The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-02-11
PITTS GETS FIFTEEN YEARS.
q VERDICT OF MANUFACTURER
WITHOUT RECO MMENDATION.

The Prisoner and His Counsel
Pleased With the ResuIt-Pitts Adj
vised to Serve His Sentence, and
Says He Wants TO Get Away From
Savannah AS soon az Possible
Much Public Comment and CritI-
cisnl as TO the NeFdict-PRtriclS
kearney's Case TO BE Tried To-day
Alonzo L. Pitts. the slayer OF old man
Adam Thornburg, was found guilty OF
voluntary manslaughter in the superior
court yesteday, and sentenced by Judge
FaiiSant TO spend fifteen years in the
state penitentary.
There will hardly be any application for
new trial in view OF the fact, as the
story goes around the court house, that
Pitts was elated with the verdict and so
expressed himself, saying he wanted to be
taken away from Savannah at once, and
he did not care how soon the penitentiary
guard came for him.
Another story that is going the rounds
Of the court officials is that Pitts was told
by his cornse. that he had better go ahead
and serve his sentence, as they had done
the best they could for him, advice prac-
tically to the effect that fifteen years was
better than taking his chances before an
other jury
Considering the feeling that has been
manifested with regard to the Pitts case,
there is little doubt that Pitts attorneys
were right in their advice. Persistent in
quiries among those who watch the prog
ress of such trials, and who take an inter
est in them. have failed to discover a single
family, who did not assert that he should
receive the full penalty of the law.
There was considerable criticism of the
jury's action after the verdict had been
returned. OF course. the jury heard al;
of the details of the case, and was in per-
haps the best position to judge of 1t. But
many say that juries are too lenient with
men who commit crimes of this kind.
From the evidence it looked very much
as if Pitts had gone to Thornburg's bar
in a drunken condition; that he mad a
dispute with Thornburg; that his friend
Sollini started into rear room, when
Ihornburg tried to stop him, and as he
did so Pitts stepped up and fired the
fatal shots. On these features of the
testimony there seemed little doubt, but
there was some doubt upon the issue
raised by the defense that ThoTnburg hal
taken down his pistol from the shelf be-
hind the bar and was attempting to use
it, In fact, there was positive evidence
10 the effect that the pistol was found in
It's accustomed position on the shelf after
the shooting.
The jury evidently deliberated a long
time over the case, IS il was not ready
to come down when the court convened
at 10 O'Clock. 1t is probable that some
of them favored a conviction, but gave
in to the verdict of the majority. This Is
no doubt case In which arguments and
an appeal for the defendant on several
grounds had some effect The solicitor
general conteded that it must be a case
of murder or nothing; that too was the
general verdict of the community with
the weight decidedly in favor of murder.
But Judge TWiggs produced some logical
argument, going to show that IL could be
case OF manslaughter claiming that
the jury should take Pitts drunken con.
dition into consideration In considering
the question of malice.
1t was pretty wei understood around
the court house as soon as the verdict
and sentenced were rendered, that there
would be no motion for a new trial. On
this understanding Clerk j. X. p. Carr al
once prepared a copy of the sentence, and
forwarded it to the principal keeper Of the
there is no such motion, or where no su-
persedeas Is granted. II is likely there
fore that a guard from the penitentiary
viii come for Pitts very soon just as Pitts
desires, and he will soon begin his fifteen
years service for the state.
This disposes of one more of the muir
DER trials on the superior court docket,
but there are still several others, ana
there Is no doubt that they are being dis
posed OF as rapidly as possible. There are
few of the results however, with which
the public have found any fault Per-
maps IN no other disposed of recently have
there been such criticisms Of a verdict
as there have been in the case of Pitts.
The trial of Patrick Kearney, Indicted
Tor the murder of ]. w. Wyness. vii
take place to-day. The Jury of the an.
periof court has been summoned for thai
purpose, and there is little doubt that the
trial viii go on, unless these Is some.
thing urgent to warrant a continuance
Kearney has an entirely different defense
from any that has been presented in any
Of the recent trials, the claim being thai
the shooting was accidental. The circum
stances OF the killing are well remem
bered; how Wyness was shot one nigh
at South Broad and Price streets, under
circumstances all of which have not yel
several days at the St. Joseph's fnfirmary
before his death, and how before hi,
death. he stated the shooting was acct
doubleday be introduced by both sides II
the trial to-day II is a case that will DO
watched win as much interest. no doubt
friends of both parties who view il from
different standpoints
Another important case is that oil
Thomas v Ponder, charged with the
murder of Frank keenan, who was con.
victed on his first trial and sentenced &c
life imprisonment. This case has not vet
been assigned for trial. In it the state
Will be represented by Hon. w. W. Fraser
Mr.. Osborne being disqualified on account
Of the fact that his law partner, Hon
Pope. Barrow, appeared on the first trial
for the defense.
other cases on the docket are those
against Patrick Connors, charged with
the murder of a negro in front Of an old
Fort saloon Christmas day two years ago
and the case against Policeman Giifovle
charged with the murder of Levi Rut-
ledge, a negro, who pointed a pistol al
him when he went to arrest him on last
Christmas day.
IN, UrKr