The Aberdeen weekly. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1878-1933, 1920-08-06
0OV. RUSSELL ON COL
DSBY CASE.
Gives His Side TO People of Mis-
sissispi.


sissispi.
For some time the reading public
has noticed in those newspapers I'M
friendly to me. a great deal of COM
ment about a suspension of sentence
mot pardon) of a negro by the
name of r. t. Goldsby, of Vicks-
burg, Miss. Every fair minded cit
izen must realize that it would be
folly for a public official to attempt
to answer all criticisms thrust at
him by his enemies, and besides
this; | have always followed the
course to never go into print unless
| have something to say. Ny Off
cial act in this case being open,
above board and founded upon the
very best reasons has caused me not
to say anything before this time.
but since so many falsehoods and
insinuations of the grossest and
most yillainous sort have appeared
In certain newspapers of Mississippi,
my friends think it well that | make
a statement of my connection with
this matter and l am glad to do so.
There are two classes of newspa-
pers in this State, as everyone
knows One of these, endeayoring
to write the truth at all times, I'M
dertaking to give to the public the
news and also eandidly but courte-
ously criticising all officers and their
official acts and making suggestions
for the betterment of the whole peo-
pie. The other class is composed
of that lot of scandal mongers, SEN
sational propagandists who do not
write at all unless to use abuse,
Yillification and all the weapons of
character assassination and false
hood of every damnable sort. This
latter class haye featured the Colds
by case. They are my enemies. the
enemies of good government. and
stand condemned already in the
minds of a fair minded public.
Every citizen knows the name of
such paper, and the vicious and
malice-soaked element of our peo-
pie only, feast upon this sort of in
formation. Unfortunately. We have
few citizens who delight to eat
such provender.
This State has suffered more from
this detestable sort of newspapers
in the last few years than from all
other misfortunes. The chief edi-
torials of these dirty sheets are be-
ing copied weekly in the leading
Negro Journals of the north, such
as The Crisis" These negro pa
pers hold up our State. its officers,
its laws and its policies to ridicule
and write the most damnable edi-
torials conceivable. quoting with
approval and giving as their author
ity some of the so-called leading
daily papers of this State.
The following constitutes my full
connection with the r. T. Goldsby
case:
Upon the recommendation of
DR.. A. NJ McCallum, State physi-
clan of Parchman farm. man of
unimpeachable integrity and of high
standing as a physician and citizen
This statement follows below-the
original of which is now in my of
tce). and upon the further written
statement of Mr.. c. G. Coen. serg-
cant of camp No. z. This statement
IN full below. the original of which
is now in my offce), and upon in
formation from Hon. ]. w. William
son. superintendent of Parchman (.
farm, and upon the further state-i
nent of Mr.. Wilson Hodge, a far /
ner living in Jones county, and
who. up until a feW months ago,
was sergeant ON Parehman farm.
granted suspension of sentence
mot a pardonl to the negro Colds
10y, until the meeting OF the Board
Of Pardons. Mr.. Hodge advised me
that he knew the negro personality Il
had just been on visit TO the farm
and stated that the negro was aboutl