The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-03-09
LEE GIVEN HIS LIBERTY.
DIDN'T KNOW WHAT 1T MEANT
WHEN TOLD HE WAS FREE.

Fourteen Years in the Penitentiary
Had DuIIed His Comprehension of
Life Outside of Stripes and Chains.
Room when Judge Galloway Said
"YOu Can GO"-Lee's Convict Rec
ord n Remarkable One.
Major Lee, the convict whose case has
become celebrated through the fact that
he served fourteen years in the peniten-
tiary after a new trial had been granted
him, was made a free man yesterday morn
ing by the signature of Judge E. H. Gala
way of the Augusta circuit to an order of
nolle prosequi entered on motion of Solic-
itor General Osborne.
The proceeding was very simple one.
Lee has been in the Chatham county Jail
ever since he was brought down from the
camp at Hodo, near Wadley, on the Central
railroad, by Sheriff Roman and Deputy
Hesser, and yesterday morning shortly
after 9 o'clock he was brought up to the
hourt house.
Lee evidently did not understand the
matter from the beginning. He knew
something was transpiring in his case. but
just what it was he could not make out.
He appeared in court with his father
well-known colored citizen of Bulloch
county. and enc who owns considerable
property there, and was represented by
MIR. I. s. Morgan, Jr., one of his attor-
neys.
Judge Galloway took the bench for the
reason, as has been stated, that Judge
Falligant was disqualified on account of
having been Lees attorney on his trial
The proceeding consisted simply in Judge
Callaway's signing his name twice, the
first signature being TO the order establish
ing the copy of the indictment against Lee
from the supreme court records because
the original indictment has been lost and
the second directing that nolle prose-
qui be entered in accordance with the mo-
ton of the solicitor general.
You can 60" Judge Galloway said,
turning to Lee after he had signed the
order.
But Lee was nonplussed. He looked at
the door, and then at the officers of the
court and then at his father. The scene
was a pathetic one So accustomed to his
confinement and hard labor had he be-
come, that the word freedom had little
meaning to him up to that time. He heard
the judge say he could go, but, unable to
comprehend the courts meaning he hest
tated, wondering, no doubt, if he would not
be taken hold of by an officer of the law
as soon as he attempted to go out of the
door. 1t was a moment or more before
he came to full realization of the fact
that he was free, and walked out the door
into the sheriff's Office with his father
Tears came into his eyes, and though
spoken to- he could say nothing. He
finally went into the court room and
thanked the judges and officers of the
court for what they had done for him.
and went away with his father.
lie thanked Judge Galloway, the prcsid-
ing judge, and Judge Falligant, who had
been his counsel. Jurors and all who
were present on the occasion of Lees trial
for murder say no ADLER defense of a man
charged with crime has been made in
Chatham county than was made by Capt
Falligant as he was then, in behalf of
Lee. Everything possible was done for
him, and it is stated his counsel have been
alert for his interests, but the one thing
they had to contend with chiefly was
the strong feeling against Lee in Bulloch
county, where lived Elbert Lee, the white
man he was charged with killing.
Lee has a remarkable record as a con-
vict. He worked for a while in the coal
mines, and was afterwards transferred to
Hodo, one of T. J. James camps During
the fourteen years and more that he has
been in the penitentiary he has never once
had the lash applied to his back, and as
Sheriff Roman was informed there was
not a man at the camp from the proprie-
tors and guards down to the lowest of the
convicts who was not glad to see Lee go
free. Lee will probably remain in Sa-
vannah and go to work here. There is
still some feeling against him in Bulloch
county, and he will hardly return there
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