The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-11-06
TRIAL OF THE HORIZONS.
THEY ARE RENAMED TO JAIL
TILL TIE MARCH TERM.

SANDERsvILLE, GA, Nov. 5.-The pre-
liminary trial of VIII and Fred Horton,
charged with burning trestles on the Cen
trail railroad between Oconee and Sun Hill
on Sunday night, Oct %, came up at the
court house this afternoon. The prisoners,
who have been confined IN the Jail at Macon
for safe keeping. were brought here on
speclaI train this morning, arriving at
O'Clock. The trial was set for 10 o'clock. A
bir crowd of citizens from ell portions Of
the county were in town, and the court
honse was crowded. Several prominent
railroad officials were in attendance
.Iustices Richards and Robson presided.
The state was represented by Evans 81
Evans. Harris & Rawlings and James X.
Hines The defendants were represented
by Jesse A Robson.
A RECESS TILL AFTERNOON.
After an hours psr,ey and delay the de-
Tense asked that the court take recess till
. O'Clock so that the prisoners could consult
with their attorneys. At o'clock the
state announced ready. 1t was agreed that
the prisoners should be tried together. C..
u. Thigpen, ticket agent at Sun Hill, the
first witness introduced, was closely ques-
TONED BIZ Judge Hines. He testified that
he sold tickets to the defendants on Sunday,
Oct %. from Sun Hill TO Oconee. He de-
scribed the appearance Of the prisoners ON
that day They had a sachel about two
feet long and fifteen inches deep. They
presented S. bill in paying for the tickets.
Mr.. Thigpeu had no change.
SEEN BY THE SECTION MASTER
VIII Horton went to Section Master
Osburn, who changed It, On his return he
asked that Macon and Oconee be stamped
on the tickets as they intended stopping at
Uconee and go on to Macon and Atlanta TO
visit relatives. Mr.. Thigpen informed them
that he could not do so, but told them that
he could furnish other tickets to Macon. He
then advised them TO wait until they left
Oconee ard buy tickets to Macon. The
witness described the prisoners and identi-
fed them as the men TO whom be had sold
tickets. Jesse Robson cross-questioned Mr..
Thigpen, but brought out no important
poinua The witness sold four tickets on
Oct. IS, two to Oconee and two to Davis
boro. He saw nothing Of the burning
trestles.
THE SECTION MASTERS STORY.
Section Master Osburn, who has charge of
the track between Sun Hill and Tennille,
was the second witness. He testified that
he changed SIS bill for VIII Horton on the
day mentioned. Seven or eight trestles
between Oconee and Sun Hill were burned
or partially burned, ranging in length from
the center. He was walked up by the hands
on the 2 O'Clock train. Jake Faun (ool-
ored) also brought him a note from Ten
mile informing him that several trestles
between Oconee and Tennille had burned
and to look out for the trestles on his Sec
tion. Faun also told him that he saw two
men, one with and one without a beard, set
ting fire to trestle between Tennille and
Sun Hin. Faun slipped around them and
made his way to Sun Hill. where he de-
livered the note.
FAUN ON THE STAND.
Jake Faun. the section hand, was the next
witness. He oorroborated MIR. Osburn's testi
mony. He lives at Tennille. He heard tbs
train blow for hands, and went to the depo
to see what was wanted. He learned tina
several trestles between Ooonee and Ten
mile had been burned. He was in
trusted with a note to Section Master
Osburn at Sun Hill, telling him what had
happened. and to watch the trestles on his
section. While on the errand he saw two
men setting fire to trestle. He recognized
the prisoners as the same parties. He saw
them by the fash OF the light. He got
within twenty yards Of them aud then left
the track, pulled off his shoes and made his
way to Sun Hill.
JUST IN TIME To SAVE A TRAIN.
On arriving there he heard the train from
Savannah to Macon blow. He notified the
train hands Of the danger ahead.
Faun was cross-examined by Mr.. Rob
son. He saw the men firing the first trestlt
from TeRnille to Sun Hill After the prison
ers had been jailed he became frightened
and went from Tennille TO Savannah t,
work. He was afraid that he would be in,
Jured by friends of the prisoners if b,
stayed about the scene of the crime. Hi
testimony was straight and to the point, al
though the prisoners lawyer tried 10 triI
him.
MIR. Holleman was the next witness. Hi
testimony corroborated the foregoing
Where the fires had gone out evidence wa
seen that kerosene. oil had been used TO
starting them. After the cross-examiua
ton by Mr.. Robson, the attorneys for tn
state announced their case closed. No wit
nssses were In troduced by the dsfense, an,
1t was agreed that the prisoners should
Eemanded to jail until the March term O
Washington superior court.
PROMISE TO PROVE AN AIIBI
The defense stated that an alibi would b
proved and that much testimony favorabl
60 the prisoners would also be introduced
A sensational article was published in yes
terday's Atlanta Constitution stating tina
II the Horton boys were turned loose to-da
there would be some shooting outside th
court house, but our people. nearly all O
whom are law-abiding and peaceable. reser
This slur as uncalled for. They favor Ca
law taking its course in every instance an
will stand as one man in upholding the su
premacy of the courts. A tremendou
crowd was in town but there was not til
slightest indication Of disturbance OF an
kind.
DRIFT OF PUBLIC OPINION.
The opinion Of many of our people is th,
the Horton boys will have a hard tin
establishing an abb. They went to Ozone
ostensibly for the purpose of continuir
their journey on TO Macon and Atlanta, al
yet Oh the next day they were found {
their homes near Sun Hill. No train ha
run on the road between Oconee 6nd Su
Hill from the time they landed at Ocen,
until they were arrested the next afterno,
charged with the crime of arson.
CONSIDERED SUSPICIOUS
This alone is considered suspicious
some, and coupled with the fact that the
or parties answering closely to their d
scriptton, were seen in the act of firing
trestle betu cen Tennille and Sun Hill, an
also that letters had been received by raj
road and express officials threatening
commit the very crime which was perp
trated Sunday night, Oct %, because Da,
Horton and his fellOw-express robbers we
not released from jail, is looked upon
the prosecution as a strong chain OF ev
dence against the prisoners. The sta
did not bring out all the evidence at
commend, and, the prisoners having il