The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-02-11
Vindication Of the Court System.

4 Yindicatio1 Of the Court System.
The confession Of samuel M NJ ~
Who on yesterday was lllaNlged a A. 1'''sl
$lcttesylle for wifc-murder,1s a sIiesnaiu
,,ndlcati ion Of the Yirgin;t# court system system
1 ana Virginia Just Ice. 3sy.t S 81
AtcC,uc went tostrinl earnestly asssterlttllhas
Ills Innocence. He had 5tha' pel'ei. ~ =
Inc best legal counsel. lle lag 1 the pens
nj az every protection and technll cailly o.
I'M law, His lawyers made pathetic
ple;l in behalf OF the prisoner ana ms ~
a hsnutiful child. who sat IT. his lap. WINE lill
81 ,e LAWYERS were speaking, bestowed il ~
II. affectonate caresses upon him. All pos '!'
stble pressure was brought to bear 10
.Yi,pe this man, rho evidence was purely
3 circun,stantial, the only living Wltt'less
i5t n Tho crime being III he prisoner " ING
Lar. and lie calling upon God to witness '
q that he. had not stained his hands VIII
,I,e3 blood OF his wife. But the members
Btof3 the iury were sworn to do their duty;
B they heard the EVIDENCE they h l1t'a! tl ll
n,en ling. they witnessed the pathetic
scene between father and hildrcn; bht
Ito their mind the evidence was co lhlSc.lsl
6 s,ye and without8u dissenting voice they
promptly brought in verdict Of guilty
The case was appealed to the supreme
Court OF the State, and McCues emil
,,cnt lawyers taxed their ingenuity 70 up
f set the verdict and get q new trlal. u a y
sorts or technical objections were raised
ID and III must baa confessed that the law
ycrs made u .strohg plea. But cou llr~t
n decided that there was no irregularty
which in any way prejudeed the prls-
35oner,s case or affected the essentials ana
declared that the verdict must stand.
An appeal WINS then made to the Gov
ernor for Communication Of sentence, the
little daughter Of the condemned mar
finally coming into his presence nnt
Al; through her tears begging that he spare
Us, the life OF her father. But the Gov
erncr could find no warrant Of law ant
no reasonable plea for oyerrullng th'
action of the courts and he declined to n
Eterfere.
III 81 And still McCue protested and still will
Bible in hand, hc declared that an In
$nocent man would he hanged II he wa!
not saved from the sallows, and thcr'
" Gro many persons in Virginia who be
licyed, or at least feared, that in hi
execution there would pc terrible mis-
curriuge OF Justice
a., 10 Cd all hnp
gone, when Mccue saw That his door
was scaled, lie stated in the prcsenc
ot three ministers Of the Gospel and nc
quested illem 70 make public that Il
did not wish 10 leave This world with sus
piclon resting upon any human beir
I'M other than himself, thai he alone VI
!. responsible for the deed, impellcd 10
nv an evil power beyond his control, an
that he recognized his sentence as jas
Ell ElcCue Is dead and gone. He has pa
Tho extreme penalty Of the law ana u
spirit has gone TO The high court Of Ia
resort to be Judged by the Ruler Of Y
&s Universe. we pass over the enornllty
Ills crime, OF the sin which led up
ii. OF the double life that he led. y
ii lis at least 10 his credit thai he i
553 behind him this confession, which elea
up all doubt, which relieves the minds
the jurors. the court officials, the pros
cutting attorneys and all connected vi
& this case and establishes tho justice 9
III righteousness of the verdict The ~
conviction and execution Of this self-ct
fessed criminal will have q wholesoI
aud widespread Influence y
strengthen The court system; II
se strengthen public confidence in Tic cpur
III viii tend to prevent lynch law II
IS be a solemn warning 70 al men that (
df,me leads 70 tanotnct, an4 that Z
4tlt5.- =, Min IL death FE4N+T NtME