Petition to Andrew B. Moore
Item
Identifier
Q134236 - Q134238
Title
Petition to Andrew B. Moore
Rights
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Type
text
Creator
Vasser, Little Berry
Date
1859 March 13
Description
Petition to Governor A.B. Moore from Dallas County, Alabama, for the release of Rueben Pearson from prison. He was imprisoned in the state penitentiary for murder.
Format
Petition
Language
English
Place
Dallas County (Ala.)
Publisher
Alabama Department of Archives and History. (electronic version)
Contributor
Jessica Martin
Relation
Q0000134239; Q134235; Q134234
transcription
Pleasant Hill
Dallas County
March 15 1859
Governor [[Moore, Andrew B. (Andrew Barry), 1807-1873|Moore]]
Dear Sir
Permit me as one of the [[jury|jurors]], who [[Trial|tried]] and [[convicted|convicted]] the old man [[Pearson, Rueben|Ruben Pearson]] of [[murder|murder]], and who has been confined in the penitentiary, for the last twelve years. To ask your clemency now in his behalf
At the time he was convicted he was a poor drunken old man without influence or friends. No one to bring forward evidence that would have cleared him had it been known on the day of trial, and which was found out afterwards. Mr. [[Womack, John|John Womack]], who was absent at time of the trial, told me that he was present at the time the murder was perpitrated and saw it all, and felt certain if he had had an opportunity to have given in his testimony he could have cleared the old man Pearson. These are the facts as stated by him, Mr. Womack thinks that Pearson was driven to commit the act by the provoking conduct of the man he killed (I do not now recollect his name) who was a drunken companion, and friend. both were drunk at the time, the man kept going up to Pearson, slapping him in the face, and shoving him about, and doing every thing he could to vex him, Pearson told him if he did not leave him alone, he would kill ^him^, the fellow persisted, and Pearson being very quick tempered
[page break]
could not stand the insults, became exasperated, and stabbed the fellow, from which he [[died|died]]. This same man had a few days previous, when the old man Pearson was drinking , administered croton oil to the old man in his liquor.
I have always been sorry that I agreed to the verdict, have ever felt that I had not done the old man justice. Even with the testimony before us, there were six in favor of clearing the old man. We remained out one night and two days before we agreed to the verdict. It was altogether owing to the influence of the old man Whithead, and the many tales he told on Pearson that caused us to convict him. I have always regretted the part I had to act in the case: indeed no act of any life has given me more cause for regret, than to have been one of the jury that did convict the poor old man.
Now my dear Sir the old man has served a long time in the Penitentiary, nearly half of those that convicted him are dead. He is too old now to do any more harm, his son, the only man of his family [crossed out], is now grown up, living in [[Louisiana|Louisiana]], and deserving of a great deal of credit for his conduct, his perseverance and industry, he has come out and is anxious to take his old father home and take care of him in his last days. It can not be long before the old man must die, and does it not seem hard that he should have to pass his last days in that confined place with strangers
[page break]
that can feel no interest in him sick or will, when his son is so anxious to take him that he may be with him in his last hours.
Now my dear sir I do hope that your feelings of humanity will dictate a course of clemency towards the old man which the high office you hold gives you a right to exercise and if it is compatible with your view of what you consider right you will grant the old man pardon. I will take it as a personal favor from you, and shall always feel gratified to think that I had at last been able in some measure to do the old man justice. I have no excuse to offer for troubling you in this case but the deep interest I feel in the poor old man.
Yours with feeling
Of the highest regard.
[[Vasser, Little Berry|Little Berry Vasser]]
Dallas County
March 15 1859
Governor [[Moore, Andrew B. (Andrew Barry), 1807-1873|Moore]]
Dear Sir
Permit me as one of the [[jury|jurors]], who [[Trial|tried]] and [[convicted|convicted]] the old man [[Pearson, Rueben|Ruben Pearson]] of [[murder|murder]], and who has been confined in the penitentiary, for the last twelve years. To ask your clemency now in his behalf
At the time he was convicted he was a poor drunken old man without influence or friends. No one to bring forward evidence that would have cleared him had it been known on the day of trial, and which was found out afterwards. Mr. [[Womack, John|John Womack]], who was absent at time of the trial, told me that he was present at the time the murder was perpitrated and saw it all, and felt certain if he had had an opportunity to have given in his testimony he could have cleared the old man Pearson. These are the facts as stated by him, Mr. Womack thinks that Pearson was driven to commit the act by the provoking conduct of the man he killed (I do not now recollect his name) who was a drunken companion, and friend. both were drunk at the time, the man kept going up to Pearson, slapping him in the face, and shoving him about, and doing every thing he could to vex him, Pearson told him if he did not leave him alone, he would kill ^him^, the fellow persisted, and Pearson being very quick tempered
[page break]
could not stand the insults, became exasperated, and stabbed the fellow, from which he [[died|died]]. This same man had a few days previous, when the old man Pearson was drinking , administered croton oil to the old man in his liquor.
I have always been sorry that I agreed to the verdict, have ever felt that I had not done the old man justice. Even with the testimony before us, there were six in favor of clearing the old man. We remained out one night and two days before we agreed to the verdict. It was altogether owing to the influence of the old man Whithead, and the many tales he told on Pearson that caused us to convict him. I have always regretted the part I had to act in the case: indeed no act of any life has given me more cause for regret, than to have been one of the jury that did convict the poor old man.
Now my dear Sir the old man has served a long time in the Penitentiary, nearly half of those that convicted him are dead. He is too old now to do any more harm, his son, the only man of his family [crossed out], is now grown up, living in [[Louisiana|Louisiana]], and deserving of a great deal of credit for his conduct, his perseverance and industry, he has come out and is anxious to take his old father home and take care of him in his last days. It can not be long before the old man must die, and does it not seem hard that he should have to pass his last days in that confined place with strangers
[page break]
that can feel no interest in him sick or will, when his son is so anxious to take him that he may be with him in his last hours.
Now my dear sir I do hope that your feelings of humanity will dictate a course of clemency towards the old man which the high office you hold gives you a right to exercise and if it is compatible with your view of what you consider right you will grant the old man pardon. I will take it as a personal favor from you, and shall always feel gratified to think that I had at last been able in some measure to do the old man justice. I have no excuse to offer for troubling you in this case but the deep interest I feel in the poor old man.
Yours with feeling
Of the highest regard.
[[Vasser, Little Berry|Little Berry Vasser]]
Subject
Moore, A. B. (Andrew Barry), 1807-1873; Governors--Alabama; Alabama--Politics and government--To 1865; United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1871