The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-12-06
sNEED's SOLDIERS.
Roberts Admits His Guilt-A Tele-
graph Clerks story.


! graph Clerks story.
ATLANTA, GA. Dec. 5.-The couFt-msr'
tial to-day concluded the hearing ia the
| attempted bribery case against Capt. Sneed
and other members Of the Gate City huaru,
and sd journed until next week without an
I nouncing its finding. The testimony Oh the
telegraph operator at Auburn IS 70 De Sc
/ cure1 in the case against Lieut.. Roberts,
aud then the verdicts will be made up aud
reported 20 the governor.
/ Private b. +. Myers. when his turn came
/ 70 be tried. Acknowledged hls CANT ana
| made the following remarkable statement:
/ 81 am guilty Of making an effort TO secure
! the programme Nhel l did it 1 had no
! idea | was doing anything contrary TO the
/ rules and regulations governing the military
! of the state | thought | was acting as q
| private citizen aud not as a soldier. This Is
/ my first Otfenss and | hope the court VIII,
as far as possible, overlook it." lie then
! begged TO be excused from further attend
/ ance on the court aud went away re-
| lieyed.
sSEED's CASE REOPENED.
But before the court got 70 him the case
against Capt. Sneed was reopened: }. l..
Piunket, one of the clerks in the Western
Union Telegraph Office, was shown the
message that went 10 Alabama TO h. +.
Myers, signed A. C.. s. He said il was re-
ceived over the telephone wire. The
memorandum Capt. \. q. 5, care j. u.
High, on the bottom of the message.
was put there to show whore the answer was
20 be sent, and to whom 1t was 70 be
charged. The witness DIDN'T receive the
message himself. lt was written III the
hand writing Of the telephone clerk, and
must have been turned in by him.
CoRRoBoRATED BY THE MANAGER.
NJ 20 ~
telegraph company, corroborated Pllnket's
statement in regard 60 the message having
reached his office by telephone. He had
been visited by number OF gentlemen,
who complained that the messages
had been given to the public from
the Office at Auburn. Ala. One
party had called to prefer the complaint,
and the other 10 learn the results Of his in
vestigation. The captain was with one of
the parties and the witness thought that
Lieut.. Roberts was also with one of them.
The witness said it often happened that one
person sent u message and directed the
answer to be sent TO another.
sNRED's EXPLANATION.
Capt. Sneed explained that after he had
been seen by the newspaper men who said
they were in possession Of certain messages
from Auburn, Ala, signed by
him, he went 10 the tele-
graph office to see about IL.
He denied having sent the message over the
telephone. He did not pay for 1t, nor did
he authorize any one to send it.
This closed Capt. Sneed's case. and after
Lieut.. Myers had acknowledged his guilt,
Lieut.. Roberts was arraigned and said not
guilty.
After the taking of some less material
testimony, Printer Rice OF Auburn was
sworn. He had seen a young man i'll Au-
burn on the evening Of the day that Lieut..
Myers left. The young man registered as
Roberts OF Cincinnati He remained IN
Auburn not more than an hour, and was
inquiring for Lieut. Myers and the printing
Office. The witness did not see the heuten-
ant in company with Ben Durkey, but saw
MIN with another negro. the lieutenant
made no effort to get the programme from
him, nor did he make any effort to get il
from any one, as far as he knew.
Durkey, the negro servant OF Lieut..
Mcdonald, did not remember TO have seen
Lient. Roberts until yesterday.
TIE TELEGRAM IDENTIFIED.
Manager Stephens identified the message
sent 70 Lieut.. Roberts at Auburn from "S ."
in Atlanta one bearing the marks of the
Auburn office, showing 10 had been received
there. II 1t had not been received by Lieut..
Roberts, or some one representing him
notice OF this fact would have been sent to
the Atlanta office, but none had ever been
received.
sPILLMAN's CASE.
Mr.. Spillman's case was next called. This
letter addressed to Capt. s. =. Gilbert, was
at once handed to the judge advocate;
ATLANTA GA Dec 3. 1880
DEAR SRI called at Adj Gen. kells Office
this moraing at 10 O'Clock 10 report ready for
trial before the court-InartA and was then
notified that the court would not meet until
tomorrow On account OF having some business
TO attend 10. il will be impossible for me- TO be
present, and | will have to abide the decision
OF the court in my absence, as / understand
they csntry MY case ia my absence as well as
though WAS present. Yours truly.
j. H. SPILLaAN.
TRIED THOUGH ABSENT.
The court then adopted what, under the
civil law, would be considered a very re-
markable proceeding. Ii tried the absent
A plea of not guilty was entered, and a
number of witnesses were introduced Mr..
Rice testified that Mr.. Splllmau was i'll
Auburn, and had called at his office, repre-
senting himself as drummer for
an ink manufacturing company
in Atlanta lie did not purchase
any ink, and Mr. Spillman did not get the
programme He had seen Mr.. Spillman
talking with Durkey Saturday.
Durkey testified that ILan he did not
know came to him on Saturday afternoon
and offered him $40 for one OF the pro
grammes, but he was unable 60 obtain one.
The general impression is that Capt.
Snead cannot be convicted under the evil
dence.