The Mena weekly star., 1911-08-17
CONDEMNED MAN
 PLEADS HIS CASE
A. J. Caughron, Who Killed Allen Stacy, Writes The Star to Brina His Story Again Before
 the People.

E
 tentiary under death sentence for
 the murder of Allen Stacy, request
 ing that the evidence of the cor toner's inquest and the final trial be
 pubilshed to show how unfairly he had been treated.
 The Star replied to this letter,
 stating that at the time of the trial
 the evidence was published in The
 Star, with COT iderable attenti,
 gwen to detail, but ti.at if Mr.
 Caughron had any statement to
 make at this time 1t would be pub
 llshed. In response to this, the fol-
 lowing communication was received
 from the condemned man who, with
 the aid of his friends, is now seek
 ing to have Governor Donaghcy
 commute his sentence of death to
 t. at of life imprisonment.
 Little Rock, Aug. 8, fl.
 Editor Star:
 Please publish the following statement of my case, which 1 make
 with great caution and meekness,
 the greater part of which is mat ter of record.
 The good citizens of Polk and Montgomery counties ought to know how l have been treated; if just, indorse it, but if unjust condemn it, because your welfare in the future greatly depends upon the purity of your courts and how they are run. July 9, 1910, Allen Stacy took my wife, family and her cows and moved them to his house. He in tended to take my wife on a visit to her daughters, who lived eighteen miles distant. objected to this and insisted that 1 myself take my wife on the visit. My wife sided with Stacy, so Stacy and l had several sharp words. Stacy threatened my life. Gle called my wife Aunt Belle.) I requested that Stacy leave and stay away from me; that l would run my own business. He came back there four more times that day with much abuse. The next day he was at my house twice. The first time he said nothing to me, but the second time he came to the edge of the porch where 1 was sitting. John Stacy swears that I was at the window and Allen Stacy was in five or six feet of me when shot. While Stacy swore that Allen was in six or seven feet of me when shot, both of them swearing that he was at the edge of the porch and not near the road. MT. Carter, MT. Moore and MT. Hoyle swear that J. K. Dameron told them that Stacy was just passing and that IT shot him. Now, if what these witnesses swore is true, then John and Willie Stacy swore falsely, but John and Willie Stacy are the most reputable witnesses the state had, though they were not called upon to explain why Allen Stacy was at lthe edge of the porch within six feet Of me.
 The Rev. D. w. Maple swore at l the inquest that Allen Stacy had a pistol. and drew it from his pocket at the time he took my wife away from me. He swore the same in Circuit court. This testimony IS re- corded at Mt. Ida and Mena, but
 Messrs. Bowen, Hughes, Goodman and Mitchell who were on the cor- oner's jury, swear that Mapel did | not swear this at the inquest. Now this is what I ask the people to ln- vestigate: What Maple testified to at the inquest and whether or not these parties swore the truth or | lie. If the record of the inquest can | he found it will prove who swore 1.-the truth. It may be that this rec ord cannot be found. Ask the hon. est people who know what Maple swore. Those who served on the | jury. I have referred to seven of the | ten witnesses who have robbed me
 of my life, and the record shows 1 that four of these swore falsely,
 and. as previously stated, John and Twin Stacy's testimony proves the other three swore falsely.
 Just to mention: The courts ruling was that I should not tell | the reason and argument that my wifi made made tn me in favor of Stacy, taking her on the visit, unless Stacy
 was present at the time. The court |also ruled that should not tell the advice that Maple gave me at she ltime Stacy took my wife from me,
 and how they tried to get him in the
 same trap in which they had me.
 The judge, at the time of render ling judgment. said to me: You arc very unfortunate. You are a man who doesn't love the laws of our country, and no murderer can go
 10 heaven" regret very much Ithat this applied to the judge of en- ltering heaven. I pray that God for give the judge and make him per- fleet man and save him. Then there will be no need of murderer Ientering heaven.
 | Please publish all or as much as Iyou deem prudent, anxious that lmuch more come to light.