The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-01-21
RoDEREQUE1 BROUGHT BACK.
After Eighteen Months in the Mines
Ha is To EnNa q Neru Trial

After Eighteen Months in the Mines
He is to Have a New Trial.
Officer Frank McDermott returned from
the Dade county coal mines yesterday
morning with John Roderequei better
known as "Spanish john" whom he
brought back to be given new trial for
the alleged murder of Harry Ennis for
which Roderequei was convicted July Is,
1897, and sentenced to the penitentiary
for life Roderequei all along has
stoutly denied his guilt, and his coun-
sci. w. w. Osborne, ESQ, has been
so deeply impressed with the demeanor Of
his client, and SO confident that he was I'M
justly convicted, that he succeeded in get
ting an order for new trial, and as Roder
equei was poor and friendless Mr. Osborn
obtained an order from the county commls-
sioners for expenses, to the amount of $50
toward bringing the prisoner back to Sa-
vaunah
Through the courtesy of Sheriff Roman
MORNING News reporter interviewed
Roderquei in his cell last night. The pris-
Oner is looking well. but SAYS he has been
troubled of late with rheumatism He was
employed in slope mine, going on duty at
o'clock a. m. and getting off at > 80 O'clock
p. M, except Saturdays, when the work
ing day IS an hour shorter. He says that he
saw Cassidy at distance of 200 feet when
he was brought to the coal mines although
he was unacquainted with him. Cassidy
worked in another NINE Roderequei
saw Cassidy's dead body when it was
shipped to Atlanta and recognized it, so
that it disproves of the rumor which got
abroad that Cas- Idly escaped and some other
prisoner was killed. ROderuuei SAYS there
are about 200 convicts from Savannah at
the mines. That no prisoner who is not in
subordinate has any trouble and as for him
self, he has never had any trouble nor has
an unkind or harsh word been spoken to
him.
Mining in the slope where he
worked has not been so hard as
in some mines where the vein is not thick.
He says that he has worked where the vein
is fifteen feet thick and it has been neces-
sary to stand on barrel to get down all
the coal after shot, none of which is shot
on the solid. the vein being so thick that
after bearing in, two shots are necessary to
bring the coal down.
When asked if he has any new evidence
to be adduced on his trial he said he had
not, but he protests his innocence and saws
that he had no such clothing on the night
Ennis was killed. There was an aroma of
doubt about Roderequle's guilt, as some Of
the witnesses who heard the two blows of
the cane and saw Ennis fall were unable to
identify R0derequei as the assailant, and
Mary Aston and Frank Aston swore that
Roderequei was at their home between the
hours of and 1890 o'clock the night of the
killing, "A period of time which would have
preclu6ed the possibility Of Roderequei's
guilt, as the assault occurred between The
hours stated The jury which convicted
the prisoner was out two hours and recon-
mended mercy
Roderequei says that he did not know
Ennis, had no spite against him, and his
limited knowledge of the English language
prevented him from making his statement
Impressive The principal witness against
him was an abandoned woman, Mary An
gelo, whom Roderequei says did not testify
truthfully. The prisoner is very glad to get
back TO Savannah and says he was in the
coal mines just eighteen months and two
days.