The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-07-12
THE SHEFTALL CASE.
Justice Sheftall Acquitted on an Indict-
ment for Malpractice.

ment for Malpractice.
The Superior court room was crowded
yesterday at the trial Of Justice Thomas j.
Sheftal for malpractice. The jury went
out after Z O'Clock last night and at S;45
O'Clock came in with verdict of acquittal.
The case was very ably conducted by
! Solicitor General duBlgnon for the state
and Messrs. S. b. Adams and r. r.
Richards for the defendant The state held
that on Nov. last Justice Sheftall illegally
$ tiled case against three negroes, Charles
! Lawson, James A Long and Daniel +. God
frey, charged with keeping gaming house,
| by entering on bis docket that the defendants
were discharged on examination Nov. 8,
| 1887, on motion Of G.. E. Bevans, attorney
| for defendants. The state sought TO prove
that there had been collision between
ShettaL, Bevans aud officers Nathans and
| WetherhOrn. Also that the prosecuting
witness, J. G. Jefferson alias Joe Dunk, was
a man of straw
Godfrey's testimony was to the effect that
he and Lawson kept a bar, and that thoy
! were notified to come up 10 Justice Shelf
| airs office, where they were told by Officers
Nathans and Wetherhorn that man had
reported the loss Of 800 in Godfrey & Law
| sons place, and that the man would not
| prosecute if half Of the money was re-
! funded; that thereafter be and Lawson
raised the money; that the witness had
never gone back TO the Justices office; had
not employed Bevans, and did not know
| MN until the matter came up before the
grand jury; that he did not know J. c.
Jefferson; that Joe Dunk had gambled in
| their place aud had lost as much as 30 cents
at time, and that he had always known
him as Joe Dunk until he heard him called
| j oe jefferson when the matter came I'D be-
| fore the grand jury.
The testimony OF James A. Long, bar
| tender for Godfrey az Lawson, was in sub
stance that he had never employed Bevans,
| never appeared in Sheftalls court for an
examination, and never knew Joe Dunk to
be called Joe jefferson.
AT the conclusion of Longs testimony, the
state rested. The counsel for defense. after
lengthy consultation with their client, de-
cided that as in their Judgment, the case
had not been made out, they would not
| Introduce testimony, but rest their case
upon the ex parte statement Of the de-
PENDANT. The statement was to tho effect
that in the absence of the prosecuting Wit
ness Mr.. Bevans, i'll the presence of Law
son, appeared for the three defendants as
| counsel, and demanded discharge which
had been granted That if there had been
any collision between tho officers Of his
court, Bevans and jefferson, it was I'M
known to him. He explained that he had
ting witness was named Jefferson
or Dunk. The affidavit was
sworn to by jefferson, the warrant
served on Lawson, Long and Godfrey and
returned by the officer, and indorsed by
Bevans as counsel for defendants Justice
Sheftall read telegram from jefferson say
ing that he would come and testify if the
money was sent him for his passage; also
an affidavit to the fact that he had been the
pro ecuting witness The defendant exhih-
tied and explained his criminal docket and
made an appeGl to the jury not to deprive
him of his office, disfranchise him and dis
grace MIN in the eyes of his family and the
community, on the testimony of two men
who had been prosecuted in his court for
gambling.
The argument was opened by Mr.. Richards
for the defense, followed by Mr.. duBlgnon
for the state, and was closed with an hours
strong argument by Sam B. Adams for the
defense.