Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-06-26
AT THE STATE CAPITAL.
Banker James Arrested for SwindIing-
Interesting Points in a Murder Tria

Banker James Arrested for SwindIing-
Interesting Points in a Murder Trial
"A Bigamist Among the Walkers.
ATLANTA, June 25.-John Fl. James,
the banker, who failed about month ago,
was arrested this afternoon charged with
cheating and swindling. The warrant
upon which he was arrested was pro-
cured at the instance of Edward Mercer
and one or two other creditors. The in
dictment alleges that James refused to
cash check at noon upon the day of the
failure, but received deposits, and that
during the night of the day that the bank
ing concern closed he carried away from
his place of business large sums of
money. James gave bond.
MURDERER SENTENCED.
Ebert Ware (colored) who few
months ago had difficulty with a colored
man named Robert Turner. and killed
him, was tried in the Superior Court to-
day and sentenced to three years. impris-
onment
FEDERAL AUTHORITY.
The case of Homer Wallace VS.. Howard
Horton, for assault with intent to MUIR
der, has brought out an interesting point
IN law. The circumstances of the diff
Guilty referred to have already been
printed in the NEWS, After an
alteration Wallace swore out a
warrant against Horton on the above
charge. Horizons counsel then filed a
plea against the jurisdiction, and on this
plea the case was dismissed. Just here
is where the case assumes interesting
shape. The Constitution of the United
States provides that Congress shall have
the power of exclusive legislation over
all buildings, including dock yards, mag
azlnes, and all other needful buildings of
the United States. 1t has been decided
that exclusive legislation gives exclusive
jurisdiction. The ground on which
the custom house, where the difficulty
occurred, having been ceded to the United
States with the consent of the Legislature
OF TINS State, gives the United States
courts jurisdiction over offences COM
mltted in the building or on the grounds
in connection Herewith. The prosecu-
ton In the case has sworn out warrant
before United States Commissioner Smith.
and the case will be tried at O'Clock on
Friday morning next.
BIGASIIsT AMONG THE WALKERS.
The SIX hours go-as-you-please foot race,
which took place here yesterday, and
which was won by Alfred Prater, the
Atlanta champion, who scored thirty.
seven and ten-fourteenth miles, beating
Macon's champion, j. w. Ford, who left
the track perfectly fresh an hour before
the close OF the contest, it seems has con-
nected with 1T sensation in which
Ford ngures prominently. 1t was stated
as the reason for Ford's quitting that he
drank some champagne which did not
agree with him. The journal of this at
ternOOn rldlcules the causes alleged. and
says that 1t was not champagne that did
the baleful work, but another and more
important one that caused
ms legs suddenly to give
out. Itsays once as he passed a certain
point a lady with pleasant face but
plainly attired was observed to lean for
ward and whisper words to the cbamnion
that were inaudible to those around her.
Ford started perceptibly, but kept his
pace, While the attention ofthe SPECTATORS
was more or less divided between the
various contestants. The lady referred
TO mad eyes for Ford alone, and again. as
he passed, she was heard to remark to
him, In accents that betokened Suppressed
emotlon; You shall be arrested be-
lore O'Clock" Ford shambled
around the track to his tent, into
which he betOok himself TO aDnear no
more. The reporter ascertained fbe iadv;s
name, and this morning called on her TO
hnd out, lfpossible, why she desired Ford's
arrest. The lady, Miss Mollie Kerr. was
not at home, but her mother informed the
reporter that Ford had two
wives, and one of them
was her daughter, Mollie Kerr. Mrs.
Kerr then made the following statement:
''On the Thursday before Christmas last,
.. W. Ford and my daughter Mollfe were
married, married IN Marietta by John r. SAUCER.
They ran away from here. After tIev
were married they went off somewhere
and staid a few days, when Mollie came
nome. In a few days Ford came also.
W ME they were gone l found out that
Ford was twice married, and that his first
WiIe was living within a quarter
OF mile of me. His first
wife was a Miss White, They
nave Two children. He denied that he
was "; married. If you will go down to
Elsas q Mays, where my daughter works,
know about it,"
The reporter then went to where she
worked. She said "Yes, he is my hus-
band. knew him the minute
saw him last night. I loved him. but he
has bllghted my life. He came TO see me
late last night and said that he did not
care II did have him arrested. hate to
send hlm to the penltentiary on account
OF MS two little childrea."
Miss heTr is perhaps twenty years of
age ana IS very pretty. She has a pleas
ant face. She seems still to love Ford
put don't know what to do. The State
docket at the city prison shows that Ford
was arrested on the 18th of last January
on charge of cheating and swindlin9.
Inc reporter remembers that the
case, was compromised by Ford paving
the debt, which was in favor of Rev. Mr..
Jones, the carriage man. At the same
time Ford's father-in-law, Mr.. White. for
various reasons, refused to prosecute him
Tor blgamy. Wife No. 2 visited him sew
eral times during his Imprisonment.