The Robesonian. [volume] (Lumberton, N.C.) 1870-current, 1909-06-24
MckAY'S SENTENCE COM
MUTED.
Junius Mckay. Who Was Sen
fenced to Hang Tomorrow, to
go to Penitentiary For Life
Governors Reasons for Com


Governors Reasons for Com
mutation.
Governor Kitchin has commut-
ed the death sentence of Junius
Mckay, colored, the date for
whose execution was set for to-
morrow, to life Imprisonment.
Mckay was convicted at the No
vember term Of Robson Su-
perior Court Of the murder of
Alex. Mckay, also colored, at
Rowland last February, and was
sentenced by Judge j. Crawford
Biggs to hang on January 8.
Messrs. Mcintyre, Lawrence &
Proctor undertook to secure
Communication Of the sentence and
the date for the execution was
changed first to May 21st and
later to June Is. ...' .r..s 3.
Tuesday News and Observer
has the following:
"Junius Mckay a negro con-
victed of the murder of another
negro, Alex Mckay, in the town
of Rowland, Robson county,
February %, 1908, and sentenced
to be hanged, escaped the gal
lows, as Governor Kitchin- yes
terday committed his sentence to
life imprisonment at hard labor.
The Supreme Court had declined
to grant a new trial and Friday
of this week, June Is, had been
set as the time of hanging.
1.-The conviction was on cir
cumstantial evidence. Alex. Nc
Kay, a strange negro at Row.
land, was missed after the night
of February %, 1908, and on
March Both his dead body was
found buried in a hole a few
hundred yards from the spot on
a side street in Rowland where
had been found the mans hat
and a brickbat with hair and
blood stains on it. 1t was testi-
fled that on the night of the kill
ing Junius Mckay had cursed
the man, saying he was a liquor
spy, had gone in the same di-
rection with the deceased and had
armed himself with brickbats
and had said he would get him
if he came up with him. Junius
Mckay was convicted and SEN
fenced in November, 1908, in
Robson county court.
1.-THE reasons given by Gov
ernor Kitchin for the commu-
tation are.
1.-The evidence against prison
er was circumstantial. The
judge, the solicitor, the twelve
jurors, the lawyers who aided
the solicitor and their clients,
and many other citizens rec.
commended communication of the
death sentence to life imprison.
ment at hard labor. No objec-
ton to communication has beer
filed. ..4.
"There is doubt as to whether
prisoner or others threw the
brick which killed the deceased
Prisoner, of course, denied it and
said he sawthe other man make
a chunk One witness sWore
before the coroner that he saw
the other man throw the brick.
He seems to be the only one say,
prisoner. who claims to have seel
anything of the killing, but TO,
some reason this witness wa
not examined at the trial, ant
the prisoner did not have tn,
benefit of such testimony befor
the jury. While under dealt
sentence, prisoner refused to es
cape when other prisoners brok
Jail, although he could have don
so. COMMITTED to life .imprison
ment with hard labor.
The application for the com
mutation of the sentence wa
: pretty generally signed. Tn
, condemned man seems to be
: man of very weak intellect an
= 1t is the general opinion tina
= others were as guilty as he, j
2 not more guilty. Some tw
r months ago number of prison
= ers broke Jail and it is said tina
= Mckay could easily have escal
5 ed at that time but refused to d
= so. .F:- =
I Sheriff E. C. Mcneil left thi
4 morning with the prisoner fo
y Raleigh, where he will be place
in the penitentiary.
Lila Scott in Jail Again.
Lila Scott who was release
). from Jail a few days ago, havin
f given bond for her appearance
f July court, was arrested agai
v yesterday by Deputy Marsha
!. MCLAUGHLIN and carried to Ma,
= ton on the evening train.
q hearing was had before U.
~ Commissioner B. F. Mclean la
n night, and not being able to mai
the required 5000 bond for a
pearance at the next term
!, Federal court in Wilmington
= Lila WAS hrnllrht hack to LIZ