The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-12-18
ACQUITTED OF CRIMINAL ASSAULT.
watkins Found Not Guilty in the An
ME MOseIIe White Case.

William Watkins, charged with attempt
ed criminal assault upon Annie MoselIe
White, a 14-year-od girl, was acquitted
by a jury in the superior court yesterday
after trial lasting the entire day.
The alleged assault was committed Sept.
II. Watkins was arrested the next
day and has been detained In Jail ever
since that time. He is a white man.
about 80 years old, of neat appearance,
and is ship carpenter, who came here
from Wilmington, N. c., several months
ago.
There was considerable conflicting evil
dence IN the case. There was some con-
hict between the statement of the giri
and the statments of the other WITNESSES
Tor the state. The attempt, according to
witnesses who claimed TO have witnessed
the anair, was considerably more Vio-
lent than it could possibly have been ac-
cording to her testimony. One woman
VINO Claimed to have seen the struggle
as 1T was called, testified positively as
70 watkins having gone considerably fur
Their in the matter than the girl herself
admitted was the case.
There was also a conflict between the
statement of the girl and that made nv
the defendant. According to his state
influence of liquor, and when he got off
the Belt Line car on Habersham street
the glrl got of too and followed him. Ac-
cordfng to her statement he followed her
after having induced her to get on the
car and go with him. Thus ii was through
OUT the trial and II was no doubt a most
puzzllng case for the jury
Some amusement was caused in the
court room by the examination of Mr.. A
n. u keefe. who was a witness for the
ueIense. Mr.. O'keefe wrote an article
some Tune ago which was headed, Save
the Child" and he has published in his
own paper on various occasions articles
WITH reference to such cases as this Mr..
Okeefe testified as to the bad Character
OF the mother of the girl
IN the afternoon the girls mother was
placed on the stand. She admitted that
She mad gone wrong after the death of
her husband, but she denied the charge
that she had encouraged or that s6a
nad any knowledge of the fact that her
enid mad done so. She admitted, how
ever, on one occasion that there had been
some attempt at improper relations be-
tween her child and a boy of one or two
years older. She stated that she herself
had lived a proper life for the last two
years, though this statement was com
batted by that of another witness who
SAID she had told him otherwise within
the last year.
Mr.. George w. Beckett and Mr.. ] G
Slater conducted the case for the defense
Mr.. Beckett made the leading argument
which was an able defense of his client
and Mr.. Slater made strong speech show
ing mat the 1acts as brought out did not
MAKE OUT case for the state Solicitor
General Fraser made brief argument in
which he presented the legal side of the
case principaily, 1t being apparent from
the conflict OF testimony that the states
case was not strong one, and that un-
der the circumstances he could saw little
in the girls behalf she being four wears
in advance of the age of consent under the
Georgia laws
There was considerable interest in the
case and the court room was crowded All
day long. There was not a great amount
OF sympathy for the defendant, and his
easy acQuittal was due more to the fact
that the girl as young as she is has ac-
CURED such bad reputation, IL is believ-
ed, largely through the announcement of
those who were in a position to have
thrown better influences around her. had
they been morally capable of doing So
Several attempts have been made to get
her into institutions of charity where she
could be given a home and taken care Of
but all have been without success, which
circumstances have of course lessened the
sympathy in her behalf