The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-01-06
MACON'S BIG TRIAL OVER.
ONLY ONE OF THE DEFENDANTS
NOT CONVICTED.

Lawyer Hall, Sheriff Lancaster and
Clements Booked for Life Servitude
Among the Convicts-John K Lam
caster and Louis Knight Convicted OF
Murder, But Not of conspiracy.
MACON, GA, Jan. 5.-The trial Of six
citizens of Dodge and Telfair counties for
conspiracy and murder in the killing of
John c. Forsyth at Nornandale in October
last, was ended to-day, when the jury
brought in q verdict finding all but one Of
the defendants guilty. The case, which has
been on trial in the United States federal
court, Judge Emory SPeer presiding. for
four weeks, is the most remarkable in the
criminal annals Of Georgia. The land
troubles from which it sprung began a
number of years ago, when decree was
granted in the United States Court, vestiug
in George E. Dodge Of New Y rk titles to
certain extensive tracts Of land in Dodge,
Telfair and Montgomery Counties.
HALLS CONVICTION.
Luther A. Hall, a lawyer, at Eastman,
Dodge county, was convicted of violating
this decree by selling lots from the Dodge
lands, under bogus desds, aid he served five
months for contempt On his release, last
summer, Hall ran for the legislature in
Dodge county, posing as a martyr before
the people, and meeting them TO Interference
with the Dodges in the exercise of their
rights to the lands, which had been trans
ferred from Geo ge E. TO Norman Dodge.
CAPT. FoRsYTH's PART.
Capt J. G. Forsyth of New York was the
Georgia representative of the ID jdge estate,
ard as such stood in the way of the land
grabbers. among whom Hall was a leader.
A conspiracy was formed to get rid of Capt.
Forsyth. Wright Lancaster, sheriff Of Tel =
fair county and one of the conspirators,
had ready tool in Charles Clements, who
liberty by the sberif's unlawful clemency.
Clements and Rich Lowry, alias Herring, a
notorious negro, were hired to murder Capt.
Forsyth, the price to be 5000.
THE RENDEZVOUS.
The house of Lem Burch, the man who
afterward turned states evidence, was Q
rendezvous of the assassins. Burch being
another tool of Lancaster who knew that
Burch had leased to others land to which he
had no title. On the night of Oct z
Clements and Lowry went to an old hut, a
mile from Capt. Forsyth's home, where
Clements waited while the negro
did the deed. Lowry crept up under
the window Of Capt. Forsyth's library,
where he sat reading, and shot him dead
without moments warning. A few days
later Burch was stricken with paralysis.
Only 5000 of the agreed price of the murder
was paid, Wright Lancaster refusing TO pay
his share, aud Hall contributing only 500.
The day after the murder Andrew j.
Reneau, an ally Of the conspirators was
killed by mob who were in search of Capt.
Forsyth's murderer.
WORKING UP THE MURDER.
Special agents of the department Of JUS
tice worked up the case, and before It we {
to trial Burch and Clements confessed,
Burch turning states evidence. The case
was fought bitterly, step by step, and ex-
cited intense interest throughout the state
The jury to-day brought in a verdict find
ing Luther A. Hall, Charles Clements and
Sheriff Wright Lancaster guilty of con
spiracy and murder, with recommenda-
ton to mercy; John X. Lancaster and Louis
Knight guilty of murder, and James Moore
not guilty. Under the law Hall, Clements
and Wright Lancaster will receive life
sentences. The verdict was a surprise,
mistrial being generally expected.
Lowry escaped and has new or been caught.
A government reward of of $3.50 is out
standing for him, and to-day Norman w.
Dodge offered an additional reward of
$1,000 Lowry came from North Carolina
and is supposed to have gone there. He is a
bright mulauto, nearly white, with sauint
eyes, sandy red hair, stubby, sandy red
mustache, weighs about us pounds, and his
hight is 5 feet 10 inches. He walks with his
head down ana usually dresses we'll