The Newark JotJenal
Published In The Famous White River Country. Where Alfalfa Is king
$1 Per Annum
Newark, Independence County, Arkansas, Friday, September II, 1908
Vol. 8. No. 38
A MURDERER'S LAST PLEA
V
Cutting Words of a Man Sentenced to
Hang for Killing His Wife
»*V —————
A man in middle life had just been
tried in the court by a jury of twelve
good men on a charge of murdering
his wife. The jury had returned a
verdict of murder in the first degree,
and, as is the custom, the prisoner was
brought before the court for the death
sentence.
He was a man in middle life ard
under the rough exterior it could he
seen that he was, or had been, a man
of good sense.
The court had just propounded the
usual question:
“Prisoner at the i>ar, have you any
thing to say why sentence of death
should not be passed upon you?”
A solemn hush fell over the crowded
court room, and every person waited
id almost breathless expectation for
the judge to pronunce the death sen
tence. Not a whisper was heard any
where and the situation was painfully
oppressive, when the prisoner was seen
to move. His head was raised, his
hands were clinched and the blood had
rushed into his pale, careworn face.
His teeth were firmly set. and into his
haggard eyes came a Hash of light.
Suddenly he rose to his feet and in
a low, firm, but distinct voice, said:
“I have! Your honor, you have
asked me a question, and now I ask as
the last favor on earth, that you will
not interrupt my answer until 1 am
through.
ut.nnrl luifnm tVtic
\n \*
of the wilful munler of my w ife. Truth
ful witnesses have testified to the fact
that I was a loafer, a drunkard, and
a*wretch; that I returned home from
one of my long debauches and fired
the fatal shot that killed the wife I had
sworn to love, cheerish and protect.
While I have no remembrance of com
-mitting the fearful, cowardly and in
humane deed. I have no right to com
plain or condemn the twelve good men
who have acted a* a jury in this case, !
for their verdict is in accordance with |
* the evidence.
“But, may it please the court, I 1
wish to show that I am not alone re- j
sponsible for the murder of my wife.’’ |
This startling statement created a
profound sensation. The judge lean- ]
ed over the desk, the lawyers wheeled
around and faced the prisoner, the
jurors looked at each other in amaze
ment, while the sj>ectators could hard
ly suppress their intense excitement.
The prisoner paused a few seconds
and then continued in the same firm
voice:
“I repeat, your honor, that I am not
the only one guilty of the murder of
my wife. The judge on h}* bench, the
jury in this box, the lawyers within
this bar and most of the witnesses are
guilty before Almighty God and will
have to appear before His judgment
throne, where we shall be righteously
judged.
ji Lweui) mninMi,>jHn'uu^ru»T iui
the murder of one person, tlie law
power of this land will arrest the twen
ty, and each will he tried, convicted
and executed for a whole murder and
not for one-twentieth of the crime.
“I have been a drunkard by law. If
it had not been for the legalized sa
loons of my town 1 never would have
become a drunkard, and l would not
be here now, ready to be hurled into
eternity. Had it not been for the hu
man traps set out by the consent of
the people I would have been an in
drustrious workman, a tender father
and a loving husband. But today my
home is destroyed, my wife murdered
and my little children—God bless and
care for them cast out on the mercy
of a cold and cruel world, while I am
to l>e murdered by the strong arm of
the State in which 1 live.
“God knows I tried to reform, but
as long as the open saloon was in my
pathway my weak, diseased will-power
was no match against the fearful, con
suming, agonizing, appetite for liquor.
“For one year once your town was
a sober town. For one year I was a
sober man. For one year my wife and
children were supremely happy and our
little home was perfect paradise.
“I was one of those who signed re
monstrances against reopening the sa
loons in our town. The names of half
this jury can be found today on the
A PLAIN STATEHENT TO THE PEOPLE
In answer to the question often asked
me: “Why the election of a circuit
judge at tiie general election. Septem
ber 14. 11408?” I state:
Circuit judges are elected for four
years. Judge Fulkerson's term will
expire October, 1010. About the middle
of August he sent the governor his
resignation as judge. It is the duty
of the governor to call a special elec
tion to till a vacancy in office. The
governor can fill such vacancies tem
porarily, by appointment, until a
special election can be held to fill the
vacancy. The governor appointed
Mr. Charles Coffin temporary judge
till Judge Fulkerson’s successor could
be elected. Mr. Coffin cannot lie re
elected until he has first been elected.
He has no claim on the people for re
election because he has never been
elected.
The people at large had nothing to do
with his appointment. The Gazette of
August 20th represents H. L. Ponder,
of Walnut Ridge, and Krnest Neill, of
Batesville, in Little Rock to secure
tin- appointment of Mr. Coffin as judge,
and that the governor announced he
had received Judge Fulkerson’s resig
nation and would appoint Mr. Coffin,
but stated he would not make any an
nouncement about calling a special
election until later on. He then had
the resignation in hand and knew there
was a vacancy in office, why could he
not announce to the people that he
would call the special election for the
same day as the general election?
Was it to keep the people in the dark?
Was it to prevent anyone from getting
his name on the ticket as a candidate?
Was it in the interest of his appointee?
Was it at the instance of politicians?
Messrs. Ponder and Neill were in Lit
tle Rock. It looks very much like it
was against the people and in the in
terest of certain individuals. On
August 24 the secretary of state told
me he had received by mail that morn
ing a petition to place Mr. Coffin’s
name on the ticket as a candidate for
petition certifying to the moral char
acter of these liquor dealers, and
falsely saving that the sale of liquor
was neccessary in our town. The
prosecuting attorney in this case was
the one who so eloquently pleaded
with the court for licence.”
The impassionate words of the pris
oner felLlike coals of fire upon the
hearts of those present, and some of
the lawyers and many of the spectators
were moved to tears.
The judge made a motion as if to
stop any further speech on the part of
the prisoner, when the speaker hastily
said:
“No! no! Your honor, do not close
my lips. I am nearly through, and
they are the last words I shall utter
on earth.
saloon bar, legalized and protected
bv the Commonwealth which has re
ceived annually a part of the blood
money from their poor deluded victims.
After the State has made me a drunk
ard and murderer, 1 am taken befort
another bar the bar of Justice by
the same law which legalized the lirsl
bar, and now you will conduct me tc
a place of execution and hasten my
soul into eternity. 1 shall appear be
fore another bar the judgement bat
of God—and there you who have legal
ized the traffic will appear with me.
Think you that the Great Judge will
hold me—the poor, weak, helpless
victim of your traffic, alone respon
sible for the murder of my wife? Nay,
I, in my drunken, frenzied, irrespon
sible condition have murdered one:
you have been in a measure responsi
ble for the murder of thousands, and
the murder mills are today in opera
tion with your consent.
“All of you know in your hearts
that these words of mine are not tht
ravings of an unsound mind, but God
Almighty’s truth. The liquor trattk
of the nation is responsible for nearly
all the murders, bloodsheds, riots
poverty; misery, wretchedness anc
(Continued on page 4)
judge. On August 24th the attorney
general told me the secretary of state
had just consulted him about the num
ber of names required to a petition to
get a candidate’s name on the ticket,
and showed him the petition for Mr.
Coffin. He also said the 24th of Aug
ust was the last day a candidate for a
district office could get hi> name on
the ticket for the September election,
and it looked like a very shrewd move
by some one to get only one name on
the ticket for judge; that if Mr. Coffin’s
was the ONLY name on the ticket and
he received only ONE vote, he would
be elected.
On August 24th the governor told me
he received a letter that morning from
“Ernest Neill and General Coffin ask
ing him to call the special election for
Judge on Semptember 14th and would
do so.” On the LAST day that a can
didate could get signatures of voters to
ha ve his name placed on the ticket for
a district office, I caught on to this
shrewd political move, and a petition
to place my name on the ticket as a
candidate for judge was signed and
the same was tiled with the secretary
of state.
My principle is “let the people
RULE.” 1 ask the people why the gov
ernor, having received Judge Fulker
son’s resignation some days before
August 24th, should wait until that
day to call a special election? Was it
in the interest of some individual?
Was it at the suggestion of politicians?
Was it to deprive the people of the
right to rule? Does it look fair and
just to the people? It does not seem
so to me. but it seems that it must
have been in the interest of some one
and at the suggestion of some one and
in denial of the rights of the people to
have more than one candidate forjudge
to choose from.
Why did “Ernest Neill and General
Coffin” on August 24th ask the gover
nor to call a special election forjudge
| on September 14th? There were only
twenty days between the call and the
MAKING THE BEST OF WHAT
EVER HAPPENS
Some people are thrown off their
balance the moment anything goes
wrong with them. They do not seem
to have the ability to overcome im
pediments and to do their work in
spite of annoyances.
Anybody can work when everything
| goes smoothly, when there is nothing
to trouble him: but a man must be
made of the right kind of stuff who
can rise above the things which annoy,
harass, and handicap the weak, and
do his work in spite of them. Indeed,
this is the test of greatness.
As a matter of fact, the greatest
achievements in all time have been ac
complished by men and women wlu
have been handicapped, annoyed, per
secuted. misunderstood, criticized.
Hut they have been great enough tc
rise above all these things and to dc
their work in spite of them.
Few people are large enough to rist
above their aches and disappointments
The majority are always talking aboui
them, projecting their dark shadow?
into your atmosphere, cutting off youi
sunshine with their clouds. Theii
ailments and their hard luck and mis
fortunes seem to be the biggest thing;
about them. You never meet but they
thrust them into your presence.
The man who is not big enough t<
rise above the tilings that trouble him
who can not overtop his aches ant
pains, annoyances and disappointmen
so that they are of little consequence
in comparison with his great life aim
will never amount to much.
There is an unwritten law for peo
pie who are thoroughbred—the rea
gentleman and the real lady—whicl
compels them to keep their troubles
their ailments, their sorrows, theii
worries, their losses, to themselves
There is line discipline in it. It mellow
the character and sweetens the life
But when these things are not born*
heroically, they mar the character am
leave their ugly traces in the’ face
their hideous forms appear in tht
election. This call only gave candi
dates one day to get their names on
the ticket, and that was the very day
the governor issued his proclamation
for this election. This proclamation
could not reach this, the Third judicial
circuit, until the 25th of August, and
that was too late for any man to get
his name on the ticket as a candidate.
Was not August 24th selected because
it would shut out all candidates for
judge except some favored ONE?
That favored one, Mr. Coffin, seemed
to have l>een on the ground fully
equipped with his petition and the re
quest from the “powers that be” to
call a special election to take place
September 14th, twenty days after the
call for this election, and with inten
tionally no opportunity for any man
to get his name on the ticket as a can
didate.
Why did they not let the people know
something about the matter? ft seems
to me the people were not to be con
sidered by those manipulating this
smooth, but unfair plan, is this treat
ing the people right? Why should the
people endorse these smooth political
methods by voting for Mr. Coffin? If
you wish to endorse such political
methods and vote for Mr. Coffin, you
have the privilege to do so. If you
wish to vote for me, who gave the peo
ple a right to be heard in this matter,
it is your privilege to do so. I am
not charging anybody with fraud in
this matter, but I say, and the facts
show, it looks like very shrewd poli
tics set in operation by intei'ested
parties to virtually deprive the people
of the l ight of election by forcing one
candidate on them and denying them
an opprtunity to choose between can
didates.
I solicit the vote of every man and
shall use my liest efforts to make an
impartial judge for the WHOLE PEOPLE
lie they rich or poor, high or low. I
assure the people I have no political
machine behind me, and no one has any
strings on me. Respectfully,
Otis W. Scarborough.
manner and disfigure the whole life.
Learn to consume your own smoke.
If you have misfortunes, pains, dis
eases, losses, keep them to yourself.
Bury them. Those who know you
have them will love you and admire
you infinitely more for this suppres
sion. A stout heart and persistent
cheerfulness will lie more than a match
for all your troubles.
FOUNTAIN FEN FREE
As a special campaign offer to
anyone who will secure HO new ten
weeks’ supscriptions to the Weekly
Commercial Appeal, (remitting $H.oo
for same) will he sent a Diamond
Point Fountain Pen. guaranteed finest
grade, 14-kt. solid gold pen. Act
quick, as this special offer will be
withdrawn in a short time. Address,
Weekly Commercial Appeal, Memphis,
Tenn.
BOY GORED TO DEATH
Beebe, Sept. 5. The oldest son of
A. B. Miller, aged Hi, living within
three miles of Bee he. when going out
Thursday morning to turn out the
stock, was attacked by a hull, which
knocked him down and gored him. A
blood vessel was ruptured and in less
than -hi minutes the boy was dead. The
animal had never been considered
vicious and therefore no precau
tion was taken to prevent any such oc
currence.
DOCTOR CHARGED WITH ARSON
Searcy. Sept. 5.—Dr. J. S. Still
well was hound over to the grand jury
this afternoon by a justice of the peace,
on a charge of arson, in the sum of
1 $1,000, which he readily gave. Dr.
Stillwell is charged with having set
fire to his own office for the purpose
of burning it and the building in which
it is located, presumably that he might
profit from the collection of the in
surance. He denies the charge and
the evidence against him is wholly cir
cumstantial.
DON’T FORGET THE STATE ELECTION, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 14
SULPHUR ROCK HAPPENINGS
Items of Interest Picked up at the Hub
of White River Township
Sulphur Rock, Sept. 8. Mrs. Mattie
Ford of St. Louis will have charge of
the millinery department at the W. R.
Rice Mercantile Company's store this
fall, and will be ready to supply the
ladies with hats next week.
Surveyor F. M. Ham came down from
Moorefield Monday to survey some
town lots for Hugh and Pleas Wright
in the new addition to Sulphur Rock.
Rev. W. A. Lindsey and family of
Cotton Plant are visiting in our city,
the guests of Mr. and Mrs. W. T.
Anderson.
R. I. Moore, who has a position at
Newport, spent Sunday here with his
parents, Mr. and Mrs. W. S. Moore.
Henry SatTel was down from Lee's
Chapel Monday. He is now at work
with Gibson in the photo business.
Dr. T. A. Bevens went to Batesville
Monday night to hear the lecture by
Hon. Clay Sloan of Black Rock.
Miss Parlee Lawrence, the telephone
girl, left Monday night for Ravendeu
to visit for a few day s.
Miss Ruth Crow of Newark is visit
ing the Misses Vestal and Thyad Wil
son for a few days.
Don't forget the election Monday,
September 14. Let everybody come
and vote right.
Prof, and Mrs. Sidney Pickens and
little daughter, Thelma, went out to
Dota Sunday.
Prof. Ed Martin's school at James
town closed Friday and he is now at
home again.
J. C. Gibson went to Charlotte
Tuesday morning to do some photo
graph work.
Mrs. Braden returned home from
Little Rock Saturday. where she visit
ed her son.
Heorge nevens .1 r. or Hates vine is
visiting his grandparents heir this
week.
Misses Sue Braden and Amanda
Hively are visiting at Batesville this
week.
Miss Gertrude Covington of Helena
is visiting home folks for a few days.
Rev. W. M. Thompson preached at
the Baptist church Sunday morning.
Miss Eulah Owens is visiting Miss
Lota Grover at Batesville this week.
Sam Ashley, who has been sick for
several weeks, is slowly improving.
Mrs. Cinth Griffin is visiting her
sister. Mrs. Braden, of this city.
Miss Pinkie Dorr of Batesville is
here visiting Mrs. Dan Moore.
Miss Nettye Bcvens is visiting Miss
Vela Jernigan near Charlotte.
Dr. R. C. Dorr was down from.
Batesville Tuesday.
George Saif roe of Newport spent
Sunday in our city.
W. J. Ward was down from Char
lotte Monday.
Miss Cora Moore is on the sick list
this week.
T. J. Raney was up from Newark
Monday.
Mrs. Ilia Kent is very sick at this
writing.
FARM FOR SALE
Good farm of IHO acres near High
Rock, 11 miles north of Batesville, 75
acres in cultivation 25 acres of which
is line creek bottom land which grows
75 bushels of corn per acre. Good
frame dwelling with two tenant houses.
Two orchards with an abundant varie
ty of fruits. Good oak, hickory and
cedar timber on land not in cultiva
tion. Fine water, both well and spring,
with tine creek running through farm.
Good mill-site on farm. Fine cave
near dwelling where 10,000 pushels of
vegetables may l>e kept the year round.
Convenient to school and church.
Will be sold cheap and on easy terms.
Henderson Real Estate Co., Newark
Ark.
NOTARY PUBLIC
Notary work of all kinds done in a.
careful and correct manner by A. A.
Henderson at the Merchants and.
Planters Bank.