Brenham weekly banner. [volume] (Brenham, Tex.) 1877-1907, 1890-04-03
DISTRICT COURT.

ulscudI Seu'
State VS.. VIM. Leake, murder, con-
victed and given two years in the
penitentiary.
Phil Roberts pleaded guilty to
the theft of a horse and was given a
term of five years.
The case of Jim Christian, col
ored, for disposing of mortgaged
property, was passed until the sew
enth week.
Steve Maxwell pleaded guilty to
aggravated assault and was fined
S25.
One divorce case-White vs..
White-was tried, and divorce was
refused. Motion was Immediately
made for a new trial.
Friday.-State vs.. Judge VIII
liams, theft of a bale of cotton,
found guilty and given three years
in the penitentiary. This is the
case in which party of young peo-
pie returning from a party out at
j. Pennington's met the defendant
with bale of cotton stolen from
Harris platform. The negro had
hired the team from Lusk 4 Parks
stable, and when accosted on the
road jumped from the wagon and
abandoned the team. On the trial
he tried to imphcate Bill Hill, an ex-
convict. After this case was dis
posed of, the case of The State VS..
jim Williams, indicted for the muir
der of Max Bremen, q young Ger
man farmer, on the public highway
between Burton and Greenvine last
fall, was called. Messrs. R. L. Pen
nington and P. H. Swearingen ap-
peared for the defendant by appoint
ment of the court, and as soon as
the case was called a motion for con-
tinuance was made on the ground
of the absence of a number of mate
rial witnesses for the defense.
The motion was promptly over
ruled, and the work of empaneling a
jury was begun. Five jurors were
drawn from the special venire, which
still lacked several names OF being
exhausted, when one of the number
called from the list did not answer
and it was developed that he had
not been summoned. Counsel for
defense declined to skip over the
name or to proceed until this venire-
man was summonedand presented in
court. Hence court had to be adj
journed for the day and an officer
was sent out in quest of him.
Saturday-Court opened prompt
~ on time and the work of securing
jury in the Jim Williams case was
resumed. After the special venire
had been exhausted four more ju-
rors were secured, making nine in
all. The Judge ordered venire of
twenty-five talesmen returnable at
2 o'clock p. NJ, and from this list
the other three were obtained. Fol
lowing are the names of the jurors:
J. B. Guyton, VIM Mcneil, A. Fl.
Phillips, John Stokes, Jesse Muse,
j. A. Kirk, G. A. Engelke, W. II.
Fleig, A. J. Harris. L. F. Ammons,
J. Fl. Goodlett and W. D. Crockett.
After the jury was sworn four OF
five witnesses were examined, but
their testimony was only preliminary
to the main facts to be proved, and
developed nothing startling.
Tuesday.-The court was opened
promptly on time and the defense
resumed the introduction of testi-
mony in the Jim Williams murder
case. The evidence was all in by 10
o'clock, and the argument before the
jury were begun, County Attorney
Ben S Rogers opening for the pros
ecution. He was followed by
Messrs. R. E. Pennington and P, H.
Swearingen for the defense. Both
of these gentlemen, who were ap-
pointed by the court to represent
the prisoner at the bar, conducted
the case ably and acquitted them
selves with credit. District Attor-
ney Ragsdale made the concluding
remarks, closing about 4 o'clock,
when, after succiDct charge from
the court, the jury retired and after
celebrating not more than fifteen
minutes returned verdict of guilty
of murder in the first degree and as
sessed the punishment at confne-
ment for life in the penitentiary
The verdict was received by the
prisoner with an apparent feeling of
entire Indifference, while everybody
else appeared pleased, except posi-
bly, few who wished to see the ex-
IRENE penalty Of the law assessed.
AS remarked by one of the attorneys
in the case, it was the prettiest case
Gf the term is admissible) of circum-
stantial evidence ever tried in this
county. The defendant was in
dicted for the murder of Max Bren-
ner last fall between Burton and
Greenvine while returning home
with the proceeds of the sale of
some cotton. He was shot with q
winchester rife of A caliber. An
empty shell was found near the
dead body. 1t was proved that
the defendant was picking cot
ten for the deceased and knew of
the latter's going to Burton to sell
cotton. It was proved that defend
mi nu-,nnI O Il nn1;i,o.. -.