Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-03-14

too much detail and complication.
Either bill passing, the inspectors
will advertise for thirty days for
sealed proposals and have the re-
served right to reject any and all
bids.
Sheriff Anderson arrived here
this morning in charge of fifteen
conyicts from Shelby county, and
one more who had escaped from the
p%enitentiary in July, 1876, being
captured in Memphis recently by
constable Powell. In looking over
the mittimuses accompanying these
conyicts it is noticeable hat the
.juries in our Criminal Court are
leaning to the side of the criminals
not only in giving the lowest terms
of punishment known to the law,
but by recommending that a specific
number of years be RENTED from
the punishment by the executive.
Out of the fifteen convicts but two
have clean bills free from such
recommendation. They are Simon
ton (white), the overcoat thief, who
received three years, and Cline
(white) one year. The others stand
as follows: Hill (white), sentenced
to ten years, while jury recommend
seven off; Seaver white, ten, three
off; Qnintel white, ten, seven off
Strong, three, two off; Wiley. ten,
five off; Calhoun (female), ten,
eight off; Shine (female), ten, six
off; Washington (female), ten, nine
off; Johnson, ten, seven off; Park,
three, two off; Stewart, two, one
off; Williams, ten, seven off;
two, one off.
The sentences aggregate one hun
years. recommended to be
-
sixty-ive years. This is
something extraordinary, if not
unheard of. The juries certainly
seem to lean to the side of the con-
yicts. But fortunately their rec
concentrations are not likely to
have an effect while Porter is gov
ernor. He thinks he has been un-
Justly criticized for pardoning some
Shelby county folks, and says EN-
phatically that he will not lay him
self liable any more. So the fellow
that goes up from Shelby county
after this may make up his mind
to stay awhile.
The Knoxville Tribune is about
to change hands, and will pass into
the control Of a joint stock com
pany on the l4th inst. The direc-
tors are to be DR.. VIM. Morrow,
O'Conor, General Robert
Hood, General VIM. McAdoo, and
Samuel House, Esq, with a sufi-
cient capital to insure its success.
1t is understood that the Tribune
will undergo an editorial change,
and will approve Of the appoint
ment of Key and indorse his action
in accepting an Office under Hayes.
1t will continue Democratic as
before, but moderate, conservative,
and disposed to give the new
administration a fair trial before
condemning it. The Tribune
succeeded the Press and Herald
some eight months ago with a bran
new Office, and it is to-day one of
the most newsy and sprightly pa
pers of the South. AS a specimen
of typographical execution it is a
model. The Tribune occupies the
field as a Democratic daily in all
East Tennessee above Chattanooga.
The editorial management is not
yet announced, nor indeed the bust
ness change, which here for the first
time appears in print, but | am in
search Of news and violate 10 con-
iidence. / predict for the Tribune
a large measure of influence and
usefulness. Success TO the new
proprietorS and editors.
j. II. NJ
A CORRESPONDENT sends to the
Chicago Tribune a letter he received