The Port Gibson reveille. [volume] (Port Gibson, Miss.) 1890-current, 1895-03-01


The Case Not Haired by the Statute Of
Limitations, bat Defendant Found NOT
Guiity-The Prisoner, demanded 90 Cum-
t0dy ON Account OF the Remmlnlnw Tn-
dictmcnt, Danced for Joy-The Jury
sterniy Discharged.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 25.-Capt. Henry
w. Howgate was acquitted yes
terday Of the charges of embezzlihg
Sl1, 500 from the government while
holding the position of disburinR Of
ficer In the United States signal serv.
ice, and Of forging voucher for that
amount 10 even mp his alleged wrong
doing. The verdict was rendered
about noon. when the jury had been
locked up nearly seventy-two hours.
Capt. Howgate received the an
nouncement without emotion. but
after he had been taken to his cell be-
meath the court room he danced for
joy in the realization that part of the
burden and anxiety OF fifteen years
had been lifted from his shoulders.
In accordance with his statement
when the court adjourned Friday,
Judge McComas entered the court room
shortly after II o'clock yesterday morn
ing. and received word imme diately
that the jury had agreed Some time
was spent in securing the attendance
of the attorneys in the case. Messrs.
Worthington and Wilson, Of the de-
fense, responded promptly, and at
noon Mr.. Jeffords, assistant district
attorney, made his appearance as the
representative Of the government.
Capt. Howgate was brought from his
cell and took his usual seat beside bis
faithful daughter, Miss Ida Howgate,
who was on hand promptly as usual.
Judge McComas had instructed the
jury to bring verdicts upon three dis
tinct points. The first Of these was
whether the government was disbarred
from prosecuting lIowgate because Of
the statue Of limitation. An affirma-
tive reference on this point would have
the effect Of not only throwing out the
indictments charging forgery and en-
bezzlement, but Of disposing in a like
manner OF all the other indictments
against the defendant and thus set
ting him free.
Clerk Downs put the usual question
as to whether the jury agreed upon q
verdict. and when Foreman Irsell had
responded in the affirmative. he said:
What say you as to the issue upon
the plea Of the statue of limitations
upon both cases upon trial? DO you
find for the United States or for the
defendant?n
For the United States, was the
answer, and Capt Howgate turned a
shade paler.
what say you as to the issue be-
tween the United States and the de-
fendant as to the charge of forgery
contained in the first indictment2"
continued the clerk. ''Do you find the
defendant guilty or not guilty?"
mot guilty" was the response.
Two or three Of the half-dozen spec
tators in the court room arose ia their
excitement and moved towards How
gate with ontstretched hands. but the
clerk had begun the next question and
they restraine a themselves.
"What say you as 10 the issue be-
tween the United States aud the de-
fendant as to the charge Of embezzle-
mcnt contained in the second indict-
ment2 DO You find the defendant
guilty or not guilty?"
"Not guilty" said the foreman.
Mr.. Worthington arose with the re-
mark that the defendant would be re-
manded 10 custody on account of the
remaining Indictment Judge McCo-
mas made no answer to the Question,
but announced, somewhat sternly, that
"The members of this jury are now dis
charged"
Howgate was then taken back to the
prisoners cage.