The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-11-25

dred and eighty pounds, with coal
black curly hair, perfect teeth and
features, and the piercing gray blue
eyes of his father, he is a young man
who would attract attention any
where.
His father appears to have taken a
pride In keeping both his boys out OF
the difficulties prevalent in their conn 9
munity, and Claude had the rather
unusual record in that neighborhood
OF never before having been in a diff
Guilty Of any description. We have
traced him throughout his school days
UP to the Isth OF March, and We tlni
that his record il absolutely ciean4
Like many OF his family, he Haa
thrifty. and while g great lover OF
baseball, which the mountain boys
seem to have imported, he had aecu-
mulated some money and had various
sums Invested In the community. ana
was preparing to be married during
last spring.
The details of the evidence Of the
shooting al iliilsviiie are all too ia
miliar. On the one hand, 1t is con-
tended by the Commonwealth thai
there was dsatsy conspiracy u III.
on ire other hand, by the defense, that
a fierce mountain feud Unexpectedly
burst into flames In the courtroom
These facts are at least CERTAIN
that this boy was standing up in the
courtroom ard saw his father about
to engage or engaged in q deadly en-
counter. and he took part therein.
Doubt L. Raised.
Certainly two 3aFses took the view
that Ii WAS NOT proven that CLAUDIA
WAS guilty of a premed!tated and Nil
ful killing. This ought at least to
\ ~ 49, 4, L.
proven,
"While in the strict letter Of the
Lave 1t was held that the Indictments
We're not the same, nevertheless the
governor can consider many things
that a court cannot fne aCTuai rarIs
are that all the evidence lf every kill
ing was Introduced at every trial. with
ali the attendant circumstances anu
the court did not permit the jury 10
know thai the defendant had already
been tried for any of the offynses,
Again. there il nothing 10 be gain
cd by putting this boy to death He
has in him the capabilities of good
and useful citizen, Even if the posi-
ton of the prosecution be admitted.
In have a thaughtiess boy raised an
der unfayorabie conditions. following
his father into trouble. when he nat
urally thought his father was In the
right.
The above In written from the
standpoint Of the prosecution. Ii IL
utterly inpsacticable that we should
here review all Of the evidence for the
defense. We have. therefore, not
touched on 1t, bat merely say that
from the showing of the Common
wealth The public good would be best
snbserved by committing this boys
sentence.
Might Abolish Death Penalty.
Instead of accomplishing any good,
1t would merely shock the public
sense and produce one evil effect. at
least. II would Tend to a total abo-
iition of the death penalty in this
State.
ION the 2sth Of November Gover-
nor Mann will finally hear the persons
applying for communication of Claude
Aliens sentence. If you are interest
ed In the saving OF this boys life, get
up petition In your neighborhoad
and then write to Governor Mann set
ting cut your xiewA--We would like
TO have in the governors hands petit
tons signed by several hundred thou-
sand xirginians before the 29th.
IF the citizens In your commu nifty
feel sufficient interest in the matter.
have them to hold mass meeting
end send their Views TO the governor.
The governor has expressed will
ngness and desire to hear the raa-
sons OF any person who cared to send
them to him. Set out the reasons
for your petition in the body Of it
and the locality where II Is circulated.
When you have II ready, send It to
DR. George w. Mcdaniel. OF Rich
mond, Va. with a statement of the
number OF names the petition con- j
tains
These petitions must be, In DE-.
McDaniels hands by the 2sth.'