The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-05-25
BRIEFS MADE IN JAIL.
LUTHER A. HALLS LEGAL WORK
WHILE IN HIS CELL.

WHILE IN HIS OhAh
T,a Eastman LAWYER TO Get q Breath
ing Spell in Free Air-He VIII be Let
ont To-day on Bail to Go to Macon
and Prepare for His Trial-Halfs
side of the Dodge Csses-Ee Denies
That he Was Ever Intentionally in
Contempt Of Court.
l. A. Hall of Eastman, who has been in
Chatham county Jail since March IL, serv-
ing a five months sentence for contempt, i'm
posed by Judge Speer of the United States
court at Macon, will get out to-day and
will 90 to Macon to consult his counsel in
the preparation Of his case.
Hall was indicted for perjury in the
Dodge land cases, which have
been figuring in the state and United
states courts Of Georgia for the last sixteen
years. He has given bond for $1,000 to re-
turn to Savannah after the trial of his case,
and serve out his unexpired term, which is
sixty-four days
Hall served 10 the legislature Of
Georgia in 1884 and 1885, has been mem
Der of the Eastman bar for nineteen years,
and has a handsome residence at Eastman
aud wife and f1ye children.
HALLS QUARTERS IN JAIL.
A MORNING NEWS reporter saw Hail
in jail last night. He occupies a large room
on the top floor and has a table and other
conveniences. and he says he has been
kindly and CONSIDERABLY treated, and has
been permitted to order his meals from
boarding house. SO that he has not been
compelled to live on the ordinary prisoners
fare. His mail has reached him regularly,
so that his correspondence has not been in
terrupted by his Imprisonment. He
also provided himself with law books aud
kept up his studies upon points bearing
upon cases in which he is interested for him
self and Others.
Mr.. Hall said that he has no doubt of an
acquittal in the perjury case, although he
has only ten days to prepare for trial. He
says it is the prosecution of the Dodge peo-
pie which led to the contempt proceedings
and to the more recent Indictment He
thinks the press has not published all the
facts, and he gave a statement which he
said is due to his side of the case.
THE HISTORY OF THE DODGE CASES.
In 1874 George E. Dodge obtained a re-
straining order in the United States court
against Sleeper, Hall 81 Briggs, attorneys
in fact for the Chase, Colby and Croker
heirs, enjoining the sale Of lands claimed by
the heirs of the three estates, and also
claimed by Dodge, the lands lying in Dodge,
Telfair, Lawrence, Montgomery aud Pu-
1aski counties. In 1856 the injunction was
made perpetual. Mr.. Hall says he there
upon deposited the power Of attorney with
the clerk of the United States court at
Macon, and since that time he has sold none
of the disputed lands.
The animus Of the suits against him Mr..
Hall explained by saying that Mr.. Dodge
has been In constant litigation with the
people of the counties named over land
titles, and as he has represented a great
many of them, and won every case for his
clients in the superior courts, aud advised
his clients that titles by Dodge were of no
validity, Norman W. Dodge, to whom Geo.
Z. Dodge sold out, brought attachments
against him in the United States court for
violating the injunction.
PREPARED HIS CASE IN JAIL.
Mr.. Hall says that since be has been in
Jail here he prepared his brief in one of
these cases, where Mr.. Dodge has appealed
from an adverse verdict in the superior
court of Telfair county. II have sold no
property of the estates in violation of the
Injunction raid MIR. Hall, ''and the most
which can be said is that the alleged viola
ton consists in the advice have given nv
clients as to the invalidity of the Dodge
titles, which opinion the state courts thus
far have unbrokenly sustained.
Il have now been indicted for perjury. in
that | swore that had made no title to any
of the lands in dispute. Nor have |, and
any one who says have is guilty of utter
ing a falsehood. A colored man by the
name of Judge Goodwin was brought nm to
prove that had given him a title, and he
swore to the contrary. The witness was.
however, kept in custody for day or
two, and then put on the stand
and swore had given him a
title, and as they had no documentary evil
dence none could be edduced to establish the
changed statement. Another negro was
introduced who swore that he saw the deed
slipped into the outside pocket of my valise.
Now, there is the valise," said Mr., Hall.
pointing to valise on a cot Ia the room
land, as you can see, there is no pocket of
the kind to it.
NEVER INTENTIONALLY IN CONTEMPT.
II have never been Intentionally guilty
of contempt of court, and I cannot Be ex-
cept in my construction of the injunction.
have not thought l was enjoined from
witnessing deeds drawn up by others. or in
giving advice as counsel TO clients seeking
my advice as to the validity of the
Dodge titles, and while l was denied
a statement in Macon. do not
feel that my character will be affected at
home by the prosecutions of the Dodge peo-
pie. My two brothers promptly gave
$4,000 bond that would return and serve
out my jail sentence in the contempt pro-
ceedings, and certainly that is very heavy
bond to be given to insure my serving out
sixty-four days more"
MIR. Hall says he thinks that he has gained
flesh since he has been in jail, and takes his
imprisonment good naturally, believing
that in the end he will come out all right.
In fact, he may move for remittance Of a
portion of the time.