The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-03-28
TO JAIL AND PENITENTIARY.
sALTER AND HIS PARTNERS SEN
FENCED BY JUDGE SPEER.

ham County Jail and VIII Then
Go 10 Columbus, Ohio, and Learn
the Lock step-What Judge Speer
said in Sentencing Them-NO Room
for Green Goods in Georgia as the
Offenders viii Certainly De
Caught-W. :. johnson Makes
Statement with Regard TO His In
terest in the Case.
Judge Speer sentenced II. K. Salter,
George II. Fletcher and W. S. johnson
yesterday morning at 10 o'clock. when
court convened. They are the parties who
were convicted the day before of con-
spiracy and combination to use the mails,
and of using the mails in furtherance Of
a fraudulent scheme. otherwise known as
the green goods swindle. This is the case
which, as stated in the Morning News
few days ago, has cost the government
about $4,000, as it has been on the docket
since January, 1898. has been called at
four separate terms Of court, and there
were about 100 witnesses TO whom fees
and mileage had TO be paid.
Judge Speer gave the defendants quite
a lecture in sentencing them, and his Sc
verify seemed to be directed more toward
be the leader of the gang. On the con-
viction Of using the mails for fraudulent
purposes Salter was sentenced to spend
twelve months in Chatham county jail
and pay a fine of $500. on this same indict-
ment Fletcher and Johnson were given six
months each in Chatham county Jail and
a fine Of 500.
Conspiracy. however, is felony against
the United States government, and conse-
quently a penitentiary crime. Under that
charge Judge Speer sentenced Salter to
spend two years in the United States peni-
Tertiary at Columbus, o., and TO pay a
fine of $1,000 Fletcher and Johnson, on
this charge, were given each one year and
one day in the Ohio penitentiary and
fines Of $1,000. The sentence of the court
further provided that the costs, Of the
prosecution shall be equally divided among
the three defendants. OF course the fines
and cost will not be paid. There Is pro-
vision in the United States statutes where
ny II defendant is unable to pay his
fine and the costs of the prosecution
when assessed against him, he may serve
thirty days in addition TO the sentence
given him by making a pauper affidavit
that he is unable to pay. There is little
this case.
1t will be seen that the court did not
give the defendants the full limit of the
law, under which each could have been
sentenced to eighteen months on the first
charge, and two and a half years i'm the
penitentiary on the second offense. The
defendants Will first serve the sentences
TO confinement in Chatham county jail,
me court having told them that by the
time they become accustomed to iail life
here, they might be better able to stand
the rigors of the northern prison.
In sentencing the prisoners, Judge Speer
said
You have been indicted. and carefully,
and l think fairly tried, and in so far as
| am now able to say, properly convicted
for very serious offense against the gov
eminent under which you live, which pro-
tects you and bestows upon you a larger
share OF those blessings for which govern
ment Is intended than perhaps any other
government on the face of the earth
our ofTense was a very serious one, in
That II was intended to cheat and defraud
large number of the trustful and unsus-
pecting people among whom you live 1t
is scarcely conceivable that in this day
OF civilization, and in these times when
the Influences of law and religion are so
widespread. that in a quiet rural COM
munity, generally noted for the law abid-
ing character of its quiet and self-respect-
ing people, that three men of intellisence
could deliberately embark upon such a
dangerous and injurious enterprise. De-
tectiOn was inevitable. 1t is not possible
for any man to openly defy the laws of
the government of the United States with
out sooner or later being brought to the
bar of public Justice, and by proper and
lawful procedure placed in the linfortunate
and Notifying and painful attitude in
which you now stand.
Il take no pleasure in this sentence l
take no pleasure whatever in this specta-
Gle. am really very sorry for you, and
am especially sorry for those near and
dear to you, who will suffer l fear much
more severely by the punishment which
the law will impose on you than you your
selves Will suffer in consequence of it,
have deliberated as carefully as l know
how what should be the punishment in
this case.
LAS for Salter his offense is the more
aggravated of the three, and I think he
is a bad and dangerous and scheming man
who originated all this trouble and doubt
less brought the others into it, 1t is the
judgment of the court that on indictment
number 1879 he be imprisoned twelve
months in the common jail of Chatham
county and pay tine of $500, and on in
dictment 40 that he be imprisoned two
years in the OHIO state penitentary at
Columbus, o., and pay a fine OF $1,000.
with regard to johnson, am informed
that his health is very bad. He cannot
stay in northern climate, and, indeed
needs to go further south at this time
IL possible. l do not regard his offense
and that of Fletcher as at all common
surate with the offenSe of Salter, while
nevertheless, it is a very serious offense
Mr.. johnson is a man who has borne a
good character, he comes of a good fam
lily, ana Is man of influence in the
neighborhood in which he lives. His test;-
mony shows that he might have eXerted
that influence for good. 1t is adjudged
be each imprisoned in the common jail or
Chatham county for the fun term of six
months, and each pay a fine of $500, and
when that term has been served that
they then be each sentenced under in
dictment number 40 to one year and a
day in the Ohio penitentiary at Coum-
bus, o.. and pay fine of 81 600, and their
share of the cost of prosecution"
johnson requested from the jail last
night that he be allowed to make a state
ment in his behalf He said that he did
not tell the whole truth in court, beliey-
ing in his ability to prove an alibi. and
escape conviction. He said that in the
spring of 1892, Salter occasioned much ex-
element in the neighborhoOd of Triton.
Brookteld and Enigma, by protesting 10
be able to furnish green goods to people
who would invest in some Of not less than
$780, To raise this amount, two or more
men often dubbed together, and agreed
to divide the goods a. a fair ratio John
son investigated the business and met 7
9. Baker at Enigma, on the day he and
Salter had agreed to go to Waycross7 to
meet vendor of green goods johnson
said he accompanied Salter and Baker to
Waycross, and at Bakers request, gave
him sample of the goods, in the shape of
a 81 bill.
'.The green goods man did NOT n,,t 3, ., :,