The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-12-07
THE pARDONING OF ABERNAIIIY.

buu ADeTndtUv, OI AccklcfDuIS. IL WIS
stated in The Messengers Raleigh let
ter yesterday that the governor ha6 re-
, voked the pardon. From a few bro
ken remarks" by the Charlotte Observ-
er on the subject of Abernathy's par
don, it seems that the people of Neck
lenburg county were greatly stirred up
by the pardoning Of this man. II looks
as if the governor had been imposed
on by someone in this matter and Ibis,
we suppose, is the reason for revoking
the pardon, which must have been con-
dltlonal Or 1t could not have been re-
, yoked. We do not see how Governor
| Glenn could revoke a pardon after he
had granted it Internationally. Such
a pardon would wipe out the mans
~offense; make him a free man. He
could not be ordered back into custo-
! DIV to serve the balance of the term of
imprisonment imposed on him by the
fudge who tried the case.
The Observer wants to know who
| secured the pardon of this man. hoar-
@S4-
| nathy robbed another negrIc o. = i,,r
=, &C whiskey and tried to kip his vfctim.
His victim was dangerously wounded
and was at the pot1t OF death for some
time. His mDuld-be assassin was SEN
fenced to the penitentiary for nine
| years in 1901. He escaped, The OBJ
server says, and is now living in a Cal
afornia town, a fugitive from justice,
with Il reward outstanding for his ar
rest. Mecklenbarg authorities know of
his whereabouts and have tried to get
California officials to have him ar
rested.
The Observer quotes a Charlotte po-
lice officer as saying that the governor
had as we'll pardon the noted despeia-
do, Will Harris, as Alternately; that the
former is a lamb beside the other.
That paper says:
Bud Abernathy committed a greater
crime than robbing the old darkey OF
his liquor; he tried to kill him in one
of the principal streets of the city.
For weeks the victim Of his ready pis-
toll lay between life and death. Bud
was convicted and sentenced, but es-
capped without serving.
Buds PEOPLE were delighted TO learn
that he had been p~ardOned. They are
preparing to kill the fatted calf and
put the little pot in the big one. Yes,
there will be a feast-day when Bud
m home. He has manifested his
ability to do more than escape from the
chaingang; he has proven his ability
to reach the ear of the governor.
From his hiding place in far-off
California tn nimble Bud has worked
his rabbit-foot INC is now a free ne
gro. He need not feel hunted or afraid
any longer.
WHO worked the trick ?' is the
question.
The News and Observer of the same
date, in referring to this matter, speaks
of Alternately as being in the state
prison where he is still serving his
sentence Of nine years.
1t seems strange that there should
be any doubt as to whether this man,
who is under a nine-year sentence, is
still in the penitentiary undergoing
punishment Or has made his escape
and is nov at large On the Pacific coast.
with a reward for his apprehension
hanging over him. That paper says:
Bud Abernathy, a negro convicted at
the fall term, 1901, of Mecklenburg
county, for robbing a man on the
street Of a jug of whiskey, n senten-
ced to nine years in the pe%nitentiary,
who was DarGoned on Saturday, will
fail to be benefited, as Governor Glenn
has cancelled the pardon and Aber-
nathy must stay in prison.
Governor Glenn, after he had an
nounced the pardon, learned through
the newspapers of some facts which
showed that Abernathy's case had not
been correctly represented. and lie I'M
mediately telegraphd to Sheriff Wal
lace. Of Mecklenburg, to return the
paper in the case, as the pardon had
been cancelled and refused.
It had been represented to the gov
ernor that the mar had done no DAM
age and had only taken a jug having
in it some liquor worth about SO cents,
and that he had been in the penitent-
airy for six years. The governor
thought the punishment sufficient, as
the negro had been a soldier in the
Spanish-American war and had been
h~onorably discharged. When he
found that he had been deceived in
the matter, as to the g~rievousness of
the mans OffenSe he at once cancelled
the pardon, n Bud Abernathy re-
mains in the state prison.
This is certainly a peculiar state of
affairs. Do not the ~penitentiary au-
tho1tties know whether that man is in
the penitentiary Or has made his es-
cape and is still at large? If he has
not escaped why do the Mecklenburg
officials state that he is now in hiding
in California? If he has escaped did
the governor think ne was still in the
p~enitentiary when he issued the par
don, and did the prison officials keep
b fact of his escape from the gov
ernor? On whose recommendation was
the pardon granted! 1t seems to us
these are pertinent questions and
should he answered.. h pnhlic should