Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-05-04
BRYAN COUNTY COURT.
Important Railroad suIt-Sfx Thou"
sand Dollars Damages Awarded
A Genuine African.

Hon. Henry B. Tompkins Judge OF the
Eastern Judicial Circuit, Solicitor General
Charlton, Colonel Rufus E. Lester, Messrs.
P. W. Meldrim, VIM. Clifton, and other
members of the Chatham county bar, re-
turned yesterday morning from Bryan coun-
ty, where they have been attending court.
The court was opened on Monday morning,
and the dockets, civil and criminal, were
taken up, and considerable business was dis
posed of and court adjourned Tuesday after
noon.
From information obtained we make 10
the following record Of the most important
business disposed of:
On the opening OF the court, Judge Temp
kins delivered short but impressive charge
70 the grand jury, and proceeded at once to
business. The first case called was that OF
Mcleod King vs.. George Styles. Trover.
After hearing counsel on both sides. plain
tiff's suit was dismissed. P. W. Meldrim.
for plaintiff; A. B. Smith, contra.
The next case was that of Lester o. Clark
VS.. Savannah, Florida and Western Railway
Company. which was hotly contested,
Messrs. Lester & Ravenel appearing for
plaintiff, and Messrs. Chisholm 81 Erwin for
defendant. The jury returned verdict OF
$50 for plaintiff. Counsel for defendant
gave notice to the court OF motion for a
new trial.
The next and most important case in
court was that of Mrs. Charlotte Y. Harper
and her husband. Eli s. Harper, VS.. Savan-
nah, Florida and Western Railway Company,
for 800, 600 damages for an injury received
by Mrs Harper on said road on the 14th of
Nav, 1881, at station No. IA, Savannah,
Florida and Western Railway.
The details are as follows: Mrs. Harper was
at No. 2, on said road, and purchased q
ticket for No. IL. The conductor failed TO
take up her ticket before reaching No. n,
and when he reached that station the train
slackened its speed but never stopped. Mrs.
Harper, knowing that to be her home and
place of destination, came out on the plat
form, expecting the train to stop every
moment to give her an opportunity
10 safely get of; and while she was
In this position, expecting to be safely
landed there, the train gave a sudden
jerk forward, throwing her to the
ground, breaking both legs above the ankle,
the bone IN the right one prOTuding
through the skin. The train ran four hun
dTed or five hundred yards beyond and
stopped; ran back to Mrs. Harper, who was
= =
from the warehouse, picked her up and
brought her to Savannah where she remained
for seven or eight weeks in bed under treat
ment by Dr.. Duncan. The defendants wit
nesses, its conductor, engineer and porter,
testified that the train stopped two minutes
at No. IL; but Mrs. Harper's testimony was
that it only slackened its speed, and this
was corroborated by other witnesses who
were at the station. On Tuesday morning
ha I'D nlpunU
o'clock the testimony was closed on both
sides. Mr.. VIM. Clifton, who was associated
with Neesrs. Lester s. Ravenel for the plain
eff, made the opening speech, and was fol-
lowed by Mr.. Erwin and Mr.. Meldrim or
behalf of the railroad, Mr.. Lester concluding
the argument for the plaintiff. The Judge
gave clear charge to the jury, who retired,
and 10 a short time returned verdict OF
So 600 for the plaintiff, Mrs. Harper. Coun-
sci for the railroad company gave notice OF
a motion for a new trial.
The criminal docket was sounded, oOd the
only case ready for trial was that Of the
State vs.. John P Basblor, charged with as
sault wi b intent to murder. The jury rem
dered a verdict of not guilty. P. w. Mel
drim and William Clifton appeared for the
defendant.
There were two perjury cases agsinst two
negro men, but they were continued, their
l.
trial. After oisposing of few motions and
civil matters the court adjourned.
NATIVE AFRICAN.
The legal fraternity were very much en-
| tertained by Gn aged colored citizen, who
had come a long distance to 'ftend de
court" He stated that his name was Whit
low, and that he was 81 years Of age, and
was born in Africa. He was very loqua-
cious, and the style in which he narrated
how he was decoyed from his parents and
home was exceedingly laughable. He said
the ship was hid near the shore and plank
or platform was extended from the deck to
the land for people to go on board. That the
proprietors of the ship spread large quauti-
ties of syrup on the tables in the ship, and
invited the Africans to come on the vessel
and taste the sweets. When the ship was
pretty we'll filed with little Africans, the
platform was suddenly dropped In the
water, the ropes cut and the ship set sail
for America. He said he could only speak
African lingo when he reached Charleston,
where he was sold. He had been own
ed by four masters, and was living with
his ninth wife. The aged darkey was rather
inclined to profanity, aud interlarded his
narrative with pOnderous oaths by way Of
emphasis. He was sick once, and had quite
a struggle with the devil, who broke his
chain and came down the chimney into his
cabin, but he overcsme him, and satan fed,
tramping down a field of corn in his flight.
He sung, danced, and delivered himself of
numerous quaint Jokes to the ediacAtion OF
his hearers. "Jedge ThumpsiDg lmean-
ing Judge Tompkins) was E great man; he
would talk little, but would send tiefs to
the penltentisr widout eny trubble. I"
He said he heard that the
whale that swallowed Jonah was In
Savannah and he intended to come and
see it, and ended his hsrangue by remarking
that ne must have "some money to buy
Patsy pig,p and passing around his dilapi-
dated tile took up a contribution, realizing a
neat sum.