The leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1895-1905, 1903-05-20
The Governor and Lloyd losan.

The Governor and Lloyd Began.
There are some persons in this
county who are disposed to criti-
cize Gov. Longino for committing
the death sentence of the negro,
Lloyd Began, to life imprison-
ment in the penitentiary. 1t is
not necessary to give rehash of |
the case, as our readers are ali
familiar with the principal details, |
but there are some facts in con-
nection with the communication
part of it that some people don't |
seem to have got fixed in their
heads right. I tbs for the purpose
of settling this point and remov-
ing all false impressions that we
write this article, and those who
have been criticizing Gov. Lon
gino for his action in the matter
will please to read carefully and
Judge honestly.
Now, when the Supreme Court
affirmed the decision of the Circuit
Court and fixed the execution of
Began for April 20, movement
was at once started by the ne
gro's attorneys, Messrs. Magee
and Fairman, to have the sentence
committed to life Imprisonment.
The petitions circulated through
out the county were freely signed
by all classes, and so unanimous
and spontaneous was the response
that it is said to have been the
strongest petition ever sent up
from Lawrence county. Mr.. W.
w. Williams was prevailed upon
by Bogan's attorneys to 60 to
Jackson and present the matter to
the Governor, which he did. The
Governor, after having examined
the petition carefully, told Mr..
Williams that he would refer the
matter to the trial Judge and Dis
ttrict Attol ney, and would be gov
erned entirely by their recon-
mendation. This was a precedent,
he said, that he had established
when he first went into the execu-
tive chair, and he could not afford
to deviate from that rule, it mat
tered not how strong the outside
pressure was. The petition was
thereupon referred to Judge
Truly and District Attorney Rat
cliff and they recommended COM
mutation, in accordance with
which the Governor committed the
death sentence of Began to life
Imprisonment. Below we give
the letters written to Mr.. Ma
gee by Judge Truly and Mr..
Ratcliff with reference to the mat
ter:
Meadville, Miss,
April 10, 1908.
Dear Wood:-I today write the
Governor, joining in the applica-
ton for communication of death SEN
tence of Lloyd Began.
Faithfully yours,
j. TRULY.
Natchez, Miss, April 10, 1908.
Mr.. G. Wood Magee, Monticello,
Miss.
Dear Sir:-Your letter of April
8th in regard to a Communication of
the sentence of Lloyd Began to
life Imprisonment was received
while / was at Meadville. We
also received the application from
the Governor while here, and
we recommended to the Governor
the communication of the sentence.
Yours truly,
E. H. RATCLIFF.
Under these circumstances,
what would any man with two
thoughts beyond his nose, advise
the Governor to do? Is the Gov
ernor, who doesn't know a thing
in the world about the facts and
the circumstances, going to dis
regard the recommendation of the
Judge and District Attorney and
six jurors who tried the case, re-
inforced by petition from some
of the best citizens of the county2
1t is being further argued land
this is being run on the Governor
both in this and Lincoln counties
with reference to the Sasser
hanging), that the Governor
would hang white man and save
a negro. Now 4he Governor APP
piled the very same rule in Sas-
ser's case that he did in the ne
gro's. He referred Sasser's case
to Judge Powell and District At
torney Greaves and they positive
ly refused to interfere. Of course
the Governor also refused to in
terfere. Besides, there was no
comparison between the two cases.
That of Sasser's was for both
robbery and murder, while that
of Bogan's was the result of a
general negro row, in which all
the parties we've. drunk, and there
is some question as to who was
really the aggressor, though of
course this should not release the
negro from all punishment. Fur
ther comment on this matter is en-
tirely unnecessary. Should we
hear of any more adverse criti-
cism on the Governor after hav
ing read this statement, we shall
take it for granted that they don't
want to believe anything else; that
the question of law and facts and
evidence and circumstances weigh
powerfully with them if it gives
them an opportunity to.see a hang
ing, and that as nigger's life is
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