The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-07-19
GRAHAM TO THE GALLONS.
The CONDEMNED MURDERER TO
DE HANGED AT THE JAIL FRIDAY.

Dyer's Case VIII Probably BE Re-
called and Tried Again at This
Term of the COurt-Criminal
Branch of the Superior Court
winding TO "A CIOse-The Magis-
trates TO BE Heard This Week FOR
Alleged Malpractice In Onice.
Next Friday is the day for the hanging
OF Bristow Graham for the murder of Ben
Wilson. The condemned man will be led
to the gallows in the jail at some time
between 10 and 2 o'clock.
This is a rather peculiar case, since there
seems to have been no effort made. as has
grown customary in recent years, to have
the governor of the state take a hand in
the affair and defer the doom of the man
by Communication or postponement
SO far as is known the accused will pay
the penalty of his crime without the
slightest effort at opposition to the courts
decree. There has been no motion for a
new trial No effort has been made to
have the supreme court interfere, so far
as has come to light, and the man who
shot another in a dispute over a game OF
craps in a back street will die with no more
opposition to the fates than If he had will
lngly staked his life on the toss of the dice
over which he disputed the fatal night he
committed the crime that is to send him
out of this world and into another.
No special preparations have been made
at the Jail for the execution, for none are
needed. The gallows were constructed
when the jail was built and the arrange
ments necessary will consist only in the
bringing of the prisoner from his own cell
to the gallows cell.
The prisoner will, himself, select the
hour for the execution. The law is that
he shall die on July 49, and no restriction
is made except that he must be put on the
gallows and executed between sunrise and
sunset. He will have the privilege to Sc
lect the hour.
Bristow Graham Is a young negro man,
who killed another colored youth, Ben
Wilson, while in the heat Of passion and
malice engendered over a game of craps
several months ago. IL was shown on the
trial Of the case that Wilson had made an
attack upon Graham, and that Graham
retreated and went out of the house and
to a neighbours where he borrowed a gun
and came back deliberately and shot Will
son. The law is that If a man commit
such a crime while in the heat Of passion
and while trying to defend his own life
in a fight he cannot be held for murder
but If there is an interval of sufficient
length of time in the fight for him 10
listen to the voice of reason, and then
kills his antagonist, the crime is nothing
short of murder, as it is based upon re-
venge.
The superior court will have a rush of
l.
that after the next week or ten days the
criminal business on the docket will all
be disposed of, and then will come the
civil business.
There is one other murder case to be
tried this term, and this win come up dur
ing the week before Judge Falligant.
It is not improbable that the George II.
Dyer case, which resulted in a mistrial
Saturday will, also be recalled for this
session of the court. and that 1t will be
disposed of before the criminal docket is
passed for the term.
There are several cases OF granddaughter
and assault with intent to murder before
the court. There are also several cases
brought in by the grand jury on special
presentments, holding officers of the law
up for malpractice in office.
Chief among these is the case against
Detective Godbold for attempting 10
bride a juror in the case of Belle Lucas
against tne + lOIlud central anu Geiln-
suar railroad. This case has awakened
considerable interest. It will attract
much attention when it is put on trial,
for it is declared by those who have been
investigating the charges that some ex-
ceedingly sensational testimony will be
brought to light.
The cases against the justices of the
peace who were indicted by the grand
jury on the charge of malpractice in Of
fee have yet to be taken up by the super
Tor court This term. Only one of these
cases has been tried-that of Justice John
Fitzgerald, which resulted in a mistrial
Since the trial the magistrate has sent
his resignation TO the governor, and the
grand jury has assented to having the
case dropped. The other cases. which are
yet to be heard are of a similar nature
The charges against the justices of the
peace are that they have been guilty Of
arrestiug innocent parties for the sole
purpose of enforcing the collection of
debts.
When the criminal work of the superior
court has been wound to a close there will
he a slack up in the work. The civil bust
ness will, for the most part, perhaps be
heard I'm chambers