The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1909-01-01
PATTERSON oUrRAeEs LAW.

} duced In open court, in some OF the
cases where Gov. Patterson exercises
elemeney leads inevitably TO the con
elusion that the Governor depends al
together for the facts upon the record
as presented by the pardon attorney.
This is certainly true In the Fulton
case. No intelligent being can read
the record In that case and reach any
conclusion other than that Fulton es-
capped with a remarkably light sentence.
I He was given a ten-year sentence by
the jury and upon appeal to the SUI
preme Court this sentence was az
armed. The opinion was written by
fudge Beard and his summary Of the
facts shows the murder to have been
q cold-blooded, deliberate assassina-
ton with every element OF murder in
the first degree clearly established by
the proof.
1t appears that Fulton, knowing |
that Parker. the deceased, who was
quite an athlete, would arrive by q
certain train from a neighboring town
where he had been to play in a game
of base ball, had deliberately taken
his shotgun to the station, where he
awaited the arrival OF the train. I'm
observed by Parker the defendant ad-
vanced upon him as soon as the train
stopped and the passengers alighted
and without the slightest warning shot
him down in cold blood and stood
over the PROSTATE form until he was
assured that his deadly work had been
1t was insisted for the defendant
that Parker had slandered his wife
hat he had caused a separation and
great anguish and suffering on the
oart of Fulton. But this fiimsy de-
ense was swept aside by overwhelm-
ng evidence to the effect that long
'efore Parker became a factor in the
Citations of defendant and his wife
hat they had quarreled, that they had .
\ OAC IAu6 oCpdIdICu anu Hdu OAICu
ad personal alterations. 1t was
hown that at one time defendant
ursued his wife with deadly weapons,
nat at another time he tried to as w
ault her, that he was drinking man
nd that he had often neglected her Fl
nd that at no period during their
arried life had they really sustained >.
lose harmonious and amicable rela-
ons which should characterize the
tate of wedlock.
These are briefly the facts az ad. "a
iced from the sworn testimony OF ms
e witnesses. These are the facts Ne
at the jury believed. they are the ]
cts that the Supreme Court passed 10
ON. And yet M. r. Patterson par Ca
ms this man whose hand sare yet Ga,
eking with the blood OF his fellow sv,
IN almost before his term had COM \
.nced. This same M. II. Patterson Me
y pfetonus sroa' ioVe aho vene Pal
n for the law and but lately made,
spectacular play to the galleries in
, West Tennessee AFFAIR. No I'M
.judiced man can give Governor -
dit for sincere desire TO have the
10 Of his State enforced when he
'dons criminals Of the character Of l
ton merely because they are "of q rect
'vOus temperament" The Cover dict
did not cali attention to the fact hon
t this nervous temperament" was min
badly produced by Indulgence In .ha
ing drink and that on the day Of .v
trial It was famed into fame by
.o"'' wv bell,
hat any considerable portion Of r.
law-abiding citizens OF Scott coun- MO-,
ING 'e "a ' hollt
nency in this case seems altogeth- ,oa
improbable. The state of feeling A.
he county is shown by the record. e.st
nA0' -" .n"' '1e often
e was for a change Of venue on ~
e 'e p.0' war;
was so great that he could not r,,,
An IAN 'i'"' :" moi un' conf
fact, however, together with the Th,.
tons
Governor in the remarkable docu- $50.
t which he issued in granting this -
on. -.
lere can be little hope for an i'm ~.
ement in conditions in Tennessee II.
ong as the people have Cover III
who has no sympathy whatever .,o,
the laws; who does not hesitate .
It aside the verdicts Of juries and
judgments of the courts upon the 60
lest pretexts.
manu-
d so Col. Cooper, the premier OF but Il
machine, the chief adviser Of the proce