The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-12-22
WIN. OUARTERMAN'S PLEA.
He Goes Up for Twenty Years for
Voluntary ManSlaushter.

A Little Conflict in the Evidence
Might Have Prevented a Case of
Murder Being Made Out Against
Him - Hunters Case to Come UP
Later-Frank Christie Gets a Year
for Larceny After Trust Some
Indictments Found by the Grand
Jury.
William Quarterman, who killed Joe
Davis in a drunken row at Thunderbolt,
Sunday, Oct. %, was allowed to enter a
plea of guilty of voluntary manslaughter
in the superior court yesterday, and was
given the full sentence under the law for
that ofense, twenty years at hard labor
in the penitent:ary
Quarterman's crime was believed to
have been murder beyond a doubt. The
coroner's jury which held the inquest
over Davis body so declared it, aud every
body who heard the detailed story of
the killing, expressed the opinion that it
was intended and premedita ted.
A LINK IN THE CHAIN OF EVIDENCE LACK
ING.
There was some doubt, however. as to
whether Quarterman could have been
doubt arose from the fact that some of
the witnesses stated that at the time the
shooting took place Davis was advancing
towards Quarterman, and Quarterman
told him to stop, and fired when he failed
to do as he was told.
The story of the crime will be remem-
bered by everyone. 10 began in a drunken
row, which originated in a barroom be-
longing to Charles August, at Thunder
holt fTbptsA fn1,s No ID
in the difficulty, among them William
Quarterman and Bristoe Hunter, who es-
pousad the cause of another negro, with
whom Davis had been quarrelling. Dur
ing the evening Hunter and Quarterman
went off and came back with a shotgun,
which was hid in the back part of the
lot just behind the fence. When the
quarrel had proceeded to the point where
Davis chased Hunter from the bar, Quart :
erman jumped over the back fence with
the shotgun and finished the work. 1t
was known that the shotgun was hidden
behind the fence, but there was no
positive evidence to show that the two
negroes went OF to get it just before the
crime was committed.
HUNTER TO BE TRIED LATER.
Both Quarterman and Hunter were in
dicted by the grand jury for murder, but
on account this of missing link in the
evidence the case on that charge
was not strong one Quarter
posed of, and his neck saved from the
rope. but Hunters has not yet been as
signed for trial. He is charged with
being an accOmplice in the crime of muir
der, but as the evidence shows that he
was running at the time. or just before
the fatal shot was fired, it is hardly prob
able that a very sJrolg case can be made
out against him on that charge He will
be defended when his case comes up by
Mr.. L. d. Rockwell.
PRANK CHRISTIE GETS ONE YEAR.
Franz Christie was tried in the supe-
rior court yesterday morning on a charge
of larceny after trust. Christie's case is
also a familiar one, as the officers had
quite little trouble with him before he
was captured. He escaped once out of
the back window of his house while the
officers were there searching for him.
He was arrested at the instance of
Jeweler A. f. Flint, by whom he had been
employed as so letting gent. The Of
Tense with which he was charged was
committed last July. He was 81 en- a
gold-filled watch valued at S2S for.the pur-
pose of securing orders for similar
watches He sold the watch and appro-
priated the proceeds TO his own use. The
trial of the case occupied nearly all the
morning. He was found guilty and
| recommended to the mercy of the court,
upon which recommendation Judge Fal-
ligaut sentenced him to one year in the
penitentiary.
INDICTMENTS By THE GRAND JURY.
The grand jury of the superior court
met yesterday afternoon, and found a
number OF indictments. They were as
| follows;
Shad Wilson, forgery, prosecuted by j.
| j. Slade Jr., for the unlawful use of the
name of J. T. Burke.
William Waddell, robbery, stealing 300
| from the person of j. O. McRae, Dec 20.
Tom Pritchard, assault with intent to
murder Foster Robinson, Dec Is, by firing
on him with pistol. .Pritchard was also
! indicted for carrying concealed weapons.
! Willie Jones, assault with intent to
! murder William Brown on Dec. IS by
firing on him with pts OIL Jones was
also indicted for carrying concealed
| weapons.
No bills were found in the cases of
Albert Washington, assault with intent
! to murder George Miller; Frank Best,
! burglary. and J. S. Burk, larceny after
trust. The grad jury was dismissed un.
til next Wednesday afternoon.