Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1907-08-30
Friday, August 80, 1907.
COURAGE OF HIS CONVICTIONS


censure where 1T may-thst when an
unnameable crime is fastened, with
out doubt of identity, upon negro
brute ours will not be the hand to
stay summary proceedings by Judge
Lynch. A thousand times better
that our civilization be impugned by
thin. blooded critics than that the
sensitive and cringing victim be
tormented at an open hearing, and
worse fate, if such were possible, be
added to her already stupendous
injury. When our statesmen rise to
the point of allowing such victims
private examination as witnesses our
drastic views may undergo modifica-
ton, but not till then.
Observe that we plead extenuation.
1t any is needed, by the words "is
fastened, without doubt of identitv."
We have seen too many instances of
innocent blood near being shed, and
have participated in two or three
such near attempts, to act or talk
hastily, and where there is doubt a
black innocent we hold sacred as
much as white innocence. Therefore
we unhesitatingly commend Cover.
nor Swanson for his act in repriev-
ing the Alexandria negro, notwith-
standing the mad cry for his blood.
In this as in other things our Chief
Executive has shown not only his
kindness of heart-"the brayest are
the tenderest"-but an utter dis
regard of popular clamor where duty
points the way, even to the extent of
lnlurlng his popularity politically.
The Governor has toiled and swetted
over this case, and Virginia is to be
congratulated that she has a chief
magistrate who will give the poor
and lowly the benefit of such doubt
as would have long since cleared a
man of wealth. In committing the
sentence of John Wright, the negro
who was to hang today for alleged
criminal assault, to life imprisonment
In thepenltentiary, the Governor gave
the following reasons for his action:
The prisoner, Joseph Thomas. alias
John Wright, is poor, friendless negro.
without money and without influence
Ihis fact has induced me to give this
matter full and thorough examination.
lrespited him for three months in order
TO give every opportunity for additional
evidence to be procured, if possible, in
TINS case. | sent for the lady and her
husband, upon whom the assault was
committed, to satisfy my mind and
conscience fully In this matter. After
questioning her and her husband, whose
evidence alone procured a conviction.
reading fully the evidence in the case.
the opinion of the judges of the Supreme
Court of Appeals, and especially the
additional evidence filed as to the guilt
OF the prisoner, and considering the
TACT that the assault was committed
between 8 and $50 O'Clock when it was
dark and difficult to clearly and def
niteiy identify persons, it has estab-
hshed In my mind serious doubt as 70
the identity and guilt of the prisoner.
In addition, the foreman of the Jury.
person OF unusual intelligence and
fairness, and great many of the in
nuentlal citizens of Alexandria county
requested that this communication he
granted, on account of the doubt as to
the identification of the prisoner. Hence
1 conceive it to be my duty to commute
the death penalty in this case to i'm
prisonment for life. l have filed before
me as new and additional evidence the
afhdavits of nine persons, whose evi.
dence, If true, would show that the
prisoner could not have been present
when the assault was committed. The
evidence OF these nine witnesses estab
iish an abb, which creates a serious
doubt as to the Identification of Josenh
Thomas, alias John Wright. as the
party who committed the assault.
1.-The fact that the original evidence
before the court and jury induced two
members of the Court of Appeals to
declare it was an insufficient identified
tion of the prisoner creates in nv mind. |
with the additional new evidence filed |
serious doubt, which cannot permit
me to have the prisoner in this case
executed. By committing his sentence
TO life Imprisonment an opportunity is
given him to have this doubt and con-
hict OF testimony between various wit
nesses at some time satisfactorily set
tied. If in the future DEVELOPMENTS
should be such as to clearly prove the
serious doubts in this case, and the in
nocense of'the prisoner should be estab-
lished, all those concerned in the trial
and execution of this prisoner would
deplore their action in the matter.
1.-The additional evidence, supplement
ing the original evidence, produces in
my mind such a strong doubt of the
identification of the prisoner as the
party who committed the assault that
feel would be recreant to nv duty
as Governor if should permit this poor.
friendless negro to be executed"
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