The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-08-09
$50 OR SIX MONTHS.
Frank Murphy's Sentence for Tryin'
to Shoot an officer.


to Shoot an officer.
Frank Murphy colored held the boards
in the city court yesterday, and had three
separate trials for as many alleged offenses.
While acquitted in the first two trials
he was convicted on the third trial on the
charge of pointing a pistol ct Henry
Wethe horn, III the Office Of Justice Naugh-
tin, OF March 8 last, the jury recommend
ing him to the mercy of the court. Judge
Harden fined the prisoner $50 and costs
or six months on the chain-gang. w. f.
Morrison, Esq, counsel for the prisoner in
the three trials, says tho fine will be paid
On the date above mentioned, Murphy,
who was a Western Union messenger, was
arrested by Officer WetEerhorn charged
with receiving stolen goods from Albert
Merlno, a colOred porter with A. Falk 81
Sons, and ono i.andrum Cox (eolorod), also
a Western Union messenger, was arrested
on the same charge While Williams
beng the party who informed Officer
Wetherhorn that Murphy and Cox had
| been receiving goods from Meriuo.
According TO Wethernorn's statement,
when Murphy was informed by the officer
that Williams had reported the facts he
desired to bs confronted by Williams, and
while Murphy and Cox We're handcuffed
together the testimony of Wetherhorn and
Justice Naughtin was to the effect that
Murphy, who was in Justice Naughtin's
private office, reached over and
took from Justice Naughtins desk
| the revolver which had been previously
| taken from the prisoner, and pointed
| II at the open door of the private office of
Justice Naughtin about the time Officer
w etherhOrn was entering the door. and
Wetherhorn jumped forward, disarmed the
| manacled prisoner, and turned the weapon
over to tho justice. The prisoner having
been acquitted of carrying concealed weap-
ons, and also having been found not guilty
Of stealing silk handkerchiefs from Falk 81
Sons, efforts were redoubled to convict the
prisoner Of pointing weapon at Officer
WetEerhorn
The officers evidence did not seem TO
have much weight in the two first cases. as
on both the charge of larceny and carrying
concealed weapons Murphy was discharged,
the jury accepting the statement OF the
prisoner, not under oath.
Albert Merino Falk & Sons porter. testi-
fed that Murphy wanted him to get goods
cut of the store, and suggested sweeping
out package occasionally Merino OBJ
jected to the manner but not to the act. and
agreed to put up occasional packages IF
stolen goods TO be taken out with tho gen
erai city delivery, and he alleges that under
this understanding he took out one deZen
silk handkerchiefs, which he turned over to
Murphy, and I.Andrum Cox, the colOred mes
senger, who says that he is not guilty Of
the charge. Merino testified that Cox
approached him ana gave him t.
understand that he knew he had
brought Murphy dozen silk handkerchiefs.
and informed Merino that if he did not do
as well by him he would EXP. Sc the thievery.
Whereupou he took other things from the
store and gave Cox to hush matters up.
Aestno, who pleaded guilty at
the last term of the court and was
given twelve months, was brought
from the chain-gang to testify yesterday.
Willie Williams testimony was to the effect
that Cox had showed him two silk hand
kerchiefs and an umbrella which he had
obtained from Merino, and the witness said
that Cox and Murphy went mp stairs in the
Sorrei building to divide the goods between
them.