The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-04-18
EAST POINT RIOT CASES.
E. G. BRuFFRY, TIE NEWSPAPER
MAN, PUT ON TRIAL

a Colored Victims Testimony - a
Newspaper Man Refuses to Testify
Belief that Bruffey Will be Acqult-
ted and Used as Witness-Fhe
Fruit Growers Convention Comes
TO an unexpscted Conclusion.
ATLANTA. GA, April 1.-THE trial OF
the East Point riot cases began to-day. E.
c. Bruffey, the newspaper man, was the
!. first srraigned. Arnold Jones, an old negro,
testified that the whipping party drove up
70 his house in their buggies after he had
retired. He answered a knock at the door.
thinking his son was asking admission. He
confronted instead two white men, who or
dered him to strike light. He obeyed,
and they made inquiries concerning the
negro Conley, who was supposed to have
been the ring-leader in the troubles Of the
day. He said he knew nothing of Conley,
but they insisted that they would
have a better answer, They then called
for buggy whip, and taking him into the
yard administered about thirty or forty
Iashes, each Of which took away the hide.
During the whipping the rest OF the party
gathered around with Winchester rifles.
They were so thick that no matter which
way he turned his head a muzzle was al
WAYS pointed in his face. Finally the party
was satisfied and left him. Before going
far they met his son and another negro,
whom they whipped also. be did not think
he would be able to recognize any
of the marty with the eX-
ception Of the man who used the whip.
He could not tell his name, but thought he
could identify him. His daughter recog-
nized one of the parties. There was a SIN
gle negro, mulatto, with the white men.
After the whipping he had moved away at
once. He had once returned to his old
home, but only long enough to get his
things
WOULDN'T TESTIFY.
Glenn Waters. reporter. was sent TO
East Point on the night Of the riot Four
teen negroes were said TO have been whipped
TO get the news of the trouble which the
'darkies raised there that day. He was with
Bruffey all the time and did what Bruhey
did, consequently he threw himself on his
statutory privilege and refused to answer
questions which might tend TO crlmlnate
him. Nothing could be gotten out of this
witness.
Counsel for the prosecution read news
paper article detailing the whipping OF the
negroes. 1t bore E. c. Bruffey's signature
The attorney pronounced it a pT'inlG 5dcie
confession, and sought to introduce it in
GF4UeQCS. AZ uhh0 Dccu WIlbbcu
By one present, If not aiding and abetting.
The solicitor general stated that he would
prove that Bruffey had acknowledged under
oath that he furnished the whip to a man
who asked him for it, though he did not
know who the man was. II this were true
Bruffey, in furnishing the instrument of
torture had adopted the act of him to whom
he furnished it.
Judge Clarke ruled out the newspaper. A
strong impression exists here that Bruffey
Will not be convicted, but that the prosecu-
ton hopes by trying him to procure evil
dence and corner him as o witness to be
used against the others.
THE FRUIT GROWERS.
The fruit growers convention came to
an unexpected close this afternoon They
met here with the idea of forming an asso-
citation to combine and concert fruit ship
ments, SO as to secure better and quicker
transportation, but the idea was abandoned.
Delegates from the Middle Georgia Ship
pers' Union, the Georgia Fruit and Vegeta-
BILE Exchange, and various other kindred
organizations, were present. Judge John
ID. Cunningham presided. An order
of business was agreed upon, and a cam
mittee on permanent organization ap-
pointed. The rest of the forenoon was given
TO the discussion of the benefits of co-opera-
tion, concentration of shipments, cold stor-
age, and packages and acreages. A number
of railroad men were also heard FROM who
told what their respective lines would agree
to do for the shippers.
FAILED TO AGREE.
At the afternoon session the committee
on permanent organization made their
report, which was adopted by substitute, as
follows: "That an executive committee be
appointed to procure a charter for a COM
pany to be known as the Georgia CONSOLE
dated Fruit Shippers Union" J. d. Cum
bingham, Jr., of Orchard Hin stated that he
mad been inquiring into the movements of
the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Exchange,
represented in the convention by President
Nisbet, and had concluded that it would be
best not to establish a new exchange The
other was state institution, already organ
lied, and amply prepared to look, after the
entire fruit shipping interest of Georgia.
he then moved to reconsider any action
looking toward the establishment of
new organization. President Nisbit
satisfied a majority of those pres
emit that the Macon organization
which he represented was free from MANY
of the Objectionable features urged against
it, and he extended a cordial invitation to
the members of the convention to unite and
cooperate with his exchange The substi-
tute which had been adopted was then
xeconsidered, and the convention adjourned
leaving its members free to unite with the
Macon exchange. Many have expressed
willingness to do so.
al