The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1894-01-16
his hand and the bailiff opened court III
the usual way.
Colonel HammOnG'S Plea.


passed. | desire to submit a paper and to
say few words that might have been
| said in the ordinary course OF TINS trlal,
| had we deemed best to continue; but, unoeI
| the circumstances. it seemed to us tnat
it would be only waste OF time anu
| solemn farce" ..
Colonel Hammond then read an affidavit
of Dr. William Perrin Nlco!5oh. ,o IT, s siy
! or eight years he had been familiar with
the physical condition of Lewis ReuWl ,nt
! neuralgia, affecting his entire body ana
| rendering him unfit for manual labor ar.
Nicoson further stated tha1 hf ~ the To-
which made it impossible at times 1or Nun
to even stand without gtent pdp ~ c ennt
| fincment and would be increased by Lur-
ther imprisonment. proba bly, to, the extent
| of disabling him permanently. 1000
| your honor. l have had charge of all kinds
Gases Of All AID kinds haV Of seeres but
| nave made it a rule never to allow myself
| to enter into the feelings of q client lest
since this plea was entered yesterday l
| have hardly slept. We took the RESPONSE.
biity of advising this plea, feeling that nat
| the facts would incline your honor to act
as leniently as a judge can act under the
proven circumstances. We entered trial
that these facts might be brought before
''rhe fail of this young man has. been
| great 1t has been said on the stand that
| Atlanta. He was a trusted official and re-
ceived socially in the best circles. Today
he is criminal his career ruined and the
| portentiary waiting to receive him. Great
| God, what a descent!
1--WE ask that your honor do not curlulate
| this sentence but innict such punishment
as will give him a hope in life. He may
| right himself Other and worse men have
| done so even in the shadow OF the prison,
| and that he too. may right himself is the
prayer of his counsel and his every other
| friend"
Captain Jackson Replies.
AS Co,one Hammond made this appeal
| Captain Jackson shifted nervously in his
| seat and fingered a bit Of paper At its
! conclusion he spranG to his feet.
His eyes flashed and he vas
| evidently under the influence OF strong
| emotion.
III your honor please" he said in a deep,
impressive tone, "lt is deemed proper by
| should say lew words t. the court
| Instantly there was d profound silence in
| the room.
I'm February 1888" he continued, there
| was a bank in the city of Atlanta. 1t WAS
| known as the Gate City National bank, ana
| tory OF the government and ha0 the coniI-
| dence OF the people
| I'm that bank was a trusted official, pro-
| noted successfully until he controlled its
! financial transactions. In February, 1888,
| he eft that bank under circumstances fami-
| liar to The court: 1t is in evidence that he
| had for period of years embarked in a
| premedtated embeZzlement of the funds
| entrusted to him, that he had deceived the
| examiner sent by the government and by
| artful and deXtrouS devices so miSled and
| deluded the officials Of the bank that they
| returned erroneous reports of its condition.
| 1t is in evidence that this shortage approx
| mated half the capital stock.
| Il hold in my hand certain deposit slips
| on which items are entered amounting to
| within few hundred dollars Of the exac,
| amount of the shortage. 1t has been shown
| that he borrowed $4,000 and held out de-
| post certificates of $26. 900 to deceive the ex-
|
other $4,000 necessary to complete the total
default? 1t is in evidence that in borrow
| ing from other banks he requested large
| bills Where are those large bills? The
| bank is today wrecked. fortunes have been
| lost and suffering and agony entailed TO the
| remotest corners of our community.
! ION Thursday, February 3d. Redwine
| was noninaly under arrest. On Thursday
night "om Cobb Jackson died. On Friday
| the defendant was in actual custody. Then
| it was that he stated to the officers OF the
| bank that all this vast sum save E},o0o or
| $4,000 was given to Tom Cobb Jackson.
| when did the defendant file his plea?
| When the case was called? No, it Wa. atfer
every inch had been bitterly cont7s0 Nnd
every fact absolutely proven, witef' ~ sed.s'
! surrounded by the long arm of the law and
! conviction inevitable. And now he throws
| himself upon the mercy of the court"
Captain Jackson's voice husky with
| emotion and extending his arm he pointed
| his finger at the prisoner
| May it please your honor, in The course
| Of my life I have not been blessed with
| many friends. That man was one of them,
| and none more Valued-none more valued.
| But in the prosecution of the guilty some
| times the innocent are indicated, and if
! this has been true in the present instance
| 1t will be at least one satisfaction amidst
| the melancholy incidents surrounding the
| case. The duty of the prosecution is over
! and have only to say that pray that the
! arm of the law may be long enough and
| strong enough to reach all--all [ say--con-
/ nected with the ruin of this institution.
/ The wreck of that bank is marked by
/ gravestones." Captain jackson evidently
/ intended to say more, but he stopped and
! his chin sank on his breast 81 have done,'
/ he said with sigh and took his seat.
/ During this dramatic and mpassioncd adj
| dress Redwne sat motiOniess with his hand
in his pocket. Once only he glanced unea-
silly at the speaker, and after that studied
! the floor, his lips compressed, his brows
! contracted as in thought.
JuoGe pnrtiee Reviews the Case.
II had carefully considered this case"
said Judge Pardee, with q sort of kindly
austerty, before / came into court. There
are two views to be taken-both strong
From the standpoint of the prosecution it
may be said that this is a dangerous man
and deseI yes to be locked up for the long
est possible time. The deXterity with which
ne covered his tracks bears this out. To
my mind that accounts for the missing
$4,000 When the examiner counted the
he had $4,000 doubled in clearing house re-
turns and by similar manipulation he prob
ably made this $4,000 appear to be there
''But there is another side. Here is a
young man who had charge of all the cash
In this bank. He received but ST, 800 year,
and on this he not only supported himself,
but met the demands OF Atlanta society.
He encounters other young men, also prob
ably meeting the demands of Atlanta So
Getty who loan him $1,000 and $4,000 on his
check. He was tempted and naturally fell,
and having fallen naturally sought to hide
the fact.
II realize this, but at the same time do
not think / ought to give him the minimum
sentence under the law. The maximum of
ten years is designed to apply to the
of some high official of n bank who steals
its funds and perhaps ruins it. The mini
mum sentence of five years applies to, for
instance the errand boy who may steal
So RedWine is not in the last category,
and certainly not in the first. lie owned no
stock and had no interest in the bank, ex-
cept his salary. Under the circumstances
1 shall! fix the sentence at six years in each
Indictment"
RedWine leaned slightly forward at this
and a nervous spaSm crossed his face. He
evidently thought he had received an eight
een-year sentence, and it was with a look
of relief that he heard the judge go on to