The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-03-12
TEN YEARS AT HARD LABOR
Toll-zate, Keeper McCoy's Asssilan
Given the Full Penalty.

Isaac johnson, the negro desperate VIII
called Tollkeeper Frank Mccoy. Of the Yer.
ron she'll road. 10 bis door on the night o
Feb % and tried 70 brain him with q piec
of scantling for the purpose OF robbery. wa
convicted OF assault with intent 70 murder
In the superior court yesterday afternoon
and sentenced to the full penalty Of the laV
ten years in the penitentiAry.
The trial attracted considerable attention
and brought quite a crowd Of spectators 4
TIE court room, large portion Of whom
we're negroes. Mr.. Mccoy, the prosecutor
had tbs arm with which be wardsd of tn
blow aud saved his life in slIug, and tolC
the story of the assault to the jury sub
stantially as was published in the MORNING
News at the time.
The hat which Mr.. McCoy's brothsl
snatched from Johnson's head during
the struggle which followed the assault, wa.
displayed on tue solicitors desk, together
with the piece Of scantling with which II
was committed aud q murderous- king
"billy" which was found on Johns0n's per-
son when be was arrested
Attorney Kincxle hotly contested the case
aud for a hopeless canss he handled It well.
The hat which the state claimed johnson
left behind him was disputed by the de-
Tense.
A woman named Julia Jones, who
claimed that she was at Johnson's house the
night OF the assault, testified that johnson
arrived home at O'Clock and staid there
until O'Clock the next morning. She said
that johnson had only two hats, a red
Boston "dipOern and soft hat with Grape
upon it. She denied that the hat which
the solicitor had was the negro's, and wen,
into the witness room and brought back a
black fels hat which had Grape band. She
couldn't saw on cross examination whether
the clipper" had Grape upon it. During
tnat portion OF the Jones woman's evidence,
johnson held up aud fingered the ''dipperr
hat that the witness might see it had no
Grape, but it didn't have the effect that he
expected, as the woman didn't seem able to
see 10.
johnson. in his own behalf, told a story
similar to julia Jones', BE emphatically
denied that he had assaulted Mr.. Mccoy.
The burden Of Attorney Klnckle's argu-
ment was that the Identification Of johnson
was mistake. He intimated that Joseph
walker (coloredl, one Of the states wit
nesses, who claimed TO have met johnson
several times on the White Bluff road bare
headed on the night OF the assault, was him.
self the assailant of Mr.. Mccoy, aud had
taken the opportunity to throw suspicion
upon johnson TO escape himself.
Solicitor General Fraser didn't speak
long, brt be ridiculed the idea of mistaken
identity In view Of the positive
statement Of Mr.. Mccoy and his brother
That johnson was the man who had made
the murderous assault. The solicitor claimed
that the hat produced by the Jones woman
as the one belonging to johnson was a wo-
mans hat, evidently the headgear of the
neKro's wife, and brought into court as his
it happened TO have Grape upon t.
Judge Falligants charge occupied about
ten minutes, and the jury deliberated only
ABOUT the same time in arriving at its ver~
dict Of guilty.
johnson was sent TO the penitentiary for
year on charge of robbery two years ago.
his ohense was somewhat similar to his
assault on the old tollkseper. johnson
went 70 an old Negroes house. and, calling
him out, knocked him down and stole his
watch. The jury, at that time, convicted
him, with recommendation TO extreme
mercy OF the court.
Detectives Hanley and Morgan did good
piece OF work in running johnson down.
Minnie Lamb Gets Two Years.
Minnie Lamb. the colored W oman who
made deadly assault upon Sarah Matthews
with razor In Congress street lane. on the
night Of Feb. IL. was convicted of assault
with intent to murder, without any recon-
mendation, but Judge FaIligant considered
thst there were extenuating circumstances
and sentenced her to two years In the pani-
tentiary. The jury was out only about half
an hour. George E. Bevans, ESQ, de.
Tended the Lamb woman. Her husband
George Lamb, who held Sarah Mathews
while his wife piled the razor, has not
been captured Yet.
A motion for a new trial was at once
made by Mr.. Bevans on the ground that
the verdict was contrary to the evil
dence and justice.
Twelve Months for Ssabblng.
Floyd Brown (colored) pleaded guilty in
the superior court yesterday to stabbing not
In his own defense, and was sentenced to
twelve months on the ohain-gang Brown Yves
charged with assault with intent TO murder
James Maxwell by cutting him with knife
Jan. IS. g.
Wants $4,000 for Being 5calded.
William Dubose (colored) sued the Savan.
nah, Florida and Western railway in the
city court yesterday for S., 900 damages. on
account of a terrible scalding he received in
the round house OF the railway Dec o.