The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-08-02
sHEFTALL NOT IN COURT.
He Fails to Show Up and Forfeits His
Bond.

Bond.
/ A genuine surprise awaited the early at
PENDANTS at the superior court yesterday
morning. 1t was the day assigned for the
trial of Justice Thomas J. Sheftall, for
alleged malpractice in office, Heretofore
when he case has been assigned there was
no prosecuting witness, and yesterday
NOR ing there was no defendant.
When the case came on 10 be heard II.
r. Richards, ESQ, associate counsel with
! S. B. Adams, Esq, in the conduct OF the
case, ASKED for a continuance, on the
ground that Mr.. Adams is absent from the
city, and Mr. Richards hal a case in
progress in the city court Solicitor Cen
eral duBignon said that he would not argue
a motion for new trial until the defend
ant was in court The sheriff was then
directed to cali Thomas j. Sheftall but
three vigorous calls proved Intellectual.
Mr. Richards said that he was unable to
account for his clients absence. The solicit
tor general asked that rule nisi be granted
TO estreat the bond and the rule was taken.
He said that he would also move TO take the
testimony of Shinall, the prosecuting wit
ness, by interrogatories. Shinall he said, had
been spirited off before. He could not keep
him in jail until December, the earliest
time at which the case could come up after
the defendants failure to appear. The
court then took recess until o'clock TO
consider the motion. At 4 o'clock the soli
citor general stated that he desired post
ponement of the case until today, and he
would notify Mr. Richards at wnat time
he would bring up the motion. Judge
Adams said that the court would convene
at 9 o'clock this morning.
Where is Sheftallt There are variety
of answers to the question, and of course
all cannot be correct. There we're vague
rumors Tuesday afternoon that he had left
town, and late in the evening the MORNING
News sent to Justice Sheftall's house to
learn if he was there. Two men were
sitting on the stoop. In answer to an in.
CURRY for Mr.. Sheftall, one of them said II
am Mr.. Sheftall." The object of the visit was
explained, and with show of indignation
at the rumor of his leaving town, MIR
Sheftall" explained that he was still in the
city.
The details Of his rumored departure are
that he was driven In a buggy TO No l
on the Central railroad, where he boarded
an outward bound train. The JUS
tees relatives say his brother was mistaken
for Thomas j. Sheftall, and that the latter
has not left the city. Col. Waring Russell
says that he was at Justice Sheftall's house
Tuesday night. and that he was at home
when he called and when he left Col. Rus
sell said that when it was found beyond
peradventure that Mr.. Adams had not re-
turned, and rather than go into trial with
out counsel, as Mr. Richards was unwilling
to undertake the leading part, it was de-
termined byJustice Sheftall that he would
force a continuance of the case by absent
ing himself from the court, but that he
will be on hand the first day of the term in
December
, Judge Philip NJ. Russell, Justice Shefall's
bondsman, said that Sheftall was at home
Tuesday night, and that he acted on the ad-
vice OF his friends in staying away from the
court room yesterday morning, his attorney
having failed to reach home in time to con-
duct bis case.
Solicitor General duBignon was asked
what will be the effect of Justice Shelf
alls action upon his Office of magistrate
He replied that there was nothing to pre-
vent Sheftall, il he came back, to continue
to serve as a justice of the peace. He could
not be arrested. He gave bond for his APP
pearance yesterday and failed to appear
The rule nisi disposes of further proceedings
against him until the December term. If
he does not then appear, the rule absolute
will be asked for. The object of taking
to provide against the contingency
that may arise at the December
term if the defendant should be
present and the prosecuting witness be
spirited away again out of the iurisdic-
ton OF the court whence his attendance,
if he is unwilling TO come, cannot be forced
There are likely to be some lively de-
velopments before the close of the term
and they may come to-day, IL the motion
ton to take the testimony of Shinall by in
terrogatories is allowed. There are num-
Der of kilograms and letters received BY
Shnall while in South Carolina which he
will be called upon to explain-how they
came into his possession, by whom they
were sent. and what bearing they have upon
the casa