The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-12-31
VARDAMAN UPHOLDS TIE UHWRITTEN LAW PardonS Man When Sentence
 is Affirmed STORY OF MLEND0N CASE Veterinary Surgeon Chadwick at Jack son Believes eIanders Situation Is We'll Under Control and Will
 Not Spread.
STORY OF M'LENDON CASE

Jackson, Miss. December 3O.-(Special.) ) An appeal to the unwritten law may not always be good before the supreme court of the State of Mississippi, but 1t goes with the present governor. and has count ed with more than one of his predeces- sors in office.
 Last August R. L. McLendon, a prom inent young attorney at law of Law renee county, was convicted of the charge of manslaughter and sentenced to the penitentiary for a long term of years The case was appealed, and sev- eral days ago the supreme court affirmed the verdict of the lower court, which meant that Mir. McLendon must serve his sentence.
 The condemned man arrived in Jackson yesterday morning, called at the office of the secretary of the prison board of control and was handel full pardon that that been signed by the governor of the state several days ago, same being dated December 15. MT. McLendon knew of the pardon, as a matter of course, else he would have been brought to the penlten- tiary two weeks ago. When Secretary John T. Wells handed him the pardon papers his eyes filled, his throat choked, and for a while he was too deeply affect ed to hardly speak He was more than thankful for the clemnecy that had been shown him. and so expressed himself.
 Being asked for a statement of the case, MT McLendon briefly reviewed what the public has known for three years, but which has passed out of the memory of the great majority.
 Three years ago Mir. McLendon was liv- ing happily with his wife and child, a boy of 12 years of age, at Prentence. He was a rising young attorney, and as that section of the state was begin ing to build up very rapidly, he had his hands full of business and was mak- ing more than a competency.
 About this time his wife went up to Hattiesburg to spend the day. She did not return that night as expected, and MT. McLendon being called to another town on business. found that he also had to go to Hattlesburg. On the way his train met that on which his wife was returning to Hattesburg and through the coach window he saw her on the seat with the man he afterwards Killed, though he thought nothing of it at the time, further than to wonder why his wife would ride with such disreputable character.
 Arrived at Hattiesburg he met friend who took him to one side and told him that his wife had been acting very in- discreetly there and advised him to in- vestigate at the hotel He found the room in which she had spent the night and abundant evidence that she had not been alone.
 Returning to his wrecked home he sent for the man who had debauched his wife, and on his failure to come to meet him. he went to his house. and without wasting time or words killed him.
 MT. MeLendon Is perhaps the only man in the State of Mississippi who was ever pardoned while en route, as 1t were, to the penitentiary As soon as the supreme court had affirmed the case 1t was the duty of the county officials to notify the penitentiary officials to send for the prisoner but before that could be done the governor had notified him of the pardon. Thus the unwritten law Is once more upheld In the State of Miss issippi. The debaucher of homes and firesides is looked upon as almost as much of a mad dog as the rapist, and are treated as such.