Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1907-04-17
THE WHITE CASE.
G0vernor GIenn Makes a Statement as to
his Attitude In the Matter.

D 6overnor 6lenn Makes a Statement as I
his Attitude In the Matter.
As the readers of the WATCH
= MAN have taken considerable in
terest in the White case, we Civ,
, herewith a statement from Gov
ernor Glenn regarding the pardon
! of the two brothers:
State vs., Thomas J. and Chal
mers L. White:
The defendants were indicted
in Rowan county for murder in
the first degree. They put in q
plea of mot guilty" for the reas.
on that they acted in self defense.
After fair and impartial trial
they were convicted of murder in
the second degree and sentenced
by His Honor, Judge Cook, to six
years at hard labor in the State's
prison. The defendants after re-
naming in prison for nearly two
years applied to me for a pardon,
but having prosecuted the case i'll
the court below, and being con-
vinced of their guilt, and feeling
that the sentence was not exces-
sive, 1 feared that I could not give
the defendants an impartial hear
ing and decided therefore to 70.
fer the case to the Courcil of
State, their decision to be mine,
whether it accorded with my view
or not.
Mr.. Lacy having also expressed
an opinion in the case to the ef-
feet that the defendants should be
pardoned, asked to be relieved
from the hearing. On the day
set for the hearing, I stated these
facts both 1n regard to Mr.. Lacy
and myself, and also read a letter
written by me to one of the in
terested parties, in which I stated
I believed the defendants guilty
and that no application for par
don should be heard for two years.
That in view of our expressions if
either the State or the defend
ants objected to Mr.. Lacy or my
self sitting in the case, we would
prefer to retire. The State's coun-
sci said that he was perfectly will
ing for both of us to remain. The
defendants counsel stated, that
while he had thu utmost conf
dence in us, still, in view of what
had been said, and my previous
connection with the case, thought
it fair and just that both Mr.. La
cy and myself should retire. This
we did.
then stated that if there wal
any objection to the remaining
members of the Council of State,
to wit: Col. Grimes, DR.. Dixon
and Mr.. Joyner hearing the case,
that l would select three disiL-
terested parties who had never
heard of the merits of the case
and leave it to them to act upon.
No further objection was made tv
the Counsel of State hearing the
matter, but both the defendants
and the State seemed content wi. b
leaving the matter to the three
above named gentlemen. I de.
livered them the evidence iu the
case, the petitions, letters of both
individuals and the trial Judge,
and requested them to carefully
consider the case and then make
their report to me and that their
findings would be my decision
and govern my action in refusing
and granting the pardon.
They have made to me the fol.
lowing report:
To his Excellency, R. B. Glenn,
Governor, Raleigh, N. G.
Sir:-In the matter of the ap.
plication for pardon by the White
brothers which was referred by
you to the Council of State fol
their advice, we have the honor
to submit the following report:
Having carefully conside d
the petitions, the letters and the
evidence of every sort presented
to us, together with the argu-
ments of counsel on both sides in
the case of the State against
} Thomas J. White and Chalmers
L. White, we, recommend that
they be pa'doned on condition
that they remain of good beha.