Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-05-17
PLEApING FoK PRIV.
George II. jackson Makes Pathetic
Appeal TO tho Jury.

GeOEkd H jackson lLRhCA u L dIHGLlC
Appeal to tho Jury.
The testimony in the case of George T..
jackson was closed at Augusta Friday.
The defense offered no evidence beyond
the statement of Maj. Jackson, which
was, in part, as follows:
''May it please the court and gentlemen
of the jury: II is with no ordinary feeling
that ] appear before you, mortified as j
ana beyond, expression and endurance, to
think that l must reply to the charges in
that Indictment. Think of it, gentlemen,
that ], one OF you, engaged with you for
years in all that concerns the public good,
/ am charged with enlightenment, steal
ing, taking and carrying away of money
with intent to steal and defraud. With
these feelings within me, l beg that you
hear what have to say. Here, in your
midst, almost within the sound OF my
voice, on Dec. %, 1892, / was born. AT
the academy over there | went to school,
and year after year Ipassed through these
very halls. Here, at the age of IA,
started in business, and here have | re-
manned all my life. The older citizens
know me, and many would gladly testify
IN my behalf to-day. Here was married
at "a, and reared a family in which | take
j2st pride. My longest absence from
home was when | went to fight the battles
of my country. Now l am ~, and no
man, in truth, can charge me with ever
having done an intentional harm. Dur
ing my life ! have strven TO do my duty
as citizen in all public matters. With
becoming difidence, l may say, have
sdOhe my part. / have held POSITIONS OF
trust and honor, and appeal 20 candid
citizens to say whether / have ever been
derelict. l leaA this people to say how l
htax lrlG cd ~ Of q ftnI Ia
Dor, father and a citizen. While have
fallen short in what l might have done, /
have tried to do my part, and / have re-
ceiyed too much kindness not TO feel
deeply in this matter, now, almost at the
close of my journey in life, and sur
rounded by family Of whom | dare not
trust myself to speak. With these sur
roundings it is not possible that it could
have entered into my heart and head to
steal. Man Is liable to err, and at various
times have borrO wed from one to loan to
another. In the early days Of the Enter
prise Factory loaned ~ money, and Geo.
L. Jackson & Co. became responsible for
a subscription of $4,000 which gave it
life, prosperity freedom from taxation
for 10 years. l borrowed money from the
company, but always with the most posi-
tive purpose of paying IT. back. In the
time of fire, when the company's office
was threatened, my first order was
to save the books and papers. Does that
lock as If 1t was my purpose to embez-
Zle or defraud. The bOOkkeeper had
entire charge of the books and / never
made an entry in them. know nothing
of bookkeeping, and the suggestions in
reference to the statement all came from
him. For years | have endeaNOred to sell
the Magruder mine 10 repay this indebt-
edness. An expert valued It at Sl0Q,090
ana subsequently at $4,000. Another
gentleman from Paris wrote me that If IL
was as valuable as when he saw IL, the
mine could be sOldtO advantage. During
all this time / have had deposited scrip
Of the mine for $4,000 and ten shares Of
the Enterprise factory in trust for the
company, TO meet myiudebtedness in case
of accident TO me, and this the Secretary
knew. This takes from what did even
the semblance Of purpose to detraud or
steal.v
Mai. Jackson here explained some fac
tory bond transactions showing where he
could have embezzlod If such had been
his purpose, aud continued:
"Whiie ! had done wrong. knew had
committed no crime. did not feel guilty
then, and / plead not guilty nov. When
my friends offered me money 10 leave the
city / felt shocked. and declined. While
/ could ask nay God 10 look into my heart
and Grd there no guilt, / had no fear ror
myself, nor do / mistrust YOU now.
But, gentlemen Of the jury, while feel
no guilt, do feel a very great and deep
regret and sorrow. Had l the power 20
express myself as feel, my tongue would
tire you In telling how much and how
deeply / aaye suffered. My remaining
years will be spent IN the honest and un-
firing effort 70 repay the last cent / owe,
and Will be aided by my children. What
ask Of YOU, gentlemen, ana OF you, my
fellOw-eitizens, Is an opportunity that this
debt be paid. While am not under oath,
speak with the sOlemnity Of an oath.
and say 10 in your presence, your honor,
and In yours, gentlemen Of the Jury, and
IN yours, fellow citizens, pray God may
giant it.n