The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1886-10-07
Miscellaneous Items.

Miscellaneous Items.
A MOTION entered by Hon. Ira Julian I'M
the Court of Appeals the other day has
brought to light the history of a murder
case, interesting alike to the bar and non!l
professional reader. As the result of d;
long-standing feud in the Turner and Midi
dleton families, in Harlan County, James;
Turner, in December, 1872 killed VIM MIDI
dleton, for which he was convicted in 1874
in the Clay Circuit Court, on a change OF
venue, and sentenced to the penitentiaryI
for life. His attorney in the Circuit Court,
reserved his exceptions and prayed an APP
peal to the Court of Appeals, but when the,
case.was called in theCourt OF Appeals there
was no attorney to represent the accused
The court being guided by a rule Of October
10, 1866, dismissed the appeal, and at the
expiration of ninety days, the Clay Circuit
Court ordered the prisoner taken to the pen
itentiary. That was about twelve years ago,
and after the sufferings and hardships Of
confinement of that period, the prisoner
appears by counsel in court and claims
that the rule of the Appellate Court, under
which the appeal was dismissed, was in di-
rect conflict with the Constitutions Of tie
United States, and the State of Kentucky,
which guarantee every person fair trial
and representation In court in person or
by counsel. The rule cited reads: where
the appellant shall fail to appear on the call
ling of the cause, either by himself or coun-
lsel, or by brief, the appellee shall on his APP
,pearance, either by himself or counsel or by
brief, be entitled to a non-suit, and the
court, will, in such case, SO ordern The
rule in all circuit courts is to appoint an
attorney for a prisoner il one does not APP
pear to represent him; and the counsel for =
Turner claims that the constitution in this
respect applies equally as well to the Ap-
pelate Court as to the circuit courts.
OF course the peculiar phase of the
case places the Court of Appeals in very
embarrassing attitude. II the rule of the
court be unconstitutional then the court
has unjustly deprived the accused of his
rights, and possibly of his lawful liberty
THE $4,000 slander suit in the Common
Pleas Court, Of Mt. Sterling, brought by
Robert Jones against J. M. Bigstaff, Presi-
dent of the Traders Deposit Bank, resulted
in verdict of $1,000 and costs for the
plaintiff
THE temperance people of New Liberty,
are being vigorously boycotted by the
liquor element because of the former insist
ing on the enforcement of the local option
Jaw.
S. S. HAMILTON, prominent citizen and
pork packer, Of Louisville, fell down the
stairway of his Main street office and broke
bis neck. He died instantly.
GENERAL CAssIUs NJ. CLAY, who is seventy
seven years old, writes that he has deter
mined to reenter politics. He has not made
up his mind whether to run for Congress or
Governor
GEORGE ScoTT, who was hit with an axe
by Eb Cooley near Boone's Gap, in Rock
castle County, has since died.
w. H. BUTLER was sentenced to one
years imprisonment at Danville, fou
forging name to a pensen check.
APrLE-TREEs in Carter County were in
full bloom on the 1st.
JOIN W. LEWIS, nominated for Congress
by Republicans of the Fourth District, has
declined.
THE saw-mill at Belepoint caught fire
from some unknown cause and was entirely
destroyed together with the store of J. N.
Clutcher
WEsLY ScoTT, a colored youth of Eliza.
was found dead by the side Of
The railroad track. Heart disease the sup
posed cause.
A FARMER of Washington Township with
The name of Owen SIMPSON,, died at the
Union Hotel, Louisville the other n ght,
oy gas which flowed on after he blew the
light out. He is married and well-todo
f
GEORGE. .Tu KpETTE went to his stable-loft,
at Louisville, the other afternoon, and
iabbed pitchfork into the hay. A tramp
was sleeping, covered with hay, and was
,igged with the fork He howled and
capped from the loft with the fork clinging
o him, but was captured and cared for.
Ie is badly wounded
A Courier Journal special says; "Colo-
,el j. W Hawkins was shot and killed
ONE time the other night, near Harrods-
,urR. by unknown parties His dead body
yas found in Ills country store. on the Ver'
allies pike next morning There is no
law to the murder, as none OF the valuas
les about tho store were disturbed, Colo,
al Hawkins Is well-known citizen OF
[ercer County His family seemed fated,
wo OF his sons have been murdered in the
st three years"
THE belt road at Louisville connecting
e Shortrouts and the Kentucky and In.
ANA bridge win shortly be completed,