Paragould soliphone. (Paragould, Ark.) 1918-1950, 1921-06-10

Sheriff Atkins on the Hight of Sep
tember 80 and j. A. Tappan on the
afternoon of October ]. Tappan
died during the night of October L.
JUDGE JACKSON'S LETTER.
Judge Jacksons letter to the gov
ernor is as follows:
June 9Th, 1921.
Honorable Thomas c. McRae,
Little Rock, Arkansas.
| Dear Governor:
! With reference to the petitions
| for suspension or Communication OF
sentence of the Elaine prisoners, |
most earnestly recommend that you
do not grant such petitions. In my
| Judgment the sentence imposed by
| law should be carried out.
The defendants had a fair trial,
land | doubt if anywhere IL racial
iclash has been handled with the
same degree of absence of mob vio-
Ilence, leniency and respect for law
f1lan ins,lrrection So far as l know
this is the first time the people have
been tempered enough to try to han
ldle such cases in the courts; for |
assure you there was an armed in
Isurrection with the deliberate pur
pose to kill and plumber
The reason that our people re-
spected the law was that they were
assured that the judgments Of the
courts would be carried out. So you
can readily see that interference
with the Judgment of the courts in
these cases would destroy the only
incentive for observance of the law.
II the promises made to our people,
promises by our Christian leaders,
are not carried out, then no more
promises will be made
So far as the letter of Robert T.
Kerlin is concerned let me call
your attention to the fact that in
the public eye has been centered.
there arise maudlin sentimentalists
who take some statement published
in a newspaper. and from that pro-
test to high heaven against the pun
ishment of the criminal. There is
no basis of fact for the statements
in the Kerlin letter. The state
ment that the Progressive Farmers
l. 4
peaceful union founded for legiti
mate purposes is wholly untrue.
The statement that the insurrection-
lists shot only in selfdefense is false.
The statement that the negroes were
indiscriminately hunted. harried and
shot down is a wicked lie. The
principal facts were proven by boys
of the American Legion who, as
members OF the sheriff's posse, put
down the riot, the identity of the
defendants was established by tes-
timony of the negroes themselves
Careful investigation was made dur
ing the trials of alleged whipping
of the negroes to obtain testimony
and from all that human testimony
can show this was not done
The responsibility must rest on
YOU in this matter, ! gladly take
my share, and urge you in the name
Ct law and order, the protection
OF our women and children, and
tie peace OF our community not to
interfere with the judgment OF the
court.
Yours Very Truly,
j. NJ jackson, Circuit Judge.
This is not confidential.
MIR. MILLER'S REPORT.
Mr.. Millers report is as follows:
''Searcy, Ark, June 6, 1921.
I'm re execution of Elaine pris-
oners.
Hon. Thomas c. McRae. Governor,
Little Rock, Ark.
MY Dear Sir: | have your let
ter of the 2nd instant asking for a
full report from me relative to the
charges that are being made by the
half of the condemned mn. | also
have the affidavits of Walter Ward
John Jefferson and George Green,
and copy of the letter that was
written to you by one Robert r. Ker-
lin of Lexington, Va.
"A reading of the records in these
cases is sufficient answer to the let
ter of Mr.. Kerlin. The letter shows
on its face that he is unadvised of
the facts surrounding this awful
event, and ] am inclined to believe
the writing of that letter was
prompted by some outside influ-
ences, rather than the pleading of
1.-The still small voice" | have never
heard of this man and am not in
clned to follow him as the ap-
pointed Moses to lead us out of the
wilderness of error in which he says
we are at this time. If he is in
clined to know the truth then
am sure that the citizens of Phil
| lips county would welcome an in
vestigation and would accord him
| true Southern hospitality while SO