Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1925-08-08
SERVED THREE.
YEARS FOR CRIME HE.
DID NOT COMMIT

NOtLllHuCu tom age OHS
life charged with the murder Of his
wife - yea. -lo. ri, accusing
finger OF ncighbor was pointed
at him and death thai throughout
The years had boca attributed to
tragic, accidental fail rose suddenly
our Of the past heinous crime
But Governor Mclean didn't be
lieve WinGler guilty. As head Of
the state government he set to
work to right a wrongad mans in
jury The machinery Of the par
don commission was set at work
and an astounding and co!orful
drama revealed which is best sum
med up in the governors own
words:
THE prosecution Of Yes Wingler
was not based on any high sense of
justice, but was founded and in
spircd by a desire to wreak ven
gance on this prisoner because Yes
Wingler had caused a warrant to
besworn out against the son of one
John Sheppard, a neighbor."
And, therein lies the story:
Yes Wingler was a simple, noun
tain man. He was born and has
spent his S. years of life on the
stubborn lands of western North
Carolina. his religion is that of the
primitive Baptist" the emotional
and adamantine faith that so oft
en- was written about in connec-
ton with the Dayton, Tenn, evolu-
ton trial 1t was his faith, he now
says, that he held to solidly during
his prison years.
Struggle has been the largest
word in his life vocabulary, rs it
is with 50 many Of his mountain
farmer brethren. At "a he married
and moved his wife into rough
" hewn log house in the mountains.
The cabin contained crude loft,
which might be entered through a
trap and ladder-like STEPS. Two
years after marriadge Mrs. Wingler
was found dead at the bottom o.
these stairs. Her head apparently
was struck against the rought stone
hearth that served as cook stove.
Coroner's investigation indicated
accidental death. The matter wa
all but forgotten. From time time
Wineler visited his wife's kin and
consoled with them. They remain
ed close friends. Then Wingler re-
married. A large family was rails
ed and the conquest of stubborn
hill land went on.
In April, 1920 the nine-ycar-old
daughter Of Yes Wingler was as
saulted. The son of John Sheppard
a neighbor and friend of long
standing, was accused. The son
became fugitive and Shepherd
became an enemy.
Hardly had the warrant been is
sued than Sheppard came down out
OF the mountains with the story that
was to stir the mountain sides for
many years: he told the authorit-
ties that 20 years before Wingler
had confessed to him the murder 10
his wife. The crime was committed
with a mattock, the story went,
Sheppard says he was sworn to Sc
crecy under denalty of death, had
lived in fear of Wingler and had at
this late day decided to reveal the
confession.
Wngler, stunned to silence, was
brought down from. his cabin and
family, placed on trial and convict
ed on Sheppard's story.
After two years passed the in
tcrcst of the state officials was
aroused and, in a message com
pletely generating Wingler, the
governor wrote;
fortunately, the coroner who
officiated at the inquests over Mrs,
Wingler, and DR.. Turner, who made
the examinations, are still living
and were located. Personally inter-
viewed they were firmly of the opin-
ion that the prisoner is innocent of
any crime.
| "And this John Sheppard, the