Letter from Henry B. Whitfield to Mississippi Governor Adelbert Ames; December 27, 1875

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Letter from Henry B. Whitfield to Mississippi Governor Adelbert Ames; December 27, 1875

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People

Ames, Adelbert, 1835-1933 Johnson, Ned Johnson, Riley Johnson, Unknown Mohomes, Bill Orr, Unknown Rhodes, Travis Whitfield, Henry B.

Events

Criminal Procedure Criminal Procedure--Convicted Criminal Procedure--Pardon Criminal Procedure--Trial

Organizations

Mississippi--Executive Department Mississippi--Judicial Districts Mississippi--Judicial Districts. 7th District

Occupations

Judges Lawyers Lawyers. Public Prosecutors Secretaries

Places

Mississippi--Hinds County. Jackson Mississippi--Lowndes County. Columbus Mississippi--Noxubee County

Social Identifiers

African Americans

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[seal]

Office of District Attorney,
7^th Judicial District,
Columbus, Missi., Dec. 27,^th 1875.

Gov. A. Ames,
Jackson, Miss.

My Dear Sir:

Some three weeks since I re-turned you petitions for pardon of Squire Johnson, and Bill Mohomes. Also, at same time, petitions for pardon of Ned Johnson and Riley Johnson. I asked your special attention to the petition for pardon of the first two named, Squire Johnson and Bill Mohomes, and rec-ommendations therein.

Not having heard any thing from you, or of any action in the case, I write again to ask your attention to the matter. You will observe, that Judge Orr made a statement of the case, but no recommendation as to Squire Johnson and Mohomes. This is one of the few cases in which I

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have recommended a pardon, and feel that it ought to be granted. The parties had no coun-sel, and though the evidence, as presented, was strong against them, the other two parties—Ned and Riley Johnson, who were the chief, a real culprits, and their families—Ned and Riley having been convicted before trial of Squire and Mohomer—, were the only witnesses against them. I have really felt annoyed about the conviction of these two parties, after hearing statements as to the case, since the trial, from both white and black persons, in Noxubee Co., in whom I have confidence, which induce the belief in my mind that they ought not to have been punished.
For these reasons, I ask both in my official capacity, before expiration of my term of office, and personally, that the two men be pardoned.

Your's Truly,

Henry B. Whitfield,
Dist. Atty.,
7^th Jud. Dist.

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Bill Mahomer & Squire Johnson
Ned & Riley Johnson.

EXECUTIVE OFFICE,
STATE OF MISSISSIPPI,
Lowndes— — —County,

From H. B. Whitfield.
Address Columbus, Miss.
Dated December 27, 1875.
Received ^,, 28, ^,,
Answered ^,, 29, ^,,

SUBJECT:

Wants to know what ac-tion, if any, has been taken in the matter of petition for pardon of Bill Mahomer, Squire John-son, Ned & Rielly Johnson.

(Inclosures [gap])

ADELBERT AMES,
Governor.

TRAVIS RHODES,
Private Secretary.

Inform him of the sutiatuon of affairs