The Mena weekly star., 1911-07-20
Taken Away at Request of Sheriff ThOrnton--Ifcalth Seems Good and Condemned Man Shows
 Little Interest in Future.
PREDESTINATION FAITH
Old Man Thinks He Is Acting Part in Life As Was Intended He Should, and That Future, Like Past, Will Work Out Under
 Plans That Can't Be Changed

Sitting in an open hack beside Sheriff John Howell of Montgomery county, A. J. Caughorn, who for months has been held in the coun- | ty jail here under death sentence for the killing of Allen Stacy, drove out in the cool morning air at 8 a. m. Tuesday, headed for Womble, to be put on train and taken to Little Rock. There he will be held awaiting the action of Governor Donaghey in either setting the date for his execution or committing his sentence to life imprisonment.
 Caughron was taken away from here at the request of Sheriif Thornton. He has been connected with two attempts to break jail and the fact that the man had lost the chance of a new trial left little reason for his being kept here any 1 longer.
 Caughron, who is said to be 6i years af age, is apparently in good health. His years confinement has apparently had no serious effect on his physical condition and he was in good spirits this morning and pleased at being out in the open air and going on a trip across country. The old man takes little interest in his own case, and seems indiffer- ent as to the future. This is cas- fly accounted for when one talks to him, for he soon convinces one that he is a firm believer in the religious theory of predestination.
 When asked by Star reporter this morning how he felt about his future, he replied:
 70, l don't know; it is all in the hands of God. My life was planned and known by an all wise God be- fore the world was created, and it will be carried out according to that plan, which can't be changed" :" Following this Caughron talked at length along the line that man is simply a creature of destiny, who is brought into this world with nothing to do but act the part as planned for him, and that no ef- fort could change the result. "Whatever man does God intended he should do, and knew that he would do before the world was created" Tn support of this he reasoned that If this was not true then God would not be an all-wise | God"
 The prisoner expressed the de- sire that The Star should state that in going away from the county where he had received his death sentence he held malice toward none. For number of years Caughron lived down in the coun- ties in the southern part of this judicial district and had on more than one occasion before been be- fore Judge Steele, the judge before whom he was tried and convicted of murder in the first degree and sentenced tn hang in Mena last De- tober. These cases, it is said, have caused Caughron to be very bitter against Judge Steel.
 .l After expressing his freedom from malice, Caughron was asked Tiff he felt no bitterness toward the judge who tried his case. Well" he said, "he didn't do me right, but 1.-the question is, could he help do- ing what he did?"
 Reverting again to the theory of predestination, he expressed the belief that the judge and everyone 1, connected with the case, like all other creatures in the world, were acting under the power of the all- wise God and taking the part and . doing those things which were in accordance with tine plan off tho sH5rii- : verse. Following this theory the condemned man seemed ready for any course which his case may take believing that whatever IS must be.
 There is strong belief that Caughron will not hang. Sheriff Howell said that in Montgomery county. where the murder was committed. the sentiment was with the man, but that in the counties south of this, where Caughron lived before he went to Montgom- i cry county, he had only found one man who had good word to say for Caughron.
 The fact remains, however, that | the Supreme court was divided in passing on the appeal for new 1 trial and this, with the mans age and his relation to prominent peo- | pie in eastern Arkansas and Miss | ouri. lead to the conclusion that Governor Donashey will not send the man to the gaiiows.
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