The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-03-26
TEN YEATS AT HARD LABOR.
,.,dsu Reed to Go to the Peniten-
tiary for a Decade.

,.,dsu Reed to Go to the Peniten-
tiary for a Decade.
psndsu Reed, the negro who shot
rs.Iricb Bockelman in, Fehrenkamp's store
the Augusta road, Jan. %, in en- attempt
commit a highway robbery with a white
.,r,nanion named Scott, was tried and con-
-;,tsd in the superior court yesterday of an
iii with intent TO murder. Reed was
5-fa1ded bv F. r. Walker, Esq. of Atlanta,
~ " E. Morrison and t. s. Morgan, Jr.
o. Rorkein1an was the first witness for the
tote He detailed the circumstances of the
sfFair substantially as was published in the
MORNING News at the time of the shooting.
NJ identified Reed as his assailant.
Detective WetherhOrn testified as to tn 9
.--ast Of Reed and Scott. and how he had
-sIaased the latter after Reed had made
Confession generating him from completely
in The affair. Detective Wetherhorn said
,het when he arrested Scott the man was
shutting blood and appeared to be suffering
from consumption, and 1t was not until he
rad released him that he discovered the
sDitting of the blood came from the wound
he had received from one of the Germans.
The only evidence offered by the defense
was the prisoners statement. Reed de-
tailed how he met the two white men on
the road by appointment to do job of
work. The men he said, asked him in to
have a drink, and he took cigar. Oae of
the white men pulled out a $50 bill to
nav for the things, and as tehrenkamp
turned TO get change the man drew pistol
and ordered him to hold up his hands, and
then began firing. As he saw Fehrenkamp
fall he ran out. Reed denied that he had
anything to do with the shooting and was
very anxious to impress the jury with the
fact that he was man of good character,
and that his attorney, MIR. Walker, could
testify to this.
Attorney Walker opened the case for the
defense by stating the position that would
be taken to prove that Reed was not guilty.
He said he would ask for an Rcquittal be-
cause of the peculiar circumstances sur
rounding the case, as his client had, in
fact. nothing to do with the shooting and
simply happened to be there accidentally.
Solicitor General Fraser followed in a
vigorous argument for the state. He said
the state was unfortunate in not having be-
fore the bar of justice the white man who
accompanied Reed in the murderous at
tack. Z be solicitor said he believed, from
the appearance of the hole in the coat which
Scott had worn, that the man was dead
and had already stood his trial before
higher court Under the law it made
no difference whether Reed had shot
the prosecutor or not. The mere fact Of his
presence with the assailant made him equal
" guilty, buG that was not the case the
state was trying to make out. Reed had
been identified by Bockelman as the man
who had shot him, and Detective Wether-
horn had plainly testified to the fact of
Bockelman's having recognized the prisoner
the moment he saw him after the arrest.
He closed by asking the jury for a convic-
ton in accordance with the indictment.
Attorney Walker pleaded hard for the
acguittal of his client, and asked the jury
to take the prisoners statement under care
full consideration as he was q man who had
always borne the best kind of character in
Atlanta.
Judge Falligant charged the jury for
about fifteen minutes in clear and concise
manner and it deliberated only ten minutes
in arriving at a verdict Of guilty without
any recommendation.
As soon as the verdict was read Attorney
Walker requested Judge Falligant to allow
him to make a few remarks before the pass-
ing Of sentence He said that Reed was a n
old resident of Atlonta, where he vas
highly regarded by many white people, and
the attorney read several affidavits from
well known citizens of Atlanta, who ha d
known the negro since boyhood as a peacea-
bic and polite person.
Judge Falhgant replied that as it had
been clearly proven from the testimony
OF reputable witnesses and the prisoners
own statement that he had been engaged
IN one of the most murderous and high
handed attempts at robbery ever perpe-
trated in Chatham county he did not feel
that he could extend any mercy in the case
and would give Reed the full penalty of the
law, ten years in the penitentiary at hard
labor. Mr.. Walker gave notice that he
would make motion for a new trial.
Reed took his conviction and sentence
rather hard. He seemed to be utterly de-
spondent, and when he arose to listen to the
words which consigned him to the mines for
ten years he perceptibly trcmbled and cast
his eyes toward the floor.
Reed is said to be fine carpenter, and
worked on both the De Soto and Tybee ho-
tells he is worth between 81, 900 and s., OOO