The weekly true Democrat. (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1905-1912, 1905-07-28

i ana children, MS aged aged ana teeOle
| father and mother, whose years are
nearly spent, and the many honorable
kindred and friends, by the exercise of
that wise, just and humane mercy and
clemency.
And so believing, we will ever pray.
After reading the petition in a very
impressive manner, Miss Anna Flagg
made the following remarks:
Gentlemen of the Board: You have
heard our petition, and now present
it to you, asking that it may be filed
among your official papers.
now wish to say a few words in adj
dition.
We have not come to ask for justice,
but to make plea for mercy in behalf
of the stricken wife and helpless child
rem. We appeal to you as fathers-yOu
are all fathers-we appeal to your
father love- You, Governor Broward,
have family of little ones; if you were.
taken from them could your wife care
for and support them if she had no Wis
ible means Of support? Mr.. Crawford,
could your wife support her little fam
lily without you? Mr.. McLin, could
your gentle little wife support her little
ones under such circumstances? Can
you go home and take those little ones
in your arms and enjoy their sweet
prattle when you think of that desolate
bone over yonder?
v We plead for mercy! Christ said,
|tBlessed are the merciful for they shall
obtain mercyW We all need to have
mercy extended to us every day of our
lives. If we had meted out to us the
same quality of mercy measured to this
stricken family, how should we stand?
With bowed heads and sorrowing
hearts.
I'VE plead for mercy! Could you have
witnessed a scene that was enacted a
few days ago in that stricken house
hold, your hearts would have been
melted in your breasts. The little
daughter, the only girl, had not been
told of this trouble because Of her ten
der years, for she is only seven years
old. She was told by some one, and she
around her mothers neck, and through
her sobs cried, Mamma! they ain go
ing to take our papa from us?" Can
you resist that cry? When your little
ones home running to you crying 'papai
papa! will not your hearts be pierced
by pang when you think of this little
daughter?
We plead for mercy Every woman's
heart in this crowd cries out for mercy!
Nay, every womans heart in this town
cries out for mercy.
We would like to ask this board to
give US decision before Friday, as we
understand that is the time when his
reprieve will expire. We understand
that any two of the board with the
Governor can render a decision.
Gov. Broward assured the ladies that
the other two and absent members
wonld return the next day, and they
would render decision before Friday.
In answer to Liddon's harangue Miss
Flagg also said:
"As said before, we did not come
here to plead for justice, but to plead
for mercy. This gentleman says the
penalty was not excessive. A lawyer
has said to US that the penalty imposed
was the maximum penalty imposed for
that crime.
l think the board might have told us
that it had lawyer here to browbeat
us. Ladies we will retire.
Mrs. Howard Gamble followed Miss
Flagg substantially in these words:
Gentlemen: We women of Tallahassee,
we wives. mothers and daughters, are
overwhelmed by the grief that has fall !
len upon one of our number.
We know that woman's sphere is
within the sheltered seclusion Of home, |
but one of these homes has been invad- !
ed by unutterable sorrow, and we are
here in this unaccustomed place to i'm !
plore you for mercy.
The name "Pardoning Board" implies
that you are associated for the exercise
Of Mercy, and not for the execution of
Justice If it were otherwise, might !
not this and all other pardoning boards
Justly be arraigned for contempt of
court when they set aside judicial de-
crees rendered by the courts after dill !
gent and conscientious investigation?
Since it is your province to grant
mercy, grant II now, we beseech you,
to this sOrrow-stricken mother and these !
Ave helpless little ones.
forgiveness is a divine attribute. On
you five men alone in all this broad |
State is the power 70 forgive conferred !
Oh! exercise 1t now in behalf of these !
helpless onesl
" Gentlemen, you have heard that they
have no home; that the mother will |
have to toll day after day; that she will
have TO earn the wages Of a strong
man TO even provide a shelter and
the necessities for them. You, fathers |
of little ones, know how varied and how |
indispensable are these necessities. |
You know better than we what IL |
means TO provide them Is this burden |