Pardon request from B. V. Pope to Governor A. B. Moore
Item
Identifier
Q134439_Q134440
Title
Pardon request from B. V. Pope to Governor A. B. Moore
Rights
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Type
text
Creator
Pope, [B. T. ?]
Date
1859 February 28
Description
From the Alabama Department of Archives and History Governor A. B. Moore collection. Letter written by B. V. Pope to Governor A. B. Moore requesting clemency from punishment for George Russell, who was tried and convicted of murder in Blount County.
Format
Letter
Language
English
Place
Elyton (Birmingham, Ala.); Blount County (Ala.)
Publisher
Alabama Department of Archives and History. (electronic version)
Contributor
AnnMarie Shields
transcription
Elyton 28<sup>th</sup> Febry 1859
Dear [[Moore, Andrew B. (Andrew Barry), 1807-1873|Gov.]]
With this I enclose [[Mudd, W. S. (William Swearingen), 1816-1884|Judge Mudds]] statement of the evidence in the case of [[Russell, George|George Russel]] convicted of [[Murder|murder]] at last [[Blount County (Ala.)|Blount]] [[Circuit courts|Court]] with the [[Capital punishment|death penalty]] with his recommendation of a [[Pardon|commuta-tion]] the [[Judges|judges]] recollection of the facts does not agree precisely with mine in a single particular, and that is as to Russel having his coat off & [steping?] to it and getting his knife—my recollection is (and I know <u>some</u> of the witnesses so stated) that he had his coat on and when Henry told him he could tie him, he pulled his knife out & threw his hand behind him under his coat & opened it & as Henry came near him, he replied, “do it damn you,” & struck him <u>all</u> occupying but an <u>instant</u> of time—
But all this is immaterial as the application is based on the clear opinions of the judge who tried the case that it ought to be commuted, for reasons given which are clear beyond all doubt.
The judge expresses to me the strongest anxiety that his punishment should be commuted, as beyond all doubt it should
[page break]
be—I told the judge that he might rest easy, as you had promised me that on his recommendations even without any other showing you would commute, and I learn from him that a Petition has been carried down from some of the Citizens of Blount by some Ladies—
In the language of Judge Mudd’s letter to me “Hoping that the life of the unfortunate Russell may yet be saved” I remain
Your friend Sincerely B. T. Pope
Dear [[Moore, Andrew B. (Andrew Barry), 1807-1873|Gov.]]
With this I enclose [[Mudd, W. S. (William Swearingen), 1816-1884|Judge Mudds]] statement of the evidence in the case of [[Russell, George|George Russel]] convicted of [[Murder|murder]] at last [[Blount County (Ala.)|Blount]] [[Circuit courts|Court]] with the [[Capital punishment|death penalty]] with his recommendation of a [[Pardon|commuta-tion]] the [[Judges|judges]] recollection of the facts does not agree precisely with mine in a single particular, and that is as to Russel having his coat off & [steping?] to it and getting his knife—my recollection is (and I know <u>some</u> of the witnesses so stated) that he had his coat on and when Henry told him he could tie him, he pulled his knife out & threw his hand behind him under his coat & opened it & as Henry came near him, he replied, “do it damn you,” & struck him <u>all</u> occupying but an <u>instant</u> of time—
But all this is immaterial as the application is based on the clear opinions of the judge who tried the case that it ought to be commuted, for reasons given which are clear beyond all doubt.
The judge expresses to me the strongest anxiety that his punishment should be commuted, as beyond all doubt it should
[page break]
be—I told the judge that he might rest easy, as you had promised me that on his recommendations even without any other showing you would commute, and I learn from him that a Petition has been carried down from some of the Citizens of Blount by some Ladies—
In the language of Judge Mudd’s letter to me “Hoping that the life of the unfortunate Russell may yet be saved” I remain
Your friend Sincerely B. T. Pope
Subject
Moore, Andrew B. (Andrew Barry); 1807-1873; Alabama--History--19th Century; Petitons; Crime--Alabama--History; Blount County (Ala.); Blount County (Ala.)--History.