The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-02-07
HOWARD'S LIBEL.
The Defense Asks for More Time
Upon the Ground That the DEPOSIT
tions Have Been Handled.
The Plaintiff Is Anxious for the
Mill of Justice to Grind.
The Action of the Defense Regarded
as q Victory for Howard.
Objections and Exceptions Will Be
Settled Today or Tomorrow.
The Cnurf Will Pr0need With tho
The Court Will Proceed With tho
Trial Today If Possible.
A Great Crowd of People Gather in
the Small Court Room.
Although Disappointed, They Are
Richly Entertained.
The Seduction Case OF Mamie Day,
Which Proves an Oily Morsel With
Very Juicy, Ingredients, Sat-
isles the Morbidity or
the Crowd.
From The stan co1eapondcnt Of Tho Appeal.

From the STAFF Correspondent OF Tho Appeal.
JACKSON, Tenn, Feb. promptly at
o'clock this morning the bell in the rickety
tower Of the quaint old courthouse, in
which justice has been dealt out TO the
law seekers OF Madison county for half
century past, pealed forth on the crisp
morning air. Instantaneously the APP
proaches 10 the two iron gate ways leading
10 the temple Of. justice were filed with
people fastening 10 get standing room in
thelimited space Of the courtroom. As is
usual in country courts, the bell rings n
half hour before the time for Il to convene
and commence business. BY the time the
hour arrived the interested and curious
occupied nearly all the space outside Of
the small iron railing which is enclosed
for the attorneys and jurors. All had
come to hear the opening Of the trial OF
THE GREAT LIBEL SUIT
OF the Rev. Frederick L. Howard, pastor
OF tho Central Baptist church, against
Geo. w. Jarman and fifteen others, and the
Tennessee Bap,isi, the Chattanooga Reflector
and the Fortcd Der Blade for damages to
the amount Of $4,000 for libel against the
name and reputation Of the plaintiff. The
presiding judge, the Hon. Len S. Woods,
is young man OF commanding presence
and has been on the bench since Soptem-
Der last. Judging from the cordial man
ner in which everybody shook hands with
him he must be very popular man. lie
prcsides with dignity and commands the
best OF order. The attorneys on both
sides Of the great case were prompt in ut
tendance, and after
COURT WAS DULY OPENED
his honor asked IL there were any
motions OF a preliminary character TO be
made in any matter pending before IL.
Receiving no response, he stated that the
hearing Of the Howard case would COM
mence. Mr.. Bullock, for the defendants,
called the attention Of the court 10 the fact
that a week ago, when the case was last
called, the plaintiff bad asked for n rule
Of court in regard 10 the genuincncss Of
certain dopositions which had been taken
in England, rs they had reason TO believe
the dispositions presented were not the
original ones and had not been taken In
England, and had been tampcred with.
Mr.. Pitts, for the plaintiff, said that the
defendants explanation in regard 10 the
dispositions was sufficient, and ho would
not insist ON the rule. Mr.. Pitts also pro.
ceeded TO say that
DR. HOWARD WAS READY,
-. Il -. 4 a
that he would not interpose any objection
that was not absolutely necessary to rctard
Il. This took the defendants somewhat
by surprise, foras stated yesterday they did
not expect that the plaintiff would either
be ready or desire TO 20 into trial,
while the defense would insist that the
case proceed. But II seems that the tables
have turned, and instead Of the defense
taking the plaintiff at his word, Mr.. Bull
lock begun TO hesitate. and after being
once or twice asked II he was ready TO
proceed said that lac had reason TO believe
that
CERTAIN DISPOSITIONS
received by the clerk from England on
Thursday last had hecn tempered with,
and he wanted the clerks affidavit 10 tho
condition Of the package when received
from the posiollice. Besides thoro were
other dispositions that lac had not had iimo
10 look into. The court signiacd a will.
ingncss 10 grant sufficient time for that
purpose. Mr.. Bullock stating that Il would
take all day TO do IL. The next case was
called, and Mr.. Bullock being OF counsel
In Il did not 90 10 work on the dispositions.
SO the case was passed over until tomor-
row, when Mr.. Bullock Is expected 10 an
nounce his conclusions as 10 the status OF
the dispositions. The court will then hear
THE OBJECTIONS,
and II sufficient win probably grant a con-
tinuanoe on that ground. from the ex.
pressions Of Judge Woods II would appear
that he Is not going to permit the case to
continued ON any trivial objections, and
n he grants continuance Il will 10 for
sufficient reasons. The people were not a
little disappointed at the turn taken by the
deienae, for, as far as can be learned, pub
lie sentiment Is strongly against the
plaintiff, and wish the case tried once for
all. II must be admitted, however that
the opening skrmish was a
VICTORY ron HOWARD,
and he and his attorneys seem encouraged
and confident II is understood that
whether the case comes TO trial this tern