The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1889-04-23
STOLE A MARCH ON HIN.
ATTORNEY. GENERAL PETERS FINDS
A NEW SOURCE OF WONDER.
Stealing Away While a Legal Adversary
Addressed a Jury, aud Realizes Whom
II Is Too Late That tho Enoot Had
Been Made and His Case Lost.

Eloqencc Il no, always was,cd,on a. Jury,
and has frequently been known TO win
where the evidence failed TO pan out u
ilear-cut case for the fortunate side.
This was demonstrated In the Criminal
Court yesterday, aud Attorney General
Peters is still wondering how Il all came
about.
rKAL's readers were entertained for two
consecutive minutes by the reading Of an
account N bold escape from colorcd
Constable ola negro named George Black,
while being escorted TO jail. Black was
one Of two negroes committed by Justice
Cole. Of the Thirteenth District, for bur.
glariEing the store OF one Williams, a col.
ord man, n n small landing on the river.
His companion was Henry Thomas, also
black NJ a double thickness OF night In
his preliminary hearing before Justice
Cole 20 the witnesses in the Criminal
Court testified. Thomas, either through k.
norancc or consciousness Of guilt, made
no attempt 10 clear his skirts OF the crime
charged 10 his account. Since his arrival
In Memphis and Incarceration, he has man.
ileslcd the utmost unoonccrn as 10 his fate.
When the Grand Jury eat on his case,
three true bills Of indictment
were Matched, two for housc-brcakng
and burglary aud one Tor assault
With intend 10 Kill. The facts In the latter
case from the best lights obtained. are
that when the robbery was discovered.
1homas was one Of the men picked up TO
participate In the sklrm,shing aci. IL de.
VOWED upon him, about the time Black
was brought Ia, TO hold the gun carried 10y
one oi the men. A u turned ont, ac.
coniing 10 the words Of the prisoner the
wrong man held toe gun, Tor be was boldly
accused by Back Of being not more than a
league distant from him when the sioni
wa dcploicd---in fact, Il was more than a
suspicion will him that Thomas carried
away some oi the plumber.
When Thomas was arnligncd Tor trial,
Thursday, Squire r. N. Winters was an.
pointed by the court 10 defend him. Ile
kicked out Of the traces. lest tie defend
ant be convicted and his reputation suffer
Ills Honor then bounced upon Mr.. j. T.
Settles NJ n successor Tor the Squire. Mr.
Settles first held a consultation with mn
clicni. with View 10 securing NJ least I
slight hold upon Whatever evidence lhcf,
was IN the case for the man. Eyer kif
Rt dc witnesses fer me by gwino down tod,
neghborhood whar doy lives" was ali ,hl
consolation the unwilling but rrsolut
counsel obtained; however. he did no
give az, but sat patiently through the OK
animation Of the States witness, alccfn
Tor every advantage 20 be had. ~
Thomas there were no witnesses Of con
sequence, and Mr.. Settles whispered con
hdeniially 10 the Atiomcy.Gcncral tha
may be- his client would get OF with fi,ec
years.
Saturday morning The testimony w
concluded. and Il looked very much lik
fiiiorn yean would be child's play vel
dict Con. Peters felt 10 iicklcd over N
certainty OF his case that he employed n
time occupied by his legal adversary
spoech-inaking Ia pounding up briei &