Evening journal., 1890-09-25
SUPERIOR COURT.


Case Beard In Secret Session.
Nathaniel johnson pleaded his case
before the jury yesterday afternoon and
made a long, rambling speech He
made some points on the testimony, and
others not on the testimony He strung
long words into sentences and sentences
into hsrangue, and made some strange
deductions. he said the charge was all
spite work, and asked for a verdict of
not guilty.
The state submitted the case without
argument
The jury rendered verdict of guilty
after being out twenty-five minutes. Il
was discharged until 10 o'clock next
Monday morning.
In pronouncing sentence, Chief Justice
Comegys alluded to the revolving nature
Of his crime and his fragrant violation Of
the law. The court intended to make an
example of him and sentenced him to
five years Imprisonment. The prisoner
scratched his woolly head as Deputy
Sheriff Scott escorted him to the cells.
Benjamin Nields. Esq counsel for the
defence in case in which A J. Peters is
plaintiff to obtain the amount Of a prom
lssory note, desired to go Oh with the
case, bat II. II. Ward, Esq, counsel for
the petitioner, was absent.
On motion Of W. s. Prickett, Esq.
Charles Nj Curtis, Esq, was appointed
commissioner to take testimony in the
divorce case Of John w. Chestnut VS.
Mary Chestnut
The court ordered that the hearing of
the liquor license cases begin after the
manslaughter case, which win be opened
next Monday,
At A 10 o'clock, when court adjourned
three spectators were in the chamber
Three judges. three reporters. one pro-
thonotary ard five attaches were the
other persons present.
This Mornings Court.
Superior Court was to have opened at
3 o'clock this morning The Judges ar
rived at 8 Is and Crier Smith opened
court. Four spectators were present
No lawyers arrived for some time and the
space was occupied in inacton and an in.
teresting discussion of current topics by
the Chief Justice and his associates
The talk on the arrest of Barrundia,
brought out the belief that Secretary
Blaine did not know as much as ex -Secre.
tary Bayard. The presence of an hostile
armed force on U. s. Government
steamer. seemed unwaranted and one of
the main points in the dicussion.
This discussion led to a consideration
Of the feeling toward this country by
foreign powers and Chief Justice Comegys
| thought that international laws should
be adopted covering all possibl points.
He held that the best protection to this
or any other country would be a strong
navy, and then foreign powers would be
respectful The talk theL turned ia
Chief Justice Comegy's trip, aud be told
about the mummies he saw in the British
| Museum.
Charles NJ. Curtis. Esq, appearing for
William @. Spruance, ESQ who was
sick, asked that the rule recently asked
for in the Filio case be discharged. II
was done
McComb Divorce Case.
The attorneys in the McComb divorce
case came into court, Levi O. Bird and
George H. Bates for James G. McComb
Bradford & Vandegrift for Mary E.
| McComb.
The judges, counsel and Commissioned
John H. Rodney retired from the court
room to the judges parlor. where pri-
vate hearing of the argument was held
The commissioner had reported in favoi
of granting tbs divorce, but the counse
for Mrs McComb had filed exceptions
The argument was on these Occasion
ally sentence would float ont through
the transom. but it was not for the pub
lie to hear, be the public ever 81
anxious.
The executive session" was adjourned
for dinner. and convened at 80 o'clock.
Mr.. Bird said to reporter that tn
courts decision would probably be re-
ceived in three or four days.