Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-11-23
From a staf corresDonaent.

was disqualified by previous connection with
certain cases pending. The Savannah delega-
tion left the city by the $50 m. freight train,
to which a passenger coach IS attached, and
reached Mcintosh, station No. 8. shortly after
TO- As usual on court days. there were several
in waiting to transport passengers
to Hinesville, about six miles distant, over a
good road. Your correspondent in company
with the Solicitor General, secured a seat in q
buggy, which also accommodated driver, and
putting whip to the 1e y, untamed Pegasus.
to VIII ch the vehicle was attached started
for the court house. Our noble steed passed
everything on the road--that ives standing
still or going In the opposite direction. and his
gait. which was half dog trot and hobby-horse
gallop, as it were, rendered the ride exceed
ingly exhilaratiDg, especially as he manifested
a most remarkable tendency for keeDing to the
right of the road, festive habit which caused
the spriDgy buggy TO sling around in a manner
extremelV hazardous to our equilibrium. How
ever an hour and half Dash % brought us to
the court house, where we found representa-
tives from all parts Of Liberty in large numbers,
the attendance being greater than has been
seen in the nast several terms.
Judge Mershon. who had arrived the pre-
vious night. had already opened court, and had
appointed Mr. VIM Clifton, who had come up
Sunday evening. Solicitor General pro tenn
until the arrival of Solicitor General Charlton.
The grand Jury were organized and sworn. aud,
to consider a number of cases submitted to
them.
The BUSINESS OF THE TERM
is quite large. but with steady work will proba-
bly, be dispatched day or SO earlier than was
at first expected. Judge Mershon seems de-
termiued not to countenance 1.-The laws de-
lays" and counsel and jurors and witnesses
are required to be prompt. A number of
common law cases were called, continued, dis
missed or otherwise disposed of, and the court
at once settled down to solid busine> s.
eRoANING UNDER THE MATRIMONIAL YOKE
The alacrity v ith which the ave age colored
person plunges into matrimony, which has
been so conspicuously displayed since the war;
as attested by the record of marriage licenses
issued by Ord 1aries is only equalled by his
intense eagerness, after few months expe-
rience trotting double in legal harness. to shake
off the nuptial yoke and change partners as it
we're. There are in this court at the present
time seven couples Of the coored persuasion
who, Wearied of connubial joys have sought
the Intervention of the law in pleadings to have
tn bonds judiciously sundered. In two of
these cases the plaintiffs are women, who
sigh to once more revel in meditation fancy
free; thu other five are disgusted husbands
who possibly find that their partners are not
what their fancy painted them, and are not
willing to go into service, cater to their daily
wants in the provision line. as is the case in
cities, while they grow fat in idleness. The di-
vorce laws of Georgia are said to be very
strict yet am Informed by a legal friend that
nothing is easier in the legal line to obtain than
a decree OF divorce. So before the term ends
these seven illassorted, uncongenial dusky
couples will be happy.
FIGHTING OVER A WILL
The only case tried to-day was that of z. T.
Miller VS., X. y. b 4xter ct al. An appeal from
the Court of Ordinary. In 1868 John q. Baxter
died, leaving a neat little property. By will he
left one dollar each to four children. and to the
ffth, daughter, Mrs Brown, was bequeathed
the entire estate. and her husband. Nicholas
Brown, was named as administrator qualified
and administered upon the estate Brown
died in 1873, and within the past year or two
his wife died, and their children, minors. fell
heir to the property, aad requested E. T.
Miller to take out letters OF administration
Miller made the application to the Court of Or
binary when the other children of john G. Bax
ter, who had been left one dollar each as above
stated, caveated the application on the ground
that the will had never been legally admitted to
probate, the proceedings in the matter of the
administration of the estate by Brown having
been executed by the Deputy Clerk of the Ordi,
nary and not at a regular or adjourned term of
the court, and were, therefore illegal. Several
years had elapsed, and another Ordinary had
been elected. The caVeators had been coRni-
zant of the facts, but had never taken any
action in the matter until after Mil
ler's application to administer for Browns
children. The Ordinary, however, sustained
the caveators, and tn matter was appealed to
the Superior Court The case occupied several
hours, and was concluded this afternoon about
o clock, by the jury finding for the applicant
/. utllieF. Inc Ndlu6 Oh bnS property under
the will is about $4,000. Had the caveators OBJ
tanned verdict there would have been a gene
raj distribution Of this amount among tae one
dollar heirs.
GUN wAD AS CLUE TO A MURDER.
There will come up for trial tomorrow (Tues-
day. a case OF murder. which has no parallel
in the records of this county. The evidence,
which has connected link by link is circum.
stantisl mainly but of the strongest character.
and the issue is awaited with intense interest
10
years of age. named Jasper Price and the
victim was r. II. Peacock. aged eighty-six
years, his mothers brother. and, bence, his
own uncle. In February last, old Mr. Peacock
was found lying dead in the woods near the
village, having been shot through the heart,
and the entire community was horrihed From
some cause, suspicion was directed to Price.
and he was arrested. At a preliminary exami-
nation, the principal proof adduced against
him was that a week previous to the shooting
he had asked Miss Moody for some cloth
for gun wadoing She gave him several scraps
from a dress that she was making Price had
been seen the day of the murder in the vicinity
OF the crime, and during the search after the
discovery of the murdered remains, a piece of
wadding was found near the body, and was
Identified by two witnesses as portions of the
scraps given to Price by Miss Moody. He was
therefore committed to jail, to answer the
charge Of murder, and has been in confine-
ment for nine months. He was indicted by the
grand Py at the last term Of the court. and
Judge Fleming appointed Col. r. E Lester and
Mr. A. p Adams as his counsel, he being una
ble to procure counsel hi nself. Mr. p W. Mel
drim has been employed to assist the prosecu-
ton
A CONSPIRACY AMONG PRISONERS TO MURDER THE
DEPUTY SHERIFF..
Recently a discovery was made which oc-
casioned intense excitement in the village and
rather unsettled the nerves of the worthy
Deputy Sheriff, W r Brewer, who is also
jailer. A short distance from the court house
is located the jail building neat, substantial
frame structure, comprising eight apartments.
In the hallway Of the jail the Deputy Sheriff
has been in the habit of sleeping at night. The
meals for the prisoners are passed by the jailer
through an aperture about two feet square,
the door never being open. The near APP
preach Of the term Of the court had de-
OF whom there are seven, in the jail, and two
notorious negroes, who are awaiting trial for
assault with intent to murder conductors on
the Savannah, Florida and Western Railway,
and for placing o0structions on the
track OF said road, determined TO kill
the jailer secure his keys and
escape. Fearful that their preparations
would be discovered by the other prisoners
and they would be Informed against, they
concluded to silence the tongues OF these fell
low criminals by promising 60 release them at
ter they had killed the jailor and got his keys.
Price, who, as stated, is IN Jail to answer the
charge OF murder was also taken into their
confidence. The negroes had torn upSe plank
from the floor Of their cell. aud their plan was
70 Walb uutlL the Jaller, whose bed was Just be-
low the aperture was asleep, and then twist
ing out the heavy piece of scantling to jam 1t
against his head with all their force, crushing
his skull. This scheme could easily have
been carried out had not the plan
been revealed by Price. and undoubtedly Lib
erty would have been minus an efficient Deputy
sheriff The day before the attempt was to be
made Price scribbied warning of it on a piece
of paper and pitche1 the note out of his cell
window as the jailer passed. He picked IL up
and read, and the startling contents gave him
an electric shock, especially .as the shades OF /
night were ia ling fast and the surroundings
we're gloomy and peculiar, il not very grand.
Jailer Brewer quickly closed and barred
the doors Of the Jail. and hied him
70 the nearest habtation, where he COM
the news The village was soon
aroused and a posse OF armed men accompa-
MED him TO the jail. An examination was
made, and il was found that Prices informa-
ton was true A plank had been torn up from
the door by the two negroes, and there were
evidences OF the proposed plan. his narrow
escape from murder gave the jailer a cold
chill. and be no more sleeps within its walls,
the county having put up for his accommoda-
tion, in the enclosure near the building, neat
little one story cottage
The grand jury this afternoon returned two
true bills against each OF these negroes. and
the prospects are that they viii be tried to-day,
aid will he sent some place where they-wil not
have time to concoct schemes for murder and
breaking jail
A yRRsA ATrl,R AM v6f.rARt.E frTTzF FN