Petition from J. L. S. Hill to Mississippi Governor John M. Stone; 1876

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Petition from J. L. S. Hill to Mississippi Governor John M. Stone; 1876

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People

Abbott, B. J.Abbott, E. N.Banks, Sam Baskin, W. E.Bean, R. O.Betts, Melvina Blumenthal, J. D.Bodenhamer, W. A.Boone, R.Boone, T. A.Buchanan, J. W.Buchanan, W. M.Buford, E. J.Burkitt, Frank, 1843-1914 Clay, J. J.Cleary, Charles Coen, D. W.Creighton, A.Dahmer, John Darden, W. N.Deavenport, J. J.Elliot, E. S.Elliot, M. C.Fowlkes, H. H.Fowlkes, W. K.Glidewell, C. E.Green, H.Hansell, B. D.Hightower, G. T.Hill, J. L. S., 1818-1899 Hirsch, E.Houston, W. T.Ivy, A. M.Jamison, A. J.Lacey, H. B.Lacey, W. J.Ligon, G.Lyon, Thomas C.Mack, Charles Marks, S.McIntosh, J. R.Murdoch, R. A.Naugle, H. H.Owen, B. F.Penny, J. T.Pollard, A.Pollard, O. H.Ross, C. C.Sadler, T. R.Shackelford, T. H.Slaughter, A. J.Stanford, Frank Stone, John Marshall, 1830-1900 Sykes, Frank Thompson, Milton Trazee, William D.Unknown, A.Unknown, James Unknown, Job J.Unknown, W. E.Ward, R. R.White, E. A.

Events

Crimes (alleged)Crimes (alleged)--Manslaughter Crimes (alleged)--Murder Crimes (alleged)--Perjury Crimes (alleged)--Threat Criminal Procedures Criminal Procedures--Bail Criminal Procedures--Convicted Criminal Procedures--Imprisonment Criminal Procedures--Indictments Criminal Procedures--Pardon Criminal Procedures--Pleading Criminal Procedures--Sentencing Criminal Procedures--Trial

Organizations

Courts & Judicial Systems Courts & Judicial Systems--Circuit Courts Mississippi--State Penitentiary (Jackson)

Occupations

City Council Members Judges Law Enforcement Law Enforcement--Constables Law Enforcement--Marshals Law Enforcement--Sheriffs Lawyers Lawyers--Public Prosecutors Mayors Surveyors

Places

Mississippi--Chickasaw County. Okolona Mississippi--Hinds County. Jackson

Social Identifiers

Mental Illness

Vital Statistics

Death

Page 1

[note]undated[/note]

To His Honor, J M Stone, Governor of the State of Mississippi.

The undersigned citizens of the County of Chickasaw, State of Mississippi, would re-spectfully represent unto your Honor, that on the 26^th day of November, A.D. 1875, one Charles Mack, was indicted by the Grand Jury, of the Second District of said County for the murder of one Frank Sykes, and that on the 22^d day of May, A.D. 1876, at a term of the Circuit Court, held in and for said District of said County, the said Charles Mack was convicted of murder and sentenced to imprisonment in the State penitentiary at Jackson, Miss., for life, upon the testimony of one Melvina Betts; that they are informed and believe that said conviction was procured through the perjury of said witness, and base their belief upon the following grounds: That said Melvina Betts was the paramour of deceased, that said witness was heard to threaten vengeance upon the defendant for the killing of deceased, that the testimony of said witness sworn to before the committing Court was materially different from her testimony upon the final trial, and that the testimony of said witness upon the final

Page 2

trial of said cause was materially different from her sworn statements before the Grand Jury, and her statements to outside parties. Your petitioners would further state that they are informed and believe that said witness, Melvina Betts, is not of sound mind and understanding, nor was she at the time of the trial of said cause, and that her mental weakness renders her testimony wholly unreliable. They further state that the testimony of said Melvina Betts before the committing Court shows that the deceased provoked the difficulty that resulted in his killing, telling defendant amongst other things, that "one of them had to go to h-l that day." That the testimony of said witness before the committing Court was of such a character the trial justice only bound over defendant in the sum of two hundred dollars. Petitioners would further state that defendant was offered before trial by the prosecuting officer of the State, the privilege of pleading guilty to manslaughter and one years imprisonment thereon, but said Charles Mack rejected said offer, so confident was he in the establishment of his innocence. They would state that none of the above facts in relation to said

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[note]A. Brunch Grand Juror[/note]

witness were developed upon the trial of the said Charles Mack. Petitioners would further represent that accused has always borne the character of a quiet and reasonable citizen, whilst the deceased was a notorious brawler and breaker of the laws, a terror to his neighbors and the community. In view of the above facts your petitioners would respectfully pray that your Honor grant a full pardon to said Charles Mack for such the offence of which he stands convicted.

J L S Hill Shff.	W. A. Bodenhamer, Mayor of Okolona
E N Abbott Dept Marshall	H.B. Lacey. Atty of Law
TR Sadler Alderman	W, I, Lacey. Atty at Law
JW Buchanan Cty Atty	J.T. Penny
W. T. Houston Atty at Law	H Green
A Greuer? Petit Jury
S Marks. ^his X mark^...	GT Hightower Depty Shff
A Pollard Atty & J Peace,	J J. Deavenport atty of Law
William D. Trazee Atty	R, A. Murdoch Grand Juror.
G. Ligon Atty	W.M. Buchanan_{Grand Juror}
C,C,, Ross Deputy	Chancery clerk
T ,A, Boone Patee jurer	Thos C Lyon Dpty
R or Boon Petitguror.	Circuit_clerk_
W.E. Baskin Atty	R, O, Bean [J?], S,
W N Darden	A M Ivy
DW. Coan atty	John Dahmer Grand Juror

Page 4

H.H Fowlkes	Jam^es Grudez?
H_" K_" Fowlkes	E. A. White J. P.
Job J Houges?	T H. Shackelford forman of Grand Jury
JRM^cIntosh	A. J. Jamis on C. Dept
J. g. Clay- petty Jury	I D Blumenthal Grand Juror
Chas Cleary	E Hirsch
E. J Buford, Constable.	BDHansell Grand Juror
B. F. Owen, Atty	OH Pollard Grand Juror
Frank Stanford D, S,	W E Benn? G, Juror
C. E. Glidewell Petit Juror	RR,Ward
Frank Burkitt Atty—	H. H Naugle G_" Juror
M. C. Elliott	Milton ^his X mark^ Thompson G^d Juror
E. S Elliott	Sam ^his X mark^ Banks G^d Juror.
B, J, Abbott	City Marshal
ACeighton Surveyor	AJ. Slaughter J.P.

Petition—for pardon of—Charles Mack, convicted of the murder of Frank Sykes.

12 Grand Jury,6 Petit Jury,17 officials