The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1896-04-16
Rrlght Snll a Prisoner.

Every legal means have been ex-
hausted in behalf of ]. A. Bright, the
alleged bgamis by his atorneya,
Suman e Dean 10 obtain his release
from jail pending his preliminary trial
to be held next Wednesday, but Mag.
istrate Davis stood firm to his first
position and Bright remains pris-
Oner.
Yesterday morning the motion for a
reduction Of bail wae argued for sew
eral hours before Magistrate DAYS
The defendant was present during
the fight for the motion. IL was
claimed by the defense that the $1,000
bail was excessive en- the ground that
the oflense was defined by law as only
q misdemeanor. They conteudt d for
$500 bail the maximum fine in case
the defendant was s4nt to Jail. But
the maximum penalty for the Crime of
bigamy is five years imprisonment in
the penitentiary
G. w. Dlllard, the prosecuting at
tornay, eloquentIy opposed the motion
bitterly deuouncibg the defendant Tor
decelvng the young woman with
whom he eoped. He ridiculed the
idea that the defendant was making
such q vigorous fight simply to get out
OF jail for three days ard said Sunday
afternoon would find tins hend hiding
behind the mountains Of Tennessee
and declared the motion an outrage
against weeping justice.
The motion was IT fused and the de.
PENDANT sworo out an affidavit alleging
that as the magistrate ha' refused to
reduce the bail the court was preju-
diced against him. He therefore asked
for change Of venue to Magistrate
Whitmire's court, but this was also re-
fused.
Damaging testimony to the defen
dant was received by letter to the
prosecution yesterday which seems to
prove coocIusively the charge of
bigamy The following testimony
will furnish the keystone OF the prose-
cuton's case:
GREENy1LLE, s. G., April l, 1896.
Clerk OF Circuit Court, Greenvile,
Tennessee:
Dear Slf-Will YOU please inform
me whom Nj J. A. Blight-who I'm
informfd is a native your county
married and when he WAS married
Please send me a certified copy of his
marriage license / am informed that
his father is q we'll TODD farmer and
trader Of your county BY SO doing
you will greatly favor the ends of
justice. Respectfully,
GEO. w. DILLARD,
Attorney at Law"
"P. S-Mr. Bright has been in our
city for some time with batch of
horses"
The reply was
"GREENyILLE, Tenn, April Sd, '96.
"DEAR Sir: Mr.. Bright is q native
of this, Green county, but was married
in Knox county, Tennessee. Address,
w. r. Cooper, county court clerk, of
Knox county, Knoxville, and he will
send you copy of license.
"Mr. Bright's father lives in this
county and is one of our best citizens
and farmers
"Yours truly,
"B. u. BOLTON,
deputy Clerk"
The following letter was received
from the prisoner last night and it will
explain itself;
"To The Greenville News
Gentlemen;
"If you will allow me | wish to ask
you kindly to make short statement
in your columns in regard to some ru
mors which have spread abroad in this
community in the last day or so OF
| WbtSu ~ bCCIIlS w DC HUM IuLu6TUuS
parties of this town and community
deliberately stand up and say they
have known me before coming tC this
town Personly 4 no ofm being guilty
OF what am charged with & / now
must say doe not no who these Par
ties are But doe say | defy Person or
Persons to stand up & say they ever
know me personly before coming to
this town 4 If there shold be one in
this town or county | would be more
than glad to meet him as I am always
glad to meet People who know me
from my country & will kindly ask
them to call on me | shall be pleased
~ NEE them and doe my best to en-
rtain them here as possible. I will
further say hope to stand before the
community Of Greenville on Early
date one known Innocent man of what
I have been rharped with & the Par
lies which have bten tho cause of the
trouble will rtil sta d rs they now
stand in Greehvill4
Yours trri,.
~ 4 FHIGHr'
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