The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-11-16
TWO YEARS FOR oBSCENITY.
w. c. ETHERIDGE SENT TO THE CO.
LUMBUs PENITENTIARY.

Principal Witness Against Him Is
Held as the InstigatOr of the Of
fenSe-A Prisoner Discharged on a
Demurrer-The Special Commits
sfOner Given $3.50 Each for Seaiing
the Tybee RaiIrOad-The Court
VIII Conclude the business of the
Session To-day.
The United States court dealt princi-
pally with criminal business yesterday. It
is the desire Of the court TO dispose of
all the jail cases at this session, which viii
close with to-day, as Judge Speer is to go
to New Orleans. and, therefore, such Of
these cases as have not been attended
to viii be taken up to-day.
". c. Etheridge of Coffee county was
sentenced 10 serve two years in the peni-
tenIary at Columbus, o., for using the
mails In sending obscene letters.
Etheridge pleaded guilty to the charge
IN the indictment, and made a statement
70 the court, asking for judicial clemency.
He explained that ne had written the let
tiers TO mis- wife because he could not see
her, and had something he wanted to say
to her that could not be said In any other
was all deep-laid scheme of his wife 5
relatives TO separate her from him against
her wishes, as well as his own.
Judge Speer said the punishment of the
law would be for using the mails for the
purpose of circulating such literature He
said 1t was impossible for the human
mind to conceive of more vulgar, vile
or loathesome language being sent from
husband 10 Wife. The fun penalty of the
law Is five years and a fine OF 5000 but
Judge Speer made the sentence only two
years.
Alexander Hardeson Of Brunswick, who
was charged with retailing liquor without
license, was found guilty and sentenced
to spend one month in jail and pay a
fine of 500. The court suspended the SEN
tence, however on account. of the fact
that it was developed on the trial that
the real offender was the principal wit
ness against Hardeson, namely, A. ID. Jor-
dan, who was the owner of the liquor
that Jordan be arrested and carried be-
fore United States Commissioner NJ. A.
Connolly, who held him on the charge
In the order of court Jordan was pro-
nounced the chief instigator of the Of
Tense. Hardeson was defended by Mr.
Francis p. Salas.
Nelson simmons was found guilty Of
having IN his possession a counterfeit
silver dollar and was recommended to
the extreme mercy of the court, in view of
which Judge Speer said he would SEN
tence him to only one year and one day
in the United States penitenuary at Co
lumbus, o., though the highest penalty
Of the law, was ten years. He was de-
tended by Mr.. Francis =. Salas.
Q. r. Simmons of Thomasville charged
with personating a United States officer,
got off on account of the fact that the
him. MeSsrs. NicOlsOn a Mcclellan, his
attorneys, filed demurrer to the indict-
ment on the ground that the facts set
forth in the Indictment did not consti-
tute an offense against the laws of the
United States, and the court sustained the
demurrer and quashed the Indictment.
Prince Hargrove of Emanuel county
| pleaded guilty to the charge of Illicit dis
! filling of liquors, but sentence was sus-
pended on account of the long time he
has already spent in Jail.
Il
The report of the special commissioners
| appointed to sell the Tybee railroad,
/ Messrs. John Screven and j. n. Talley,
/ showed they had sold the property 10
4 Messrs. Thomas and Ryan for $4,000 was
received and their application for reason
/ aple ana proper compensation consider
| ed. The special commissioners were au-
| thorized and empowered to pay them
/ selves $3.50 each from the cash in hand
/ as part of the proceeds of the sale.
The intervention of ]. S. Virgins in
! the Central railroad litigation was dis
/ missed without prejudice to the trans
fierce Of the judgment. The interven-
tons Of j. King and j. II. Rhodes were
/ ordered referred to the master for a re-
! port within twenty days.
In the matter of the Intervention of the
/ Pullman Palace Car Company Judgment
/ was rendered in favor of the plaintiff for
$7l6.& principal and $259.19 interest.
Messrs. Francis P. salas and Walter c.
! Hartridge, two prominent members of the
! Savannah bar, were admitted to practice
/ in the United States court. Both have
practiced in the state courts for three
years or more, therefore were admitted
without examination; Mr.. Salas appear
ed as attorney for. the defendant in two
criminal cases before the court yester-
day.
The attendants upon the United States
courts are telling a good one on the dep
uty clerk, Mr.. S. F. B. Gillespie.
"Mr. Clerk, please swear the witness, .
! Judge Speer said, as a witness in a Grim
| inal case took the stan1
You do solemnly swG1r," began the
clerk, that the questions propounded to
you by the court shall be the truth, the
whole
why Mr., Clerk, you are swearing the
court, instead of the witness" said the
Judge, ana Ter "a !, moment ls II was evident
/ it. Mr.. Gillespie in repeat ting the oath to
the witness had omitted the words an
! swers to- before questions.