Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1890-10-02
pRIon EOuAD Guilty.
Convicted OF 1nnh,Rughter 70
0arniessly Shooting Little Waltc


Garniessly Shooting Little Waiter
Ptukctt.
When court convened at @ so e'clucA
yesterday week, the case OF the State
J vs. Nathaniel johnson, colorad, charged
with using Mary Potter, aged II years,
for immoral PURPOSES, was resumed. The
State had proved the charge at tine morn.
ing session.
Johnson was told that he couId address
the jury, but he wanted II. o. Turner
ESQ, put on the s.and to teatiiy TO the
evidence given at the municipal court.
Mr.. Turner was sent for. He could not
be found and the chief justice told John
son TO go on aod speak to the Jury. He
made rambling but shrewd speech Of
nearly half an hour in which he denied
his guilt and denied that he WAS at the
house at the time the crime wss com
mitted. He then proceeded to show that
every witness against him, III unim-
portant details, such rs ages. had lied.
He said that although he bad retained
MIR. Turner to defend him at the muniei-
pal court he could not raise the money
TO pay him at this time. The state sub
mitted the case without argument.
The Jury were out 90 minutes and re-
turned verdict Of guilty. In pronoun-
cling sentence the chief justice told the
prisoner that he had been guilty of a
most audioioug violation OF the State law,
and also those of humanity aud decenoy,
and be would have to make an example Of
him. He was then sentenced TO pay the
costs Of the case and be imprisoned for
hge years.
On motion Of Deputy Attorney general
Davis the court ordered the release from
prison of Daniel Miller and Edwin jack
son. In the two cases Of the State Va.
Antonio Charles nclie prosequi was en-.
tered.
On motion OF W. 8. Prickett, Esq,
Charles IA. Curtis, Hsq., was appointed
commissioner to take testimony il tho
divorce case of John W. Chestnut VS..
Mary Chestnut
Benjamin Nielda, Esq, counsel for the
defendant in the case OF A. j. Peters VS.,
Slyera' Brothers. suit to cullect note
OF Sll5, made byief argument.
The iury was discharged until lest
Monday, and court adjourned until 0
O'Clock Thursday morning.
private hearing OF Arguments on the
exceptions to the finding OF the commits
sioDer in the McOomb divorce case was
heard at the court house Thursday.
About 10 80 O'Clock the judges and
counsel in the case quietly adjourned
from tho court room TO the judges parlor,
where shortly after the voices Of counsel
| in Argument could hs heard. There were
IN iheroom Chief Justice Oomegys, Asso-
i ciate Judges Houston aud Cullen, Levi
@. BIRD and George II. Bates, Es1s.,
4 counsel for James O. MoOomb, and Ed
ward q. Bradford and Lewis q. Yande-
gritt, Esqs., counsel for Mary E. Nc
Comb. The courts page and one OF the
dooEkeepers were posted ut the door of
the judges pprlor, with instructions 10
admit 70 one, nor allow any one near the
| door.
The private hearing indicates that the
1 judges and counaal have agreed that tho
details that would be gone over in the
arguments are unfit for the public to
hear or read.
The morning was spent in prelimi-
nasieg, and the lawyers had not got
strictly down to their Arguments when
| the usual midday recess was taken.
| Superior court was opened IN the Judges
/ parlor at the court mouse on Friday, and
/ argument In the MoComb divorce case was
| continued. None but the Judges and coua-
sal we're allowed Ia the room.
The argument OF the MoOomb divorce
case in superior court was oonciGded on
| tsrdey afternoon, aud court adjourned
\ until Monday. Decision was reserved.
/ Oyer and termioer court opened Mon
i day morning with all fGur of the Judges
1 present, aud the trial of William r..
\ Pierce colored, indicted for msnaaughter,
1 was started. Pierce is charged with
| shooting and killing color6d boy named
Waiter j. Pinckett, on July 2ist, ia
barber shop, No. IL East Front street,
I while carelessly handling a pistol. The
/ prisoner claimed that tao boy was in
! possession OF the pistol aud accidentally
shot himself. Attofney-g neral Riggs
and his deputy, Ihcinas Davie, prose-
! cuted, and ne pfiBpntr was defeEdsd by
Uhar!eB u. Eyaps, Aag, On Nrgsigunent
1 Pierce pleaded not guilty. Tho follow
ing jury WAS drawn 20 try the case
I Samuel NJ. Crauston, William Simmons,
I CHARLES .. Duhell, Thomas J. Middleton,
Robert P. Burger Lewis J Graves, Hairy
L. stroud, William y. Cloud, William J.
I Smith, Jau,eg ii. Patton, barry IL. D.
\ Crockett, FrRuk Mclaughlin.
Mir, Davis, in opening fot the State,
said the case YVES pfUst 3Uted under
I special act Of tie General Assembly
making it misdemcGnor Tor p psrann to
| point loaded pistol or gun al another in
fun or Jest, end defining the crime as
granddaughter in the event thaG the
weapon IL accidentally discharged and
Kills the person ut whoa i Is no pointed.
4 plot Of the interior Of tie barber
shop where the shooting UGcuFfad wal
introduced in ey!Genos after an eS0lanR.
tiol BY Franz 4. CAgswell, the arcai.eo;,
Who prepared it.