Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1912-12-28

ii'A "lIll tlle law. It was but nat- ufal for me to be in the court house on that day. If a man was on trial for the murder of your brother would not you be on hand to see that he was prosecuted according to law. That's all l was there for.
 | did not fire one shot during. the shooting in the court house My gun and the cartridges in it, as well as those used by Cullen and Ed. Lear me out m this statement IL is mute evj- delice ol my innocence. The guns and the cartridges are all i'll Sheriff Brew ster's hands. 1 am getting old now, l have been in ill health for many months. l do not think that l could live long even though the governor would commute my sentence to life Imprisonment.
 Il know the jury that convicted me made a serious mistake I do not be- ileVe that it was intentional, not mistake Of the heart but of the head ] realize that the previous trouble had with Ben Hardy had much to do 1 with my conviction. l was tried at a time when there was a general cry for law enforcement, because of SO many violations of the law had to bear the lrunt of the sentiment and many believe and have told me chat I was convicted Of an act of several years before, for which 1 had been tried and acquitted in this city There were influences brought to bear against me that had their effect. l have been pictured as lad man, but during my whole life those that have known me for years will tell you that 1 have never hunted trouble, but have prevented violations of the law on many occasions. I have many friends in Drew county, where the McNay family lived for many years. Every man has his enemies and because of an unavoidable trouble in which 1 was involved in Monticello with one of the citizens have been unjustly criti- cised and coterie of enemies have done everything they could do to send me to the gallows in the present case.
 "l have written MT. Nixon and n infprpp1Q my behalf. They have not come to see me at my request and probably feel that they might be censured if they should be instrumental in hav- ing my sentence commuted to life imprisonmnet 1 do not think that the charitably inclined people of the district would criticize them if they should do an act of charity, for God knows it would be an act of charity i'll my case. l am innocent of the crime for which I have been condemned to die. None of us are perfect Men are likely to make mistakes i'll the court room as we'll as on the street and in their homes. Many false inn Dressions are created in times of eX- citement and panic.
 'I hope some of the good people of this city and county will come to my aid. need their friendship and help at this time. 1 know that if the prop
 !, Int to Governor Donaghey will commute my sentence. If he is shown the facts in the case by people who would sim cerely present them to him, with no other desire but that justice be done, he would probably listen to them. have an old father and mother upon whom my death on the gallows would leave a stain and probably result in their untimely deaths. It would be inst as satisfactory to the people of this state to have me imprisoned for life as it would be to kill me legally and it would save my broken-heart- ed parents the disgrace that is us- ually heaped upon family when one of it's members is legally executed. It would be more satisfactory to many neonle. for there are thousands of people, both men and women, who be- lieve that capital punishment is bar ! barism.
 Had I been guilty of the crime for which I have been convicted I would have taken the consequences without a murmur. But I know that men who have consciences, who try to and
 want to do the right thing in this
 world and not do anyone an injustice