Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1914-07-16
RslIrosds sessIa

botfroada SettfA
Announcement vas made that the
attorney generals Office. the Railroad
Commission and the Illinois Central
and Zazoo 4 Mississippi Valley Rail-
roads have reached settlements Of the
litigation between the state and the
railroads growing out Of the I'd
vsiorem and privilege t2xes against
these systems. which has been pend
ing in the courts for some time. and
In which the federal court rendered .
decision from the May term Of the
court. from which decision appeals
have been prosecuted by both the
state and the railroad companies. The
federal court decided the privilege
taxes were void and sustained the
states contentious A. to the I'd valor>
en- tax
Under the settlement reached the
railroad companies are to pay privt
lege taxes Tor both the Yaroo q Mis-
sissippi Valley and Illinois Centrai
and to pay in full the sssessment on
the Ysxoo 4 Mississippi Valley on the
basis fixed By the commission In 1914.
They also agree to pay half OF the
increase made over the 1919 asssss-
ment on the Illinois Central
The litigation arose In eis vhen
the Railroad Commission made these
Assessments against these roadsL An
Injunction was nied In the federal
court against the sending out and col
Letting OF these taxes The state was
represented In the litigation By Ross
A. Collins. attorney general. and By
George n. EShridge. assistant aftor-
ney-seueral
At the time ths litisafion arose Gov.
Brewer offered 10 employ special coun-
sci TO assist the attorney general in
handling this litigation. but tAs attor.
ney-genersi declined 70 accept assis-
tsnce In the matter. deemln< 4, q mat
ter that should be exclusively handled
by the Office
The hearing vas arst held before
three Judges st Birmingham. who
granted a temporary Injunction. and
the case was finally heard before
Judge Niles at Jackson. whose deci-
sion Is as above stated Under the
agreement reached the rights Of tar
collectors are not arected TO collect
damages n the Law allows such.
The agreement also carries with n
the acceptance OF the same basis -
TO 1914. the railroad companies pay.
Tag the privilege tsx=s zad also pay
ing the ad yziorem at the same rate.
upholds un~risfen Lsw.
W. A. Gordon. q Leaks county
farmer who shot and killed the mar
Who ruined his daughter. and vas sen
to the psnitenfixry 10 serve . III
term. vas psrdonsd By Gov Brsvss
affsr . rigfd inves<ignfina by u
chise sxscnxivs of ne fA<fs n II
c.As. cd - t9sss vhs suaven1a
osrasa hsd fmp0rtuned Mn % tai
this action
Gordon. several years ago. shot I
death young John FIlgD. and at IN
September (tS12l term OF the eircui
court at Tupelo he was convicted. hi
defense being insanity.
The petition for hts pardon aliege'
that Gordon killed Ffigo because h
criminalrys assaulted his daughter. 4
years Of age. after the couple wen
out for q buggy ride. The petition
was largely signed. ten Of the twelv'
jurors that SAT- IA the case telling ths
governor that under their oaths and
the instructions Of the Judge the,
could not but render q verdict ol
guilty, but they had determined to Dc
their best to have him pardoned- The
district attorney was among thoss
who strongly urged the governor Il
grant executive clemency to thu
/ farmer, who had dealt summary pun
ishment to the man Who had ruinet
his girl.
The petition for the pardon Of Cor
don has been on rle in the goveruor'l
Office for . long while. but he de
clined to take any action on II unit
the supreme court had passed on Cor
don's appeal A large number OF pee
pie from the vicinity OF Tupelo an,
Verona came TO Jackson to see tn
governor about the matter. and h
decided to grant the pardon Som
Of the Jurors who sat on the cas-
frankly stated they dlsiiked 10 brinI
In a verdict Of guilty. as what Gordol
had done was the way they probahl
would have acted under similar eli
cumstances and conditions