The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-03-13
ISAAC WILLIAMS ACQUITTED.
TRIED on A CHARGE OF MURDER
ING HIS sTEPFATHER.

Trafic-He VIII Decide IL This
MOrning-More Policy Agents In
dicted-Judge FaIIigant Makes
Three Citizens.
Isaac Williams, the young negro indict-
ed for the murder of his stepfather, Henry
Williams, on Sept ;, 1895, put up the plea
Of self-defense before the jury in the su-
perior court, by which he was tried yes
terday, and verdict of not guilty was
returned last night about $3.50 o'clock.
Isaacs mother, who was Henry's wife,
was found sick the day before, and when
her husband came home he ordered the
boy to go for a physician. Isaac refused
to go unless he was given money with
which to pay the physician for coming.
This enraged the stepfather and precipi-
tated a row, Isaac being assaulted as he
claimed, with a heavy stick. Young Will
Jams whipped out his knife and inflicted
three wounds upon his stepfather. from
the effects of which he died the next
day about noon.
Isaac Williams was arrested shortly af-
terward and held for murder. He was
represented by Mr.. George W. Owens,
who made an able argument in his be-
half. Mr.. Fraser made a strong eonten-
ton for the state on the line of the in
dictment Williams plea was that the
cutting was altogether in self defense,
and he believed under the circumstances
he was justified in defending himself. The
jury appears to have agreed with him.
A Jury was not secured until some time
after the noon hour, but the case was
very short one, the evidence being heard
and arguments submitted within about an
hour and a half. Some of the jurors, it
is understood were for voluntary man
slaughter, which accounts for it having
been out for so long time before an
agreement was reached.
William Bassett and Michael Fox, for
mer subjects of the Queen Of Great Brit
ain and Ireland, and Joseph Angros a
former subject of France, were made
citizens by Judge Falligant.
James w. NewsOm was granted a COM
mission as a commercial notary public.
The suit of Nicholas Lang against Gu
gle Bourquin for foreclosure OF mortgage
on 200 acres of land south of the city
was announced settled and marked dis
missed from the docket.
The petition for mandamus by the Au-
gusta Southern Railroad Company
against the Wrightsvlle and Tennille
Railroad Company was argued before
Judge Speer yesterday by Leonard Phini-
zy. Esq, of Augusta for the plaintiff. and
A. F. Daily. Esq. for the defendant
The complaint is based on the allega-
ton that the railroad company refused
to handle cars of fertilizers and other
freights from Port Royal and other points
in South Carolina destined for points be-
yond Tennille, on the Wrightsville and
Tennille railroad or on connecting lines
south of it. The claim is made that the
Wrightsville and Tennille has endamaged
the Augusta Southern in the sum of $4,000
in that it has refused to accept fertilizers
f1,x ,Iafvs
S2.4O per ton the rate which is charged on
the same freights when handled over the
Wrightsville and Tennile, from the Cen
trail Of Georgia Railway Company. The
Augusta Southern alleges that it is
charged 2.76 per ton while the Central is
charged only $40 This ii Is alleged is
violation OF the rulings of the interstate
commerce commission, and the patrons
of the Augusta Southern have been COM
PEELED by reason of this discrimination to
have their shipments made by way of the
Central 10 the loss of the Augusta South
ern.
owns a majority of the stock of the
WrightsVile and Tennille railroad, and,
therefore, controls its management. 1t is
said also that the Augusta Southern has
been notified that better facilities for
the interchange of interstate commerce
would be afforded the Central than is
given the Augusta Southern. This, it is
stated, will well nigh ruin the business
of the plaintiff railroad company, as ii
will reduce its profits annually from $780,
900 to 100000.
on these grounds Mr.. Phinlzy urged that
a mandatory injunction should be granted,
compelling the defendant to accept its
freight at the same rate as that rendered
by the Central.
Mr.. Daily, representing the Wrightsvlle
and Tennine, fled a demurrer on which
the argument was based. He stated that
the plaintiff had no cause of action, and
that there was no jurisdiction IN the case
vested in the United states court, because
no rule or order passed by the interstate
commerce commission had been violated
nv the Wrightsville and Tennille Railroad
COMPANY He held, also, in his demurrer
that the defendant was not subject to the
rules and orders of the interstate COM
merce commission, because 1t Is Cfeor-
eia corporation, whose line Is wholly
within the state, and it is entitled TO
charge its local rates on freight and pas
senger traffic over it's line.
Both sides submitted several decisions
in support of their respective claims ana
the court took the matter under advise
ment. reserving his decision. He will de-
eide it this morning at 10 o'clock
Houston Cason pleaded guilty to re-
failing liquor without United states Ii
cense. lie asked for judicial clemency
nutting himself on the mercy of the court.
Judge Speer sentenced him to pay fine
of 500 and costs and TO spend one month
in the Chatham county Jail. Under the
United States law when defendant can
not pay his fine, he can serve thirty days,
in addition to his sentence in Jail, or to
the penitentiary and be discharged. Most
of the defendants who are unable to pay
their Sine take this course, and spend the
additional time in Jail.
West Johnson, charged with the larceny
of rope and other material from Fort
Oglethorpe. was put on trial. He is the
brother of the negro who was sent to
the Columbus (O.( penitentiary for the
same offense at the last term of court
Some of the articles stolen from the fort
are said to have been found in the room
occupied by the wife of the defendant
who is now under arrest, charged with
having aided in concealing the stolen
goods The trial of the case began yes
terday, shortly after noon, and will be con-
tinued this morning.
Several criminal and other cases set for
trial were postponed for few days for
sufficient reasons given by counsel inter-
ested
The grand jury of the city court is
still after the keepers of policy lotteries
and the agents who sell tickets for them
Five agents who make a business of
selling tickets for them were indicteJ
yesterday on a charge Of keeping policy
lotteries as, according 10 the law now
the agents are indicted for the same