Daily Republican., 1883-11-21
COURT PROCEEDINGS.
A VERDICT ~ NOT GUILTY IN
THEHINsON ARSON CANE-THE
TRIAL OF VA m GIN OOME.


clock Tuesday afternoon, and continued
the trial Of George Hinson, colored, for
arS!n.
The evidence of all tho witnesses WAS
in, when Court took recess, and I'm
media'ely after tho re.opening MIR.
Bradford opened the argument fer the
defence. He claimed that all the evi.
dsnce prod uced by vhe State was purely
circulnstantiai, and while there was
no. the slightest doubt that the stables
had been burned, nothing had been
brought I. rward 20 show that the prisO.
ner had set lire 70 it,
If Hinson had renamed in this city, he
woud not have been arrested, for there
would have not been the slightest fOun.
da,ion for the charge He contend.al
that the prisc~er had intended leaving
the city, and II could have been proved
that hs had Expressed this intention TO
several of Ills friends. He carefully re-
viewed the evidence, and said that but
on. witness had testified 10 his ever
making asy thrests against Mr.. East
burn, and that was two months before
this haJpcned.
Mr.. Bradford spoke about forty ininu.
tes, and closed by asking the Court to
charg. the jury, that in cases depend
ing on circumstantial evidence for con.
vicioE, that evidence must be of such u
nature that there could not be the
slightest doubt Of the guilt of the priso-
ner to justify them in rendering a
verdict to that effect.
he was followed by Attorney General
Gray, who complimented Mr.. Bradford
a.. Il 4, L.. r. II.
clictIt, but contended thar all the facts
of the case tended to show that the
prisoner was the guilty man, and had
fired thebarD. No eye saw him do it.
and it is n wellknown fact that very
few places are burned where any ore
sees the incendiary apply the torch, and
in almost every case of this kind the
State has nothing To depend upon but
circnmstantial eviden CO.
1t was admitted that the prisoner was
in the stable just previous TO the fra,
and it had been proved that, ON that
very night, he left the house where he
was boarding, and walked 20 miles to
Delaware City. He went In such haste
that be did not even take his clothes
with him, but directed where they
should be sent, and this, of itself, was
proof sufficient, ,as flight was always evil
dence of enilt.
When Mr. Gray concluded the jury was
charged by the Chief Justice TO the ef-
feet that while circumstantial evidence
must always be taken with great deal
ofalownnce, it was frequently stronger
than the evidence of eye-witnesses. III
the jury believed the evidence showed
| tlpt th. mi t.r rfn
toward Mr.. Eastburn, they must render
averdict of guilty.
At 10 O'Clock the jury retired, and
after an absence of nearly two hours,
rendered verdict of not guilty.
The case of Charles W. Dennis,
charged with assault and battery, was
continued until next term.
John Dennis and Emma Riley, who
plead not guilty to All Indictment charg.
ing them with assault with intent to
kill, were allowed to plead guilty to a.
sant only, aud the Court after hearing
the statement Of the prosecuting witness
sentenced them 10 pay tine of STOOL
each, the costs OF prosecution, and be |
impr soned t~o years. The Grand Jury
came in about 4 O'Clock, and upon the
Attorney-General stating that there was
no further business for their consider.
alton they were discharged from further
attendance az this term.
A jury was drawn and the case of the |
State vs. Ward Gro0lne, cOOred, indicted |
for breaking into the house Of Mrs.
Ferguson with intenttO con- init alarceny
was taken up for trial, with Walter s.
Hayes, Esq, tor the State, and Fl. H
Ward, Esq, for the defense.
/. L. Miller was sworn, and testified
tnat about o'clock on Sunday morn
lug he was awakened by noise in his
MS bedroom, and thought at first 1t was
his little son. When he called and did
NOT receive any answer, he jumped out
OF bed, and u man whom he recognized
az The prisoner went ont the back win,
ocw, ran over the grape arbOr, and
made his escape through the adjoining
yard, followed by the witness, who
CHASED hin to the rear of coal yard at
water and West streets, where he lost
sight Of him.
When the witness lreturned to the
house. he found hat thai had been
dropped by the fugitive in his flight,
which he gave TO officer PiersCn. He
also found that his pantaloons. which
were lying in his bedroom, had 1.-THE
pockets turned inside out, but he did
not miss anything from The house He
positively identified the prisoner as the
man
Elizabeth Ferguson testified that sbe
Resides at 400 West Front street, but
does not own the house.
Officer Marquess testified that he
arrested the prisoner last Sunday
morning, about 10 o'clock, in a small
nolst at the rear Of Browns coal yard,
al Water and West n reefs. He first
heard Of the robbery about 8 5o'clock in
.Ne morning and after inspection went
MiIler's house, at Front and West
streets, and obtained a description Of
'le man. When he arrested him he
hah no hat, and was Obliged to borrow
one from the man be lived with
neorge Wilson, COlOred, testified that
ne knows The prisoner, and lives in the
SAME house with him. About j o'clock
sunday morning Groomes cane home
@tn raped at the door, when the
W, Wll'lrss let him in /; he was barr-head"d
rue witness was shown the hat found
Iy Mr.. Miller, and was certain that il
belonged to the prisoner.
X '''"' AA'SI'iu, toi"Fh- 'Vbliilp'A |
'ne prisoner lives with him !; when he
Mas arrested on Sunday morning he
M nan no hat to wear to the hail. and the
N'h'ss loaned him his lie was also
snI" the hat picked up on the premises,
a anu said that it looked very much like
'ag ~ one belonging to the prisoner.
ms closed the evidence for the State,
ana Mr.. Ward asked that the indict-
%el', ~ he quasbed, on the ground that
~ :. charged the prisoner with enteringl
;ne house of Elizabeth Ferguson, and
:, had been shown by the witnesses
,na' the front Of the house entered was
,,shI"d, and occnpied by Mr.. Miller,
T1 Tl'" rot even owned by Mrs. Ferguson.
, Tue court said this was a very impOr
WWh1 question, and instructed Mr..
"aId to hunt up authorities bearing +.
u v" ,l'e ulatter, and present them this