Plea is Made for John Wright Otherwise Fannin County Man Will Hang Friday
"The Macon Daily Telegraph"
1914-06-03
Transcribed by Pam Rathbone
Atlanta, June 2.~A last desperate effort was made before the prison commission today to secure commutation for Wright. This fight was led by Representative B.?. Smith of Fannin, who told the commission that a very grave doubt existed in the minds of a large majority of citizens of the county as to Wright's guilt.
The crime for which Wright was convicted was foul beyond words, Moult Hughes, a mountaineer, was called to the door of his cabin and shot dead. One of the parties in it called Mrs. Hughes to the door, and she had in her arms her 2-year old little girl, Lydia, who had been ill.
Mrs. Hughes struck the man over the head with a poker, and he struck back with his clubbed gun. The blow crushed the skull of the child, which died three days after.
Hughes was hated by Harvey Belisle and others who operated a moonshine still. They accused Hughes of being an informer. Wright had been in jail up to the night before the tragedy and, so far as known, had no motive whatever to injure Hughes or his family.
But Mrs. Hughes stated that she recognized Wright as the man, and this evidence slipped the noose around his neck. Wright had no interest in the still, hence the weak place in his conviction is the apparent utter lack of motive. There was a grudge against Hughes by Belisle, Frank Rudisill and others.
Mrs. Daly and another prison worker made tearful pleas for Wright, expressing complete belief in his innocence. Jailer Poindexter gave similar testimony.
The prison commission and Governor Slaton have anything but a pleasant time a head of them. Within the next few days they must settle the fates of four men sentenced to die: Jon Wright of Fannin county, Nick Wilburn of Jones, Jim and Bart Cantrell of Hall. All are white men. Three, Wilburn and the Cantrells , were sentenced because of married woman who lured them to their doom. One woman is free and the other serving a life sentence.
The Cantrell pleas will be heard during the present week.
Fannin County Murderer Gets Respite
"The Columbus Ledger"
1914-08-04
Transcribed by Pam Rathbone
Atlanta. Aug. 4.~ John Wright, a Fannin County murderer, has been given a respite by Governor Staton upon
a most peculiar plea. It did not come from Wright but from the Baptists of north Georgia, who are to meet in
Fannin County all next week, and who did not wish a hanging to take place in the same town as their meeting
and at the same time. A delegation of ministers waited upon the governor and he respited Wright for three
weeks from next Friday, the date originally set.