The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-09-22
A DAY FOR ACQUITTALS.
Judge MaCDOnell'S LGnienCy Not to be
Taken as a Precedent.

The Convictions in the minority in the
City Court Yesterday-The Practice
of Gross Warranting Responsible for
Many Petty Gases Getting Before
the Court.
The city court disposed Of number of
petty cases in criminal session yesterday
Judge MacDonell was feeling in excellent
spirits after his outing in North Georgia,
and perhaps that is the reason why the
acquittals so far outnumbered the convic-
tions. The fact that none of the accused
asked for trial by jury, but left their
cases to the discretion of the judge might
also account in part for the number
of acquittas. All the cases tried
were for petty offenses and some
of the charges were even frivolous.
Acting Solicitor General Salas was
quite crest fallen at the results Of the
days work
A verdict of guilty was rendered and
sentences imposed as named in the fol-
lowing cases:
THE CONVICTIONS.
Joe Virgins, larceny from the house,
- months on the gang.
VIM. Edwards and VIM. Dudley, dis
turbing public worship, each S25 and
costs or 3 months on the gang,
Otis Nelson, concealed weapon, six
months on the gang. Same for larceny
from the house, six months
T. A. Dean, who stole the coat Of the
cOlored janitOr from the court house last
week was found guilty of larceny from
the house and sentenced to pay fine of
S25 and costs or spend four months on the
gang. Deans wife and mother pleaded
so hard for him, however, that
Judge MacDOnell ordered the sentence
suspended during the good behavior of
Dean.
THE ACQUITTALs.
A verdict of not guilty was found in
each of the following cases:
Virginia Williams, vagrancy.
Anna Dixon, G. w. White and Alex
ander Campbell, gambling.
Otis Wilson, pointing pistol at an
other.
Abe Cohen, misdemeanor.
John Moore, assault and battery.
Charles Garrett and Henry Whitmore,
simple larceny.
The case against Jack Cox for assault
and battery was ordered settled and dis
missed
The case against Gussie Small for as
sault and battery was dismissed,
Bunion Clarice, charged with INSIDE
meanor. was found not guilty.
The practice to which the colored peo-
pie of both sexes are so greatly inclined
of ''warranting" each other upon the
slightest proYocation is responsible for a
great deal of unnecessary work which is
thrust upon the city court.
LAID TO THE MAGISTRATES.
The colored people, it is claimed are
encouraged in this practice by the magis-
trates, who always exact a bond in every
case, which costs the accused 50.
If two negro women get into a difficulty,
each proceeds to take out two warrants
for the other; one for assault and battery
and one to keep the peace, Some times
all the warrants will be taken out before
one magistrate, but, usually, each party
goes to a different magistrate. The result
is that the two magistrates collect So
apiece. If the case appears to be any
ways serious, the magistrates turn the
parties over to the city or superior court,
but, in the majority of instances, the
cases are marked, settled upon payment
of COSTS" and the higher courts never
hear of them. 1t is all grist that comes
to the magistrates mills. 1t is this prac-
tice of the magistrates which the solicitor
general has complained of recently, and
which he has evinced some intention of
breaking up.