appointment of J.
G. Chapple, notary public at Green
vile, he said that Chapple had been
recommended to him as a negro of
good character, worthy of the trust.
and his petition was signed by the
best white men of Greenville, in
Guiding the judge of the district, and
the mayor of the city. In neither of
the above instances were any objec-
tions made to the appointments.
paforrinnv m irt %
the merge election commissioner in
Wilkinson county the governor said
that the appointee had been recon-
mended to the state board of election
commissioners as suitable person to
name as the republican member, and
that no reference was made to the
fact that he was a negro. Under
the law all three county election COM
missioners could not be named from
the same political party, and the
state board made this appointment.
1t was afterwards learned that he was
a negro, and Objectionable to the
people of the county, and his resigna
tion was called for and white repub-
lican appointed in his stead.
He says that he had committed the
sentence of the negro in Lawrence
county upon Fhe request of about 800
of the best citizens of the county, in
Guiding the judge, the district at
torney and other officers and minis
tiers of the gospel. There was no pro-
test filed against the communication.
The governor stated that he had
committed the death sentence of ne
gro in Quitman county upon the
earnest solicitation of nearly every
white man in the county, and the en-
dorsement of the judge, dis riot at
torney, sheriff and other court Off
GERS. There was no protest filed
Referring to the killing of she
officer at Guifport by negroes, the
governor says that the record of re-
wards in the governors office shows
that he did offer reward of 800 for
each of said murderers.
a nergo, John Nance he said,
Twas sentenced to life Imprisonment
from Yazoo county for rape in 1868.
Thirty-five years afterward, a short
time after I had been elected gov.
ernor, petition was presented to me
signed by Judge A. P. Campbell
and Judge s. S. Calhoon, who were
the circuit judge and district attorney
at the conviction of the negro. They
stated at the time of his conviction
they believed him to be innocent
and after serving thirty-five years
twenty five years as trustyl, in TIT
state prison, they requested his par
don. This / did, and nearly eight,
years of age, tottering upon the brinl
of the grave, he was pardoned. !"
The governor said that this peti
tion had been published in the Yazo
Herald for thirty days as required b
law and no protest was ever file
against the pardon. Clarion Ledger