Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1910-05-26
SAM HARDY NOT
TO Be ELECTR0CU1ED
Sentence Of Slayer Of II. G. Jones
COMMITTED TO Life I'm
prisonment

RICHMOND, -Specisl.-Samuel
p. Hardy. condemned TO the electric
chair for the murder OF Tiberius Grac-
chus Jones. OF Nansemond County, viii
escape the supreme penalty.
Governor Mann has comnuted his
sentence TO life imprisonment
Hardy was condemned 20 die to-
morrow. The Governor gave the case
long and close examination. and eN-
ecutiVc clemency was exercised after
the most careful consideration. The
reasons for the Governors action are
set forth in fun in the following state
ment.
Deeply Impressed with the response /
bility OF my position. which, on the one \
hand. requires the due execution OF /
tae law. and on the other the protec-
ton OF the citizen exposed TO unjust
punishment. and with human lie
Genending upOn my decision and ac-
tion. 1 have given TO the case OF sam
uei Z. Hardy the very best considera-
ton or which I am capable, and think
Z know the facts as they appear m the
. record presented and acted on by the
supreme Court OF Appeals. by the eNi-
Gencc OK one witness not examined IN
the trial. and by the afhdaNits filed be-
fore me for and AGAINST the cOmmu-
tatiou Of his sentence.
4 am. o. course. reluctant 20 Inter
fere with the action OF the jury trying
me case or with the courts which
power OF The Executive TO interfere IN
cases like This was given FOR purpose.
and doubtless because in some cases
us exercise. uot accor0lns 90 s,ri- (
rules. would he iD ala ot justice II IS
. hardly necessary for me 10 add that i
have The highest respect FOR the YER
diets OF juries and the decisions or the
. courts OF ms state. and viii be very
careful auo cousert atiVe IN paroonln e
chose they have convicted or even ir
rnarZinE the punishment Imposed, bat
vl. lo $50 b. in my Judgment Justice
p sna- So require.
II, Had New Evidence.
Tn this case ] have evidence whicl
was not before tke court and jury
p aru believe that f the trial OF sam
l.l L. 81 ANDY Dorlt take place now d
She county OF \ausemOnd and Ctfor
D. tre same JURY that convicted him am
90 the evidence as disclosed 20 me n
pr introduced iu court. that the Nerolc
.- RcriG not e. murder lu the hrst de
P. -rcc. I om not. therefore, oy my ac
% tluu passing upon the correctnes
.either ot the verdict OF the jury @
Fl the decisions OF the Circuit and 81
-r rrerle Courts which refused 90 gran
ca ueW trial.
OF It must be remembered. howeve
% tnat ann not bound by the rule goN
.. .rut0r the supreme Court which car
-> not 20 outside of the record. and mul
p. REGARD The accused as oemurrau
-- aru admits al the Commonwealth
. itcnce to he true and valves an
% his evidence in conflict Herewith, p'
the Executive can and should COZ
-s slider everything that tends 20 sno
Lf that rhe punishment asclrtalut
le- ought not % Dee inflicted. and I thIr
-- 10 isl my duty go interfere WheueF'
ite iu my judgment &c is necessary Tor %
protection ot the hum ulest citizen.
have uur heslfateu. therefore.
N" get information irom every sourC
have read the affioaNits OF witness
pee and have cross-eNamined one of q
500 afUants whose statement 7 consider
most important.
81. "Details OF Murder.
-t- This record shows rhar the murd
l'" % IT. a.. Jones took place in his ga
on the night OF October the 26
% about 1880 o'clock. and that DE v
't- shot twice with Ca shotgun and TN
tE times with "a pistol; that be said
~~ most ellarcly after he was s.
ne WAS killed Tor telling the tru
'-s and that ln consequence Of the cai
ness Die could not see anyone; q
.''- bee ESD not hear anyone, lut
'itN Thought Luke or sam Hardy had s..
rir him. This statement shows that
fne opinion -ol Air. Jones there N
ih- ~ least tugo parties who mlsht
tA- suspected ~ the crime. ann D
eal however. goinc into the evidence 9
peg -her than % comment on the a
which was partially proved ty
y. witness for the Commonwealth ,
eA- tor ,he defeusc-thar is. n these "
Do "a uess-s are entitled 60 belief Ia
was in his room az the residence
toln Sir. Gus Holland where he lived ap
zone 10 o'clock. or little after. on
'lh- niEhr of the murder OF T o.. Joi
I-e~ which took place about 1880 o'cl
.n his ward. which was nearly q 2
vas from where sam Hardy lived.
Arli 10 nusr bee remembered that
very Jones went 20 Sln0lk on the day
or- WAS EiIled and returned on a II
aefs- which was expected and actu
mem reached Holland az e:13 that mis-
lnto that the person or persons who
awe ed him were lying in wait and, IN
" ere human probe bility. were IN the 3
ti0n occupied when the shots v
% De fred before or about the time OF
for arrival OF that train The record
that not show-et least 10 my satsfac
sverv that anyone OF these three witne
o =. were impcsched or contradicted
that tire evidence OF either on,
'ul u them vas shaken by cross exam
e. ton.
alled 10 is evident however. that the
alton, could rot have believed these
ca or nesaes or their verdict would
sort been diferent
there After the trial ] received the
rtaiu davit q. q young lady, the oaug
% be- 81 SIT. Gus Holland. who was in
the no. So 80 rle time who was not
They amlned at the trial. but who
that. r0b0rattd the evidence OF the Z
e on witnesses who were. ] read her
dayit win care. but not being wi
.adic- 10 trust - 10 asked a friend who
came a minist q Of the gospel and
Zee in man 60 bring the young lady 90
e.. o.. I'll