The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-08-22
Thousands Urged the
Governor to Do 1t.
MURDERER WILL LIVE
But He Promises Never Hereafter TO
Appeal to any Governor for the Re-
duction OF His Sentence. Gov
ernor Believes the Man
is Worthy of Death.

Governor Glenn Yesterday comInut-
ed the death sentence of viii EXum,
OF Lenoir county to life imprisonment
at hard labor in the state penitentiary
at Raleigh. Exum was tried at the
September term, 1904, of Lenoir Grim
ual court and convicted If murder in
the first degree. He was sentenced
to be hanged. Appeal af-
ter appeal was made to the governor
after the Supreme court refused to
find error in the ruling of the lower
court. Large representations of law
ears and prominent citizens appeared
again and again before the governor
some urging q Communication, while
others as strongly opposed 1t. once
compelled by pressure to give a writ
ten statement as to what he would do
in the case, Governor Glenn wrote
that communication was denied, as EX-
UNI was guilty of murder in the first
degree.
At last the muTderer's attorneys
headed by Ex-Governor Chas. b. Ay-
cock. petitioned for a Communication ON
the ground that there was no prencd-
itatiun in the commission of the trOc-
cious crime. This and the earnest
heart-rendiu% appeals of the eX-GOVer-
nor have saYed viii EXum's life.
Governor Glenn's reasons for grant
Ing the communications are as follows:
"On appeal to Supreme court, no
error was found in the ruling of the
tower court. and the Judgment of the
court was affirmed. The prisoner, IN
der the rules of law, having applied to
me for communication from the death
penalty t. life Imprisonment at hard
labor IN the penitentiary, | have read
and re-read the evidence and Consid-
cred carefully everything urged, both
by counsel for the state and counsel
in favor of Communication OF the prison.
eTs sentence.
The prisoner. himself acknowl-
edges the great atrocity Of his crime
by filing a written statement, signed
in the presence of witnesses t. the eI-
ieCt that if The extreme penalty of tn"
law is not enforced against him, that
he will never hereafter appeal to any
Governor for the reduction of his SEN
tence.
In my own opinion, there was
ample evideute Of lAurder in the frs
degree. and the prisoner Would receive
but a just sentence to pay the penalty
of his crime by the forfitude of his
life. However, nine of the jury, tho
trial judge, the judge delivering the
opinion of the Supreme Court, and
another OF the Supreme Court judges,
who had carefully eXaWinei the ease
strongly recommended communication
of the prisoners sentence. This is also
urged by thousands of the best citizens
Of LcnOir. Greene and Pitt counties
and while a great many good men op-
pose the Communication, public senti-
ment seems to favor it on the ground
that there was lack of generalization
on the part Of the prisoner
therefore. while | still believe he
is guilty of an awful crime, acting in
favor of life and on account of the
strong recommendation of those Whu
heard and tried the case. l commute
the sentence from death to life i'm
prisonment, believing that if | err II Is
better to do so on the side of human
ity than run the risk of doing a wrong
that could never be recalled.
The sheriff of Lenoir county is
therefore directed to Immediately take
viii EXum and convey him to the
proper authorities at the states prison
in Raleigh, there to be confined at
hard labor for the remainder of his
life.
This, DIST day of August. 1895.
"R. 3. GLENN,
Governor"