The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-12-12
a SMOOTH CRIMINAL.
julius Francis Goes Up For Four
Years For Forgery.

Years For Forgery.
julius Francis, a smooth, shiny, ebon
hued and rather neatly dressed negro,
was sent to TIE penitentiary by Judge
Falligant yesterday for four years on a
charge Of forgery, of which he stood con-
victed by the jury which took the testi-
mOny in his case.
Julius is known as slick criminal He
has been on trial in the superior court for
almost every Offense below his present
crime in magnitude, but this is the first
time jury has had a good show at him,
as in other cases the deeds were pretty
well covered up and the testimony was
not very strong.
This time, however, the law had it in
for him, and the state made out a plain
case Julius protested his innocence, and
had William Pease, Esq, to defend him.
He is a boy of about 20 or 81 years, and
while he has not yet that hardened Grim
mai look about him, he has an air of
nonchalance which indicates pretty well
THAT he does not care much what he does
lie was charged and stood indicted for
forging the name of r. s. Nell to an order
for goods to Alessrs Butler and Morissey
Aug. last. Mr. PeaSe worked hard
in his defense, but the Jury could not see
1t his way He argued that the order was
not IN Francis handwriting as Francis
handwriting was not at all like that of
the order on which he had been indicted
To prove this clearly Mr.. Pease brought
in Mr.. II. L.'RichmOnd as witness in his
capacity as an expert at identifying and
comparing handwriting He then told Jul
Illus to write few lines, which he did as
follows:
Savannah, Ca Dec. II ,lso3.-Dear Mother:
write you these few lines. hoping that | may
succeed and things fau In my favor. Yours
etc. j. c. FRANCIS.
The writing was in large round hand
while that of the order was smaller and
more closely written. The short note
was well written, however, and every
word was correctly spelled. The two
specimens were handed to Mr.. Richmond
and he was asked by Mr.. Pease if they
could possibly have been written by the
same person. To the attorneys aston
ishment Mr.. Richmond replied almost at
once that in his opinion they were
written by the same person. This was
proof conclusive to the jury. They were
charged, and after retiring returned with
verdict of guilty in very few minutes.
AS Julius stood up before the judgment
bench ard heard it read that he was to
be put at hard Ia Dor for four years in the
penitentiary, he exhibited no signs of
emotion, and walked out of the room with
deputy with a large smile on his coun-
ten&nce.
At the last meeting of tho grand jury
Ashley Smith was indicted by special
presentment for assault with intent to
urder Frank Iverson, Sept. %. 1t seems
that in q difficulty between the two Iver
son was cut, but he disappeared shortly
aftcrward, and the case was made out by
other witnesses. The case against Smith
was pretty well made out, and he was
sentenced to serve two years in the poni-
Tertiary.
Abram, alias Wiley Williams, who was
charged with stealing a 500 shot gun
from Mr. c. NJ. Cunningham, pleaded
guilty to the charge of larceny from the
house under the value of $50 and was sent
out to the Changing for twelve months.