RUBE SMITH’S TRIAL FOR THE BUCKATUNNA MAIL ROBBERY--AN UNSUCCESSFUL
ALIBI--PERJURED WITNESSES--MASTERLY SPEECHES--CONVICTION AND
SENTENCE.
The tragic and appalling death of L. C. Brock, _alias_ Joe Jackson,
while it spread consternation among his fellow prisoners and disturbed
somewhat the serenity of the Court, did not impede the course of
justice. The trial of Rube Smith for the Buckatunna mail robbery was
proceeded with in the Federal Court, Judge R. A. Hill presiding, as
though nothing had occurred. It was of but little importance to the
defendant whether he should be tried at that time or later. He had
already been convicted in the State Court for the express robbery and
sentenced to imprisonment for ten years.
His defense was conducted in a skillful and able manner by Colonel
John A. Blair, of Tupelo, Miss. The Government was represented by
Captain A. M. Lea, United States District Attorney, who made a masterly
presentation of the case in behalf of the prosecution. Captain Lea was
assisted by Col. J. H. Neville, the brilliant Prosecuting Attorney
for the Second Judicial District of Mississippi. Col. Neville had
successfully conducted the prosecution for the express robbery, and
had, on account of his familiarity with the facts and his recognized
ability, been employed by the Department of Justice to assist in the
prosecution.
The _corpus delicti_ was proved by the introduction of the conductor,
engineer, express messenger and the railway mail agent. Neil
McAllister, a very sensible colored man, in whose cabin the robbers
spent two days immediately preceding the occurrence, identified Rube
Smith as one of the men who had occupied his cabin, and disappeared
on the morning of the robbery. W. D. Cochran, an intelligent farmer
of the vicinity, also identified Smith as being in that locality two
days before the train was robbed. McClung’s testimony, reciting all
the details of the robbery as given him by Smith, was corroborated by
the engineer and other train employes. The letters written by Smith,
his proposition to become a witness for the prosecution against Brock,
which was declined, all formed links in the chain of testimony against
him which the skill and ability of defendant’s counsel could not weaken
or break. The father of the prisoner testified that his son had slept
at his home in Lamar County on the night of the Buckatunna robbery.
James Barker and Jasper Smith, the former an uncle by marriage, and the
latter a first cousin of the defendant, both testified unscrupulously
and recklessly in support of the _alibi_ sought to be established.
As a fitting climax to the trial, otherwise famous as it had been
rendered by the tragic events that had so closely preceded it, James
Barker and Jasper Smith were arrested for perjury immediately on
leaving the witness stand. The Grand Jury being in session they were
indicted at once, and finding that any defense would be useless, both
entered a plea of guilty. James Barker was sentenced to three years’
and Jasper Smith to two years’ imprisonment at hard labor at Detroit.
Consequent upon the arrest of the defendant’s witnesses for perjury
originated a good story on Colonel Blair. Jim McClung, Smith’s pal, had
been confined in default of bond in the jail at Jackson as a witness.
When James Barker and Jasper Smith were arrested they sent for Colonel
Blair, who went to the jail to visit them. On entering, Colonel Blair
found Jim McClung playing a game of solitaire in the hall of the jail.
Jim is wholly illiterate, but was possessed of a good deal of droll
wit that made him an entertaining witness. The following conversation
ensued between Colonel Blair and Jim McClung:
_Col. B._--“Good morning, Jim. How are you this morning?”
_Jim McC._--“Only tolerbul, Colonel--not feelin’ very well. How are
you?”
_Col. B._--“First rate, Jim, but I am not surprised that you are not
feeling very well. I don’t see how a man can feel very well who has
(alluding to his testimony against Smith) put his friend in prison, as
you have done.”
_Jim McC._--“Well, now, Colonel, look here. Before you come into this
case there warn’t but one of my friends in prison, and now you have
been a foolin’ with the case sence last spring and you’ve got three of
’em in. How is that? Eh?”
The joke was on the gifted and brilliant attorney. He had been
powerless to stem the tide which swept his client and witnesses alike
into the prisoner’s cell.
On the eighteenth day of November, 1890, Rube Smith was brought before
the bar of the Court by the marshal, and asked by the venerable
Judge presiding if he had anything to say as to why the judgment of
the law should not be pronounced upon him for the crime of which he
stood convicted. The prisoner replied he had nothing further to say,
whereupon Judge Hill addressed him as follows:
“Mr. Reuben Smith, the crime of which you stand convicted, and for
which it becomes my duty as presiding Judge of the Court to pronounce
against you the penalty of the law, which is confinement at hard labor
in the penitentiary for the remainder of your natural life, is that of
forcibly and violently robbing the United States mail. This crime is
the highest crime known to the law of the United States, save that
of murder and treason, and is punished with the severest penalty save
that of death. The reason therefor is that the robber usually engages
in robbery with the determination to murder his victims if necessary to
carry out his purpose.
“It is sad to behold a young man like yourself, who, by an upright
and virtuous life, might have been an honorable and useful citizen,
enjoying the blessings of the most refined and elevated society,
banished, as it were, from all that renders life desirable. The evil
consequences of your crime are not confined to yourself. For to save
you from the punishment of your offense no less than five of your
family and friends have perjured themselves to establish an _alibi_ in
your behalf, for which offense two of them have already pleaded guilty
and are condemned to serve terms at hard labor in the penitentiary--a
punishment the more serious in its consequences because not confined to
themselves alone, but to their helpless families and children as well.
“Sad as these consequences are, you may, and it is your duty, to repent
of your offense against the laws of the State and the Nation, and
against your Maker, your family, and your own well-being, and commence
a new life by obeying strictly all the laws of God and man, and
especially the regulations of the prison in which you will be confined.
If you do this, in the course of time the President may grant you a
pardon; but whether this is granted or not, your best interest is to
obey whatever may be required of you, and also to employ all of the
means that may be offered you to improve your mind and your morals, and
to make preparations for the final judgment.
“I feel assured that if you conduct yourself properly you will be not
only treated well, clothed and fed well, but will receive as kind
treatment as the circumstances will permit.
“Will you promise me that you will follow this advice? (The prisoner
replied in a subdued tone, “I will follow your advice.”)
“The judgment of the Court and of the law is, that for the offense
for which you stand convicted you be delivered to the warden of the
penitentiary of the State of Ohio, at Columbus, and be there imprisoned
at hard labor for and during your natural life.”