Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1909-10-29
KEEPING THEM DOWN TO THE
FACTS.

4AS eIOftS OF the savannah Press
correspondent and a "close friend of
Gov. Smith," name concealed for
good reasons. to make an issue out of
the communication of the sentence of
Harper to life Imprisonment, has prov
ed decided boomerang. Instead of
injuring Gov. Brown the facts have
been brought out and have consider
ably strengthened him in the public
esteem. 1t has been shown again con-
clusively that Gov. Brown has the
moral courage to do the right thing
without considering as to whether it
will have any adverse political effect,
Gov. Smith, it has been revealed, be-
lieved Harper should have his sent
ence commutei, but dilly dallied and
Kept putting it off, probably anticipat-
ing that it might meet with some CEN
sure, and went out of office with I'M
fulfilled promises charged against him.
Gov. Brown simply did what his pre-
decessor in Office felt and acknowledge
ed was the right thing to do but lack
ed the political courage, it would
seem, to do himself. 1t would be in
teresting, in view of these develop
ments, to know how far from the ex-
governors law offices the "close
friend" does business who gave this
startling misinformation to the Savan-
nah correspondent. If the office boy
there does too much talking he should
certainly lose his job.
Samuel D. Hewlett, Esq, the
staunch advocate of Gov. Smiths re-
election, who stumped North Georgia
for him in the last campaign, and who
was Harper's chief counsel from the
beginning of the case until the end,
honorably nails the lie about ex-
Gov. Terrell directly on the head
Mr.. Terrell never had any connection
with the case, Mr.. Hewlett points out,
which killed false statement number
one, and Gov. Smith promised him to
commute Harper's sentence, which
more than nails false statement num-
Der two about Gov. Smith intending to
make an issue of the Harper case.
Making an issue of that case would
certainly put the former governor in a
most peculiar attitude.
In letter to the Savannah Press
laying bare the falsity of the charge
against ex-Gov. Terrell, and the utter
foolishness of the entire dispatch to
that paper about the Harper case, Mr..
Hewlett has this to say:
| Mr. Charles H. Griffin, of Marietta,
| Ga, and myself were the only counsel
| that appeared for Harper before the
Prison Commission; in fact l endeav-
ored to secure letter from EX-Gov.
| Terrell, addressed to the Prison Com
mission, asking for Communication, but
Ex.-Gov Terrell fatty refused to make
any statement in behalf of Harper. If
| he was ever in the case neither Har-
per nor his counsel ever knew of his
| connection with it. l am sure, how
ever, that if he ever read the two opin-
| ions rendered by the Supreme Court of
/
yer, would have favored Communication.
! During Ex-Gov. Hoke Smiths term
of office, counsel for Harper presented
a number of petitions for respite and
communication, and Ex-Gov. Smith re-
spited Harper several times, and be-
lieVe he did so through the belief on
his part that Harper's case was en-
/ titled to much serious consideration,
and l further believe had Ex-Gov.
4 Hoke Smith remained in Office he
would not have allowed Harper to
hang; in fact he told me just a short
time prior to the expiration of his
term of office that he would not de-
! cline to commute Harper.
AS l was a strong supporter of Mr..
Smiths during both campaigns, I ex-
pected no favors from Gov. Brown or
| his friends, besides counsel for Har
per were informed that there was a
strong family connection between the
Brown and Keith families, of which
the deceased sheriff was member.
All of US who are interested in Har-