The morning news., 1892-02-02
DICKSON PLEADS GUILTY.
TO THE OHIO PENI-
TENTIARY FOR ONE YEAR


Too Strong for Him to Break and He
Threw Himself Upon the Mercy of
the Court-Judge Speer Imposes a
Lighter Penalty Than He Would in
Case of Conv.ction-The Story of
Dckson's Frauds.
The case of A. J. Dickson, which has been
on trial n the United States court since
| last Thursday, ended yesterday by Dickson
pleading guilty and throwing himself upon
the mercy OF the court. He was sentenced
to one year and day in the Ohio peniten-
tiary and to pay fine Of 81.
Dickson was still feeling badly from his
Saturday nights illness and had to be
helped into court by Marshal Corbett yes
terday His physician, DR.. Wegefarth,
was with him. Dickson did not desire to
appear In court, but the physician certified
that his condition was such that the trial
could proceed.
AS soon as the court opened Col. Nichols,
Dickson's attorney, said he was convinced
that the case of the government was ire
slstible aud the prisoner acknowledged it.
He did not desire to give any further
trouble and the defendant threw himself on
the mercy Of the court.
Judge Speer directed the foreman Of the
jury to sign verdict Of guilty, which was
done.
THE PRISONER SENTENCED.
In passing sentence upon Dickson Judge
Speer took occasion to review his offenses
with some sound and appropriate comments
showing how great he had erred when it
was within his power to have achieved sue
cess by honorable means. Judge Speer said
that had Dickson fought the case stubbOrnly
to the end as had appeared 10 be his inten-
tiou he would certainly have imposed upon
him the extreme penalty of the law, eighteen
months in the pepitentiarY and $500 fine,
but in consideration of the fact that his
counsel had voluntarily pleaded guilty for
him, not more than one~half the penalty
would be imposed.
"As it is now," said Judge Speer, "how-
ever will reduce that penalty very large
ly 1t is, then, the Judgment of the court
that you be imprisoned for a year and day
in the Ohio state penitentiary in the city Of
Columbus and pay a fine Of 81. You will
get three months reduction in that year If
you behave well, which will reduce your
enalty to nine months confinement, which
is half the maximum penalty
1.-The court could have imposed upon you
a fine of 5000, but has put a fine of 81. The
court trusts that If you live TO come out Of
the penitentiary, which, in view of your life
and strength, you may confidently hope,
thet you will return to your family and
friends with the resolute purpose to live the
life of a better man, that you will no more
rely upon fraud and artifice to obtain the
goods of others; that you will endeavor to
become good citizen and useful member
of society.
"You need not despair-there is a place
and time of repentance for all, and
sincerely trust that this opportunity, while
a very sad one for you, will yet be salutary
and that your trial may rebound to your
permanent benefit. and your conviction as
we'll to deter those who have INDUCED In
fraudulent designs of a similar character -
THE JURY RELEASED.
The jury was greatly relieved to find that
its term Of confinement was ended, though
it had no complaints TO make of the treat-
ment while under Marshal Corbett.
1t has the distraction OF being the first
jury of any court that was ever quartered
| at the De Soto, aud Dickson was taken to
the Pulaski house under charge OF Marshal
Corbett, where he will remain until able to
be taken to the Ohio penitentary.
The history of the Dickson case is very
interesting one.
Dickson resided in Pierce county, near the
terminus of tram road leading out from
OffermAn station on the Savannah, Florida
and Western railway. A small country
postoffice was established at his house under
| the name Of Mershou and Dickson was made
postmaster. In February, 1890, be addressed
letter to Jaques & Tinsley of Macon
signed A. J. Dickson q Co., IN which he
| ordered on thirty days time small bill of
groceries, stating that they would probably
want more, but never "lapped" bills On
receipt of this order JaQues & Tinsley
mailed to A. j. Dickson q Co. a printed
blank to be filled out with q statement of
| tha M ~ ha m rfr o,,lt hai
DICKsoN's BOGUS FIRM.
They received in reply through the mails
letter signed n. l.. Stafford & Co., which
went on to say that they had bought out A
J. Dickson and that the new firm was COM
posed OF n. L. Stafford and B. F. Phillips,
the former aged SO and worth $500, the
latter aged 28 and worth 5000, and speci-
| flying the character Of property owned
| TIE new firm asked that the order
sent in by A. j. Dickson & Co.
be filed for them. The fact was
that B. F. Phillips was a day laborer
at so cents day for A. J. Dickson, was
not worth $25, aud was not 2l years Old
and Stafford had no property whatever,
aud both deny that they were ever in
! partnership. The Stafford & Co. letter
was proved to have been written by Dick
son. Jaques 81 Tinslev filled the first order.
| This bill was promptly paid, and an order
| for goods to the amount of 1850 was Sc 1t
on, and this was also filled. When this bill
became due, Jaques & Linsley received a
| letter signed Stafford & Co. asking for an
extension of credit until the fall, and order
ing another bill of goods to the amount of
$50, promising to close up both bills
| by note indorsed by Dickson Bros. q Co..
another fictitious firm, and this was done.
Dickson then had his 15-vear-old son, NJ
NJ. Dickson, order a bill of goods from
Jaques q Tinsley and gave Stafford & Co.
| as reference, and when the latter was writ
| ten to- they, or rather A. j. Dickson under
that name, replied that NJ. NJ. Dickson was
a good business man, % or "a years of age,
and worth 81, 200 clear of ali debt, and good
for all he would buy. This order for such a
choice customer was also filed. These bills
were never paid.
A GENERAL RUN OF RAsCALITY.
Similar schemes were worked by Dickson,
under the name Of Stafford &C Co., upon
| the Chattanooga saw works, from which
a S215 saw-nill outfit was obtained. The
| w. l.. Douglass IS shoe company, Of Bos-
| ton, was touched for an invoice Of shoes.
| The Savannah Brewing Company was
| worked to the extent OF about $500 worth
| of beer and a Macon Wholesale whisky
| house was stuck for a barrel of whisky,
| which, TO use the language Of stafford &
| Co." was wanted "for one of our best Gus
| TONERS to use at the election to carry the
negro vote" All these frauds were per-
| petrated by use of the mails.
- =